Rabbi Tendler Shiur Notes

Parashat Mishpatim

February 11, 1999

V'eileh hamishpatim

Goes through the rational laws. Seems like a bad introduction - a slave who stole and gets sold. "Slave" is the wrong word - since koneh eved koneh rabbo l'atzmo. Not the same as the classical definition of slavery. R. Hayyim: now the torah really begins. What do you do if someone is no good? Beit Din finds for him a nice family and gets treated with respect. After 6 years of this, you set him up in business - enough to get started. Hashem knows you are his children - even if you don't listen to my lows, we will rehabilitate you.

Midrash 30:1 - That was said in mishlei "a king with justice can establish the land, and an 'sh trumot' will destroy the land." The king of justice is Y'hoshafat who would come into court and warn the judges that they are enacting the law of God, need confidence in the justice system. The "Ish trumot" the wise people who is head and shoulder's above everyone - knows all torah - and when a widow or orphan comes to him to call someone to a din torah, he refuses - too busy learning. He destroys the world. We give our torah that it impacts on the daily life on the person. Torah Lishma os dangerous - torah for its own sake is worthless. Have a moral obligation to help the orphan and widow and to learn torah to use it in society. "Tasim Lifneihem" - is has to be so clear that you can tell the halacha to others and to stick out yourself for the sake of torah. God is standing where the sanhedrin rule.

Second aspect - Lifneihem and not before Goyim. It's assur to go to a non-Jewish court even if they rule the same way. Need affirmation that our Torah is good enough to settle all disputes.