Moral and Ethical Laws From Sinai

The beginning of Parshat Mishpatim starts with the words, ואלה המשפטים, “And these are the statutes.” The letter “Vav” meaning, “and,” is meant to connect the previous subject mentioned in the Torah, the Ten Commandments.

The reason for this connection is to remind us that all of the practical laws, also come from Mount Sinai. There are clear rules as to how we are to enforce matters of personal injury, for example. The Torah is all encompassing and involves every aspect of our lives.

It is our guide to teach us acts of kindness as well as acts of strength, known as “Gevura.” The first commandment of “I am the L-rd your G-d,” is representative of Chessed, or kindness. The second commandment, “Thou shall have no other gods before me,” represents the Gevura type of laws.

Rav Kook described the Chessed laws as referring to the 248 positive Mitzvot, and the Gevura laws were referring to the 365 negative Mitzvot.

The Chessed, or acts of kindness manifest themselves in the positive commandments of helping the poor and needy. The Gevura aspect demands of us that we have the strength to stand up for what is right, and we must not compromise our principles. Honesty in business is a given, and we must not mistreat another individual monetarily, physically, or shame him.

Many see the “Ten Commandments,” as containing the essence of Judaism. They are definitely a foundation of our religion. But the real test as explained in Parshat Mishpatim, is how we put these principles into practice.