Sedra of the Week: Mishpatim
Rabbi Ariel Abel looks at the forthcoming week's portion of the Torah
Rabbi Ariel Abel is based in Liverpool
Mishpatim – the first statute book of Israel – might sound like heavy reading, but is surprisingly varied, and concise enough not to lose a lay reader’s attention.
Starting with Hebrew slaves, the list proceeds through interpersonal conduct and moves on to moral sexual behaviours and duties to God. Areas such as how to behave towards one’s enemy are also looked at.
Elements of how to treat terrorists, prisoners in detention and their families fall under this heading; human rights are relevant even to those who have abused others, even ourselves, and those rights emanate from our responsibilities to them.
Macro-issues of how to run a humane economy and refrain from abuse of system are treated, followed by sustainable land cultivation and husbandry. It is remarkable that such details are tackled in a desert, but the Israelites were neither ignorant of agriculture, nor planning to stay longer than two years in the desert.
The statute roll concludes with a reminder that Hebrew practices are not merely a cultural phenomenon, but part of code of loyalty to one God. Setting the statutes into practice is achieved by calendarising festivals, and they are summarised near the end of this week’s reading.
God then sends an angel to guard the Israelites. Perhaps with so many social and legal practices to integrate, the Israelites cannot devote all their time to watching out for themselves and need some help against their enemies.
The last section relates how the young Israelites celebrated the Sinai revelation, fully viewing God’s presence. Thereafter, Moshe ascended Sinai and remained there 40 days and nights. But the celebratory ending is a lining at the edge of a dark cloud that presages the cult of the Golden Calf.
ω Ariel Abel is chaplain to HM Forces and rabbi of Liverpool Princes Road Synagogue
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
