Mishpatim Excerpts
משפטים
Shabbat Shalom
Bar Mitzvah boys friends. The hoodlums are here. Everybody did not bring their safety goggles, as I told them. Now Mrs. Schwartz has a zinger...Those kids whip the candies. You knew that. That is why they come to shul.
They are in the halls now. We are all safe. You can pull your siddurim off your face...They caught Mr. Greenstone too...
We are celebrating another Bar Mitzvah of a child we have not seen in many years. It is good to have our Israeli friends in shul today. They are what is known as Chiloni (secular Jews). This is why they are wearing jeans...They are Americans, they don't understand. In Israel, jeans are very expensive...
(23:6) Don't favor the destitute in judgment. I heard Mark saying, 'He is right because he has no money.' No. He is a ganev. The poor man is a thief. His wife even lied about food-stamps.
'Let's give them money for stealing...because they are poor.' That is the outlook of the people in this congregation who hate Israel. Israel is poor. A lot of people in Israel are poor. Do you think about that? I saw the kids stealing the candy. Just because they are in jeans, does not make it OK.
Do not distort judgment (23:7-8). It is about honesty. You all pervert judgment. You say it is 'OK to take food before kiddush.' You have no rules. You have feelings, that is great. Mrs. Schwartz has feelings. Does she still have an eye? We hope...
We care about poor people. I for one, put money into styrafoam cups when I see somebody sleeping on the street.
(23:11) You leave the fields in the seventh year. The seventh year is great for the poor people. If you are poor and can make it to the 7th year, it is awesome.
(23:9) Do not oppress the stranger. For we were strangers in Egypt.
Honesty and truth in judgment means you also treat people well. Unlike Bernie, who is came in and kicked the Bar Mitzvah boy's friend out of his seat...We were strangers too Bernie. Last month, when I was in Kiatakwa, Illinois, I was a stranger. Nobody knew me...Yes, it was oppressing when the only grocery store I could find was a gas station...I am scared of the children. I am welcoming them, but scared.
You treat people right. You judge favorably. But you practice judgment with justice.
(23:12) Work for 6 days and rest on the seventh. 7th being Shabbat. But we can't rest with all these kids here that are running around, thinking about stealing a Torah.
We are honoring people who deserve to be honored. Not because they are poor. There is no reason to honor poor people. We are going to be honoring the Zweitman family because they are going to making a big donation to the shul next month...The shul is sick. You can see how low the money bar is on the thermometer in the front...
And why is the dad of the Bar Mitzvah standing up there with his son the whole time while he is reading? That is an Israeli Chiloni tradition. The father thinks he is getting Bar Mitzvahed again too...It is good to have Israelis in the shul. Professor Mizrachi, you can let your son do the rest of the Bar Mitzvah himself. It is only the 13 year old that gets Bar Mitzvahed. Let him have his time in the spotlight.
His dad protected his son from the ancient tradition of hurling hard objects at sinners. That is commendable. It is good you were up there with him, to cover his head with your tallit. Although, Mrs. Schwarts could have used your help as well...
Has rest cometh upon those who have not keepeth the Mitzvot? That was Biblical language...Those who do not practice the holidays of pilgrimage (23:14-19). Why are the holidays mentioned by the commandments of correct judgment, and Shabbat, and mixing dairy and meat? What do they have in common? Those who do not keep them are sinners.
Yes, you come on Yom Kippur, but it is those who cook the kid in its mothers milk and do not keep the holidays that distort the judgment. The Sforno mentions that those who bring the offerings on the Pilgrimage holidays acknowledge that Gd controls all aspects of our lives.
And I ask: Would you still be whipping candies at the destitute, if you accepted H's presence in our lives. Or would you give the candy to the destitute? Maybe leave it in the corner of your field.
Chris, please come up...Your parents would never whip candy at anybody...Yes. Wearing jeans to shul is your tradition...Be kind to your friends. However, when Mrs. Schwartz is asking for reparations on her eye, will you bear witness for truth? Will you keep the Shabbat? Will you leave a corner of your field? Will you kick a kid in its mothers milk? These are the questions that all Bar Mitzvah boys have to answer.