This week\u2019s Middat HaShavuah, taken from this week\u2019s Torah portion, Parshat Mishpatim, instructs us to create fair rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parshah: \u05de\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key Verse: \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05e9\u05b4\u05c2\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05db\u05d0:\u05d0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Middah: Create fair rules<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parshat Mishpatim is interesting because this Torah portion actually contains 53 of the 613 total mitzvot in the Torah. That is to say, almost 9% of all of the Mitzvot in the entire Torah are contained in this one Torah portion. That is a lot of Mitzvot for one Torah portion!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to Mitzvot, they can be divided into many categories: Mitzvot \u201cAseh\u201d and \u201cLo Ta\u2019aseh\u201d (sometimes referred to as positive and negative commandments); and there are Mitzvot \u201cBein Adam LeMakom\u201d and Mitzvot \u201cBein Adam LeChavero\u201d (religious or spiritual commandments between ourselves and G-d, and commandments between one person and another). Most, but not all, of the Mitzvot in this week\u2019s Torah portion fall into the latter category – Mitzvot \u201cBein Adam LeChavero\u201d – commandments between one person and another. These could be considered \u201crules of fairness\u201d that help guide us and help us lead a better, more ethical life, and help us get along in society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We often hear young people say, \u201cbut it\u2019s not fair!\u201d Children do have a strong sense of fairness and justice. They say \u201cit\u2019s not fair\u201d and so it is our responsibility as parents and educators to explain why. Which takes us back to the opening line in this week\u2019s Torah portion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key Verse: \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05e9\u05b4\u05c2\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Talmud comments on this verse as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u05e0\u05b7\u05bc\u05d9\u05b4\u05d9\u05df \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05d7\u05b7\u05d9\u05b8\u05bc\u05d9\u05d1 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05dc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u2014 \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e0\u05b6\u05bc\u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05b7\u05e8: \u05f4\u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05e9\u05b4\u05c2\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd\u05f4. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd from where do we derive that a teacher must show his students the reasons for the teachings? As it is stated: \u201cNow these are the judgments (\u05de\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd – also rules or laws) which you shall set before them\u201d (Exodus 21:1), which indicates that the lesson must be set out in logical fashion for the students.\u201d(Eruvin 54b)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rabbi Akiba understood something deeply profound when it comes to creating fair rules: we must create fair rules AND we must explain the reasons behind them to our children. The adults in the room (teachers and parents) play a pivotal role in this process. The adults in the room can certainly explain the reasons for having fair rules with our words. I would suggest that we, the teachers and the parents, should also explain why we create fair rules through our actions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shabbat Shalom U\u2019Mevorach,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreh Alan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This week\u2019s Middat HaShavuah, taken from this week\u2019s Torah portion, Parshat Mishpatim, instructs us to create fair rules. Parshah: \u05de\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd Key Verse: \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05e9\u05b4\u05c2\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05db\u05d0:\u05d0 Middah: …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":26436,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n