Torah Portion of the Week
Building Character through the Themes of the Weekly Torah Portion
וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם׃
V’el-eh ha-mish-pa-tim a-sher ta-sim lif-nei-hem.
And these are the ordinances which you shall set before them.
Exodus 21:1
Mishpatim means “ordinances.” Several of the laws given in this Torah portion have to do with behavior and moral values, setting a standard that protects others from mistreatment. This includes laws on how to treat slaves, how to treat one’s parents and family, and how to treat animals. It also includes laws about handling problems between people, how to properly treat widows and orphans, how to handle business and money affairs, and how to treat strangers. Detailed laws are given—laws for creating a society that is colored by order and proper management. After all, the precise arrangement of all things starts with “order.”
The management tools given in this portion are in place to help you, guide you, and direct you so that you will know how to manage things properly. This section of the Torah teaches the timeless lesson that a better community and an orderly society depend on each individual’s participation—and that participation includes moral responsibility, ethics, and behavior. This is why it is important to arrange your life with order.
Evaluate
Every moment is an opportunity to increase order in your life and the lives of those around you. This week, evaluate how you treat your parents, your family, your co-workers, and your employees. Are you kind, compassionate, fair, understanding, and loving? Do you set healthy standards and boundaries?
Take some time to reflect on how you handle the strangers you encounter, and how you handle the widows and orphans in your midst. Sometimes just a warm smile, a genuine compliment, or an act of kindness can make a world of difference.
How about your treatment of animals? Are you concerned for their welfare? How you treat an animal, especially one that is defenseless, is how you are going to treat people.
Examine how you are managing your business and money affairs. Does it reflect a standard that you are proud of? Be a great steward and properly manage what God has given you.
These are just some of the many ways that you can protect, enhance, and contribute to a properly managed and orderly society. Even the smallest acts can help increase order in your life today.
Pronunciation Guide for Transliterated Hebrew Words
| a | [a] as in arm |
| ai | [ai] as in Thailand |
| e | [e] as in red |
| ei | [ei] as in eight |
| i | [i] as in ski |
| o | [o] as in score |
| oi | [oi] as in oil |
| u | [u] as in rule |
| ui | [ui] as in gluing |
| ch/kh | [ch] as in the Scottish loch |
| g | [g] as in good (not as in giant) |
| tz | [ts] as in hats |
| ‘ | short “eh” or “uh” sound |
The Hebrew Scriptures in this text have been derived from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (WLC), and the English translation is based off of the JPS 1917 Tanakh.
Simchat Torah Beit Midrash®
