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Lehavas David · Parshas Mishpatim · Maamar א

Mishpatim from Sinai: Keeping Every Law as a Decree

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Shemos 21:1
וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם
And these are the laws that you shall set before them.
1The yahrzeit of our holy master and Rebbe, zt"l.1 “And these are the laws that you shall set before them …”23 Rashi comments: “‘And these’ adds to the earlier ones: just as the earlier ones were from Sinai, so these too are from Sinai.” The holy sefarim, the Shelah and the Tzafnas Pane'ach, ask why it is written of the monetary laws in particular that they were said at Sinai. Was not the whole Torah, its general principles and its details alike, given at Sinai? The Yerushalmi even teaches that every new insight a seasoned student will one day bring forth was told to Moshe at Sinai.4
יוֹמָא דְּהִילּוּלָא שֶׁל כ״ק אדמו״ר זצללה״ה *וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם וְגוֹ׳ (כא, א). ברש״י הַקָּדוֹשׁ, ׳וְאֵלֶּה׳ מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, מָה הָרִאשׁוֹנִים מִסִּינַי אַף אֵלּוּ מִסִּינַי. וְהִקְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (של״ה, צפנת פענח), מַדּוּעַ דַּוְוקָא לְגַבֵּי דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת נִכְתַּב שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ מִסִּינַי, הֲלֹא הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ נֶאֶמְרוּ כְּלָלוֹתֶיהָ וּפְרָטוֹתֶיהָ מִסִּינַי, עַד שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ כָּל מַה שֶׁתַּלְמִיד וָתִיק עָתִיד לְחַדֵּשׁ נֶאֱמַר לְמֹשֶׁה בְּסִינַי (ירושלמי פאה ב, ו).
  1. The Rebbe's father, the previous Biala Rebbe, author of Kedushas Chelkas Yehoshua. ↩
  2. Shemos 21:1. ↩
  3. The sefer's note: Further maamarim on this verse, together with Parshas Shekalim, are printed below at the end of the parshah. ↩
  4. Yerushalmi Peah 2:6; in standard editions 2:4. ↩
In shortRashi says the monetary laws, like the Ten Commandments, came from Sinai; but why say so of them, when the whole Torah came from Sinai?
2The holy Zohar teaches:5 “R' Shimon opened and said: ‘And these are the laws that you shall set before them.’ The Targum renders this, ‘And these are the judgments that you shall arrange before them.’ These are the arrangements of gilgul, the judgments of souls, each of which is judged to receive its punishment.” What, then, does gilgul, the return of souls to this world, have to do with this parshah?
וּבַזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (ח״ב צד, א) אִיתָא, פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר, ׳וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם׳ תַּרְגּוּם וְאִלֵּין דִּינַיָּא דִּתְסַדַּר קֳדָמֵיהוֹן, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן סִדּוּרִין דְּגִלְגּוּלָא, דִּינִין דְּנִשְׁמְתִין דְּאִתְדָּנוּ כָּל חַד וְחַד לְקַבֵּל עוּנְשֵׁיהּ. וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַה שַׁיָּיכוּת עִנְיַן הַגִּלְגּוּלִים לְפָרָשָׁה זוֹ.
  1. Zohar II 94a. ↩
In shortThe Zohar reads “these are the laws” as the laws of gilgul; but what has the return of souls to do with this parshah?
3The Midrash says:6 “‘And these are the laws’ adds to the earlier ones, to what is written above, ‘There He set for them a chok and a mishpat.’”7 The chronicle Seder Olam Zuta tells us which mitzvos were given at Marah: Shabbos; the red heifer, whose ashes purify a person from the impurity of the dead; and civil laws. Rashi there says the same.8 Why were these three mitzvos in particular given at Marah? Moreover, with Shabbos and civil laws we can understand why they had to be given early, even before the giving of the Torah, since they are among the foundations of how a Jew conducts himself in his world. But why did the red heifer also have to come early, at Marah, ahead of the other mitzvos? We must also ask about the link itself. Since the Midrash says that “And these are the laws” adds to the mitzvos of Marah, this parshah must have some connection with them. What is that connection?
וּבַמִּדְרָשׁ אִיתָא (שמות רבה ל, ב), ׳וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים׳ מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, מַה שֶׁכָּתוּב לְמַעְלָה (טו, כה) ״שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט״. וּמָצִינוּ בְּסֵדֶר עוֹלָם זוּטָא (פ״ד) שֶׁהַמִּצְוֹות שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ בְּמָרָה הֵם שַׁבָּת פָּרָה וְדִינִין, וְכֵן פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י שָׁם. וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר הָעִנְיָן שֶׁדַּוְוקָא שְׁלֹשָׁה מִצְוֹות אֵלּוּ נִתְּנוּ בְּמָרָה, וְעוֹד דְּבִשְׁלָמָא מִצְוַת שַׁבָּת וְדִינִין יֵשׁ לְהָבִין מַדּוּעַ הוּצְרַךְ לְהַקְדִּים לִיתְּנָם עוֹד קוֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, לְפִי שֶׁהֵם מֵעִיקְּרֵי אוֹפֶן הַנְהָגָתוֹ שֶׁל יְהוּדִי בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, אַךְ מַדּוּעַ הוּצְרַךְ לְהַקְדִּים לִיתֵּן אַף מִצְוַת פָּרָה בְּמָרָה, קוֹדֶם לִשְׁאָר הַמִּצְוֹת. עוֹד צָרִיךְ לְהָבִין, דְּמֵאַחַר שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁ׳אֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים׳ מוֹסִיף עַל הַמִּצְוֹות שֶׁל מָרָה, מַשְׁמַע דְּיֵשׁ שַׁיָּיכוּת לְפָרָשָׁה זוֹ עִם הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁנִּיתְּנוּ בְּמָרָה, וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין אֵיזֶה שַׁיָּיכוּת יֵשׁ לָהֶם.
  1. Shemos Rabbah 30:2; in standard editions 30:3. ↩
  2. Shemos 15:25. Marah is the place where Israel camped three days after crossing the Red Sea, and where Hashem made the bitter water sweet (Shemos 15:22–26). ↩
  3. Seder Olam Zuta, ch. 4; Rashi on Shemos 15:25. ↩
In shortMishpatim is linked to the three mitzvos of Marah; why was the red heifer given so early, and what ties Mishpatim to Marah?
4aLet us first cite the words of my holy father and teacher, zt"l.9 He was explaining a teaching of the holy Rebbe R' Bunim of Peshischa, zt"l, in his sefer Kol Simchah, on the verse “And these are the laws that you shall set before them.” R' Bunim taught that the laws of the Torah must be “before them,” before their very selves: Hashem's laws must come before a person's own life. My holy father explained this by first citing the holy Rebbe R' Yechezkel of Kuzmir, zt"l, on words we say in the Rosh Hashanah prayer: “And in Your Torah it is written, saying: ‘Hear, O Israel.’” Everything written in Your Torah, R' Yechezkel explained, is “Hear, O Israel.” Even when we learn the laws of property and damages, for example “Two are holding a garment” or “An ox that gored a cow,”10 we must know that there too it is written, “Hear, O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One.”11 For the whole Torah teaches the Oneness of Hashem.
וְנַקְדִּים דִּבְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה (קדושת חלקת יהושע לא, ב) אֲשֶׁר הִגִּיד לְבָאֵר דִּבְרֵי הרה״ק רַבִּי בּוֹנִים מפרשיסחא זצללה״ה (בספרו קול שמחה) עַל הַכָּתוּב ״וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם״, כִּי מִשְׁפְּטֵי הַתּוֹרָה צְרִיכִים לִהְיוֹת לִפְנֵיהֶם, לִפְנֵי עַצְמוּתָם, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מִשְׁפְּטֵי ה׳ קוֹדֶם חַיּוּת הָאָדָם. וּבֵיאֵר דְּבָרָיו, בְּהֶקְדֵּם דִּבְרֵי הרה״ק רַבִּי יְחֶזְקֵאל מקאזמיר זצללה״ה עַל מַה שֶּׁאוֹמְרִים בִּתְפִילַּת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה ״וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמוֹר שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל״, הַיְינוּ שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הוּא שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאַף כְּשֶׁלּוֹמְדִים לְמָשָׁל ׳שְׁנַיִם אוֹחֲזִין בְּטַלִּית׳ אוֹ ׳שׁוֹר שֶׁנָּגַח אֶת הַפָּרָה׳, צְרִיכִים לָדַעַת שֶׁגַּם שָׁם כָּתוּב ״שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלוֹקֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד״, שֶׁכָּל הַתּוֹרָה מְלַמֶּדֶת אַחְדוּת ה׳.
  1. Kedushas Chelkas Yehoshua 31b. ↩
  2. Bava Metzia 2a; Bava Kamma 46a. ↩
  3. Devarim 6:4. ↩
4bWe know from the sefarim Shaar HaGilgulim and Shaarei Kedushah that every Jew has the root of his soul Above, and only a spark of that soul is found below, in the body.12 The tzaddik's task is to bind the souls of Israel to their root Above. For when a Jew causes a blemish through his deeds, the bond between him and the root of his soul is cut, and the tzaddik's work is to bind him to that root once more. How, then, can the souls of Israel be bound to their root nowadays? Only if we are privileged to serve the Creator with mesirus nefesh, the readiness to give one's life. In its plain sense, mesirus nefesh means giving over everything for the Creator's honor. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, binds the soul Above as a matter of course, measure for measure. Just as we give our physical side over to Hashem for His honor, so Hashem binds our nefesh, ruach and neshamah, the three levels of the soul, to their lofty root.
וְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ מִפִּי סְפָרִים (שער הגלגולים הקדמה לט, שערי קדושה ח״ג שער ה) כִּי לְכָל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ שׁוֹרֶשׁ נְשָׁמָה לְמַעְלָה, וְרַק נִיצוֹץ מִן הַנְּשָׁמָה נִמְצָא לְמַטָּה בַּגּוּף, וְתַפְקִיד הַצַּדִּיק לְקַשֵּׁר נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשָׁרְשָׁם לְמַעְלָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל פּוֹגֵם בְּמַעֲשָׂיו נִפְסַק הַקֶּשֶׁר בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין שׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר לְמַעְלָה, וַעֲבוֹדַת הַצַּדִּיק הוּא לַחֲזוֹר וּלְקָשְׁרוֹ בְּשָׁרְשׁוֹ לְמַעְלָה. וְהִנֵּה אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר הַיּוֹם לְקַשֵּׁר נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשָׁרְשָׁן, רַק בְּאִם זוֹכִים לַעֲבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, וּפֵירוּשׁ מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בִּפְשׁוּטוֹ הוּא שֶׁמּוֹסְרִים הַכֹּל לִכְבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, אֲזַי מִמֵּילָא הקב׳׳ה מְקַשֵּׁר הַנְּשָׁמָה לְמַעְלָה, מִידָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִידָּה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאָנוּ מוֹסְרִים לַה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ חֵלֶק הַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת לִכְבוֹדוֹ, כֵּן מְקַשֵּׁר ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ נַפְשֵׁינוּ וְרוּחֵינוּ וְנִשְׁמוֹתֵינוּ לְשׁוֹרֶשׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן.
  1. Shaar HaGilgulim, Introduction 39; Shaarei Kedushah, part 3, gate 5. ↩
4cWith this my holy father explained Rashi's words, “Just as the earlier ones were from Sinai …” At the Ten Commandments, the souls of Israel flew out of them at each and every utterance,13 and that is a kind of mesirus nefesh. In the same way, money matters and the laws that govern them must be kept with mesirus nefesh. This repairs the blemish caused in business and monetary dealings, so that the person no longer needs to return in another gilgul. That is the connection between gilgul and the verse “And these are the laws.” A person who is privileged to do this repairs, as a matter of course, the blemish he caused and binds himself to his root Above, and he need not come back, Heaven forbid, for a second gilgul. This also explains R' Bunim's words, that the laws of the Torah must come before their very selves: they mean keeping the mitzvos that involve money with mesirus nefesh. Those are my holy father's words.
וּפֵירֵשׁ בָּזֶה דִּבְרֵי רש״י ׳מָה הָרִאשׁוֹנִים מִסִּינַי׳ וְכוּ׳, כִּי בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת פָּרְחָה נִשְׁמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל כָּל דִּיבּוּר וְדִיבּוּר (שבת פח, ב) שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, וּכְמוֹ כֵּן בְּעִנְיְנֵי מָמוֹנוֹת וּמִשְׁפָּטִים צָרִיךְ לְקַיְּימָם בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, וּבָזֶה מְתַקְּנִים מַה שֶּׁפָּגְמוּ בַּמִּסְחָר בְּדִינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵּן אֵין צְרִיכִים עוֹד לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל. וְזֶהוּ שַׁיָּיכוּת עִנְיַן הַגִּלְגּוּלִים לַכָּתוּב ׳וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים׳, כִּי בְּאִם זוֹכִים לְכָךְ אָז מִמֵּילָא מְתַקְּנִים מַה שֶּׁפָּגְמוּ וּמְקַשְּׁרִים עַצְמָם בְּשׁוֹרֶשׁ לְמַעְלָה, וְאֵין צְרִיכִים לָבוֹא ח״ו לְגִלְגּוּל שֵׁנִי. וְזֶהוּ בֵּיאוּר דִּבְרֵי הָרַבִּי ר׳ בּוֹנִים זיע׳׳א שֶׁמִּשְׁפְּטֵי הַתּוֹרָה צְרִיכִים לִהְיוֹת לִפְנֵי עַצְמוּתָם, הַיְינוּ לְקַיֵּים מִצְוֹות הַתְּלוּיוֹת בְּמָמוֹן בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, עכד׳׳ק.
  1. Shabbos 88b. ↩
In shortKeeping monetary laws with mesirus nefesh, the Rebbe's father taught, repairs the blemish caused in money matters and spares the soul another gilgul.
5[My holy father also put it in a somewhat different way.14 The foundation of serving Hashem is to bind everything to its lofty root for the Creator's honor, in spiritual and physical matters alike. But how can everything be bound to its root on high? The holy sefarim say it is done through mesirus nefesh: when a person gives over his soul for the honor of His Name, and likewise when he gives over his money for the Creator's honor. Someone, for example, who is devoted enough to give a great deal of tzedakah, more than he earns, has a kind of mesirus nefesh, and so he binds his share of money to Hashem. This is the point: even monetary laws can bring out “Hear, O Israel,” through mesirus nefesh. A Jew who reaches this is privileged to repair everything in his own lifetime, and he need not come back to this world in another gilgul. That is what the verse means: “And these are the laws,” the monetary laws, must be “before them,” before Hashem. And this is their connection with the order of gilgul.]
[*עוֹד אָמַר בְּאוֹפֶן אַחֵר קְצָת, דְּהִנֵּה יְסוֹד הָעֲבוֹדָה לְקַשֵּׁר הַכֹּל בְּשׁוֹרֶשׁ עֶלְיוֹן לִכְבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ בֵּין בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת וּבֵין בַּגַּשְׁמִיּוּת, אַךְ אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר לְקַשֵּׁר הַכֹּל לְשׁוֹרֶשׁ עֶלְיוֹן, אִיתָא בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁהוּא עַל יְדֵי מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, כַּאֲשֶׁר מוֹסֵר נַפְשׁוֹ לְמַעַן כְּבוֹד שְׁמוֹ, וְכֵן כַּאֲשֶׁר מוֹסֵר מָמוֹנוֹ לִכְבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא, כְּגוֹן מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מְסִירוּת לָתֵת הַרְבֵּה צְדָקָה יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶׁהוּא מַרְוִיחַ, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, וְאָז מְקַשֵּׁר חֵלֶק הַמָּמוֹן לַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ. וְזֶה הַכַּוָּונָה, שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ בְּדִינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת יוֹצֵא מִזֶּה בְּחִינַת שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ע״י מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ. וְהִנֵּה בְּאִם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַגִּיעַ לָזֶה, אֲזַי זוֹכֶה לְתַקֵּן הַכֹּל בְּחַיִּים חַיּוּתוֹ, וְאֵינֶנּוּ צָרִיךְ לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל עוֹד הַפַּעַם לְזֶה הָעוֹלָם, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״וְאֵלֶּה מִשְׁפָּטִים״ אֵלּוּ דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת, יִהְיוּ בִּבְחִינַת ׳לִפְנֵיהֶם׳ לִפְנֵי ה׳, וְזֶהוּ הַשַּׁיָּיכוּת לְעִנְיַן סֵדֶר הַגִּלְגּוּלִים].
  1. The sefer's note: An addition from another place. ↩
In shortGiving money for Hashem's honor, like tzedakah beyond one's means, binds even money to its root, so a person completes his repair in this lifetime.
6To understand all this more clearly, we can explain it as follows. The mitzvos of the Torah fall into two parts. One part is the mishpatim, the laws and rational mitzvos: things that reason requires and that the mind sees as only right. Besides these, we were given mitzvos that are a chok, a decree without a reason. The goal is that even the mitzvos whose reason we can understand should be kept solely because His wisdom, blessed be He, decreed them, and not because we understand and grasp their reasons. For if a person keeps the mitzvos only because he grasps their reasons, he may stumble: wherever his mind does not understand a mitzvah, he will not keep it.
וּבִכְדֵי לְהָבִין הַדְּבָרִים בְּיֶתֶר בֵּיאוּר אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ, כִּי הִנֵּה מִצְוֹות הַתּוֹרָה כּוֹלְלִים שְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, חֵלֶק הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וְהַמִּצְוֹות הַשִּׂכְלִיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם דְּבָרִים שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל מְחַיְּיבָן וְהַדַּעַת נוֹתֶנֶת שֶׁכָּךְ מִן הָרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת, וּמִלְּבַד זֹאת נִיתַּן לָנוּ חֵלֶק הַמִּצְוֹות אֲשֶׁר הֵם בִּבְחִינַת חוֹק בְּלֹא טַעַם. וְהַתַּכְלִית הַנִּרְצֶה הוּא, שֶׁאַף אֶת הַמִּצְוֹות שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם טַעַם וַהֲבָנָה נְקַיְּימֵם אַךְ וְרַק מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכֵּן גָּזְרָה חָכְמָתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְלֹא מִצַּד הַהֲבָנָה וְהַהַשָּׂגָה בְּטַעֲמֵיהֶן. כִּי בְּאִם מְקַיְּימִים הַמִּצְוֹות רַק מִצַּד הַשָּׂגַת טַעֲמֵיהֶם, אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לִידֵי מִכְשׁוֹל, שֶׁבְּמָקוֹם שֶׁשִּׂכְלוֹ לֹא יָבִין אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת לֹא יְקַיְּימֵם.
In shortEven the rational mitzvos should be kept purely as Hashem's decree, since observance that rests on understanding fails where understanding ends.
7aMy holy great-grandfather of Biala, zy"a, wrote these very ideas in the holy sefer Divrei Binah.15 These are his words: “The Bartenura, the classic commentator on the Mishnah, wrote at the beginning of Pirkei Avos: ‘I say that this tractate is not founded on any of the Torah's mitzvos, as the other tractates of the Mishnah are. It consists entirely of ethical teachings and middos, character traits, and the sages of the nations of the world also wrote books on ethics and middos, which they made up out of their own hearts. That is why the Tanna began this tractate with “Moshe received the Torah from Sinai”:16 to tell you that the sages of the Mishnah did not make up the middos and teachings in this tractate out of their own hearts. These too were said at Sinai, by the One Who revealed Himself at Sinai.’ That is the gist of the Bartenura's words.
וּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ כָּתַב זְקֵנִי זי״ע מביאלא בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ דִּבְרֵי בִּינָה (פרשת נצבים וילך אות ב) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ, הִנֵּה הרע״ב ז״ל כָּתַב בְּרֵישׁ פִּרְקֵי אָבוֹת וז״ל, אוֹמֵר אֲנִי, לְפִי שֶׁמַּסֶּכֶת הַזֹּאת אֵינָהּ מְיוּסֶּדֶת עַל פִּי מִצְוָה מִמִּצְוֹת הַתּוֹרָה כִּשְׁאָר מַסֶּכְתּוֹת שבש״ס אֶלָּא כּוּלָּהּ מוּסָרִים וּמִדּוֹת, וְחַכְמֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם חִבְּרוּ גַּם כֵּן סְפָרִים בְּמוּסָר וּמִדּוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּדוּ מִלִּבָּם, לְפִיכָךְ הִתְחִיל הַתַּנָּא בְּמַסֶּכֶת זוֹ ״מֹשֶׁה קִיבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִּינַי״, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁהַמִּדּוֹת וְהַמּוּסָרִים שֶׁבְּזוֹ הַמַּסֶּכֶת לֹא בָּדוּ אוֹתָם חַכְמֵי הַמִּשְׁנָה מִלִּבָּם, אֶלָּא אַף אֵלּוּ נֶאֶמְרוּ מִסִּינַי מִמִּי שֶׁנִּגְלָה בְּסִינַי, עכ״ד ז״ל.
  1. Divrei Binah, Nitzavim-Vayeilech §2. ↩
  2. Avos 1:1. ↩
7b“The idea is this. The heart of a Jew's service is that when he practices some good middah, he should not do so because reason requires it, but because of the Divine part of his soul, which draws him to upright middos. If he practices good middos because his reason says that this is the proper way to act, for the sake of decent conduct and the like, then when the ways of the world change, as they sometimes do, and people begin to behave differently, he too will change his ways and his middos. Nothing will remain in his hands, Heaven forbid. But if a person practices all his middos because these are Hashem's own attributes, and one must hold fast to His ways as He commanded us at Sinai, then all his middos, within their proper bounds, will surely endure forever.” Those are his holy words. What emerges from them is that if we keep the mitzvos as a chok, we will not stumble. But if we keep them because they make sense to us, we may stumble into following the people who change the ways of the Torah to suit the spirit of the times.
וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא, דְּעִיקַּר עֲבוֹדַת אִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי הוּא, שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְנַהֵג בְּאֵיזֶה מִדָּה טוֹבָה, לֹא יְקַיֵּים אוֹתָהּ מִצַּד שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל מְחַיֵּיב כֵּן, רַק שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה זֶה הַדָּבָר מִצַּד חֵלֶק הָאֱלֹקִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ הַמַּמְשִׁיךְ אוֹתוֹ לְמִדּוֹת יְשָׁרִים, כִּי בְּאִם יִתְנַהֵג בְּהַמִּדּוֹת מִצַּד הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁכֵּן רָאוּי לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצַּד דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ וְכַדּוֹמֶה, אֲזַי כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁתַּנֶּה לִפְעָמִים דֶּרֶךְ הָעוֹלָם מִדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְהִתְנַהֵג בִּדְרָכִים אֲחֵרִים, אֲזַי גַּם הוּא יְשַׁנֶּה דְּרָכָיו וּמִדּוֹתָיו, וְלֹא יִשָּׁאֵר בְּיָדוֹ מְאוּמָה ח״ו. אֲבָל אִם הָאָדָם מְקַיֵּים כָּל מִדּוֹתָיו מִצַּד שֶׁכֵּן הוּא מִדּוֹתָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְצָרִיךְ לֶאֱחוֹז בִּדְרָכָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ מַה שֶׁצִּיוָּונוּ בְּסִינַי, אָז וַדַּאי יִהְיוּ כָּל גִּדְרֵי מִדּוֹתָיו לְקִיּוּם נִצְחִי, עכדה״ק. הַיּוֹצֵא מִדְּבָרָיו, שֶׁבְּאִם מְקַיְּימִים אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת מִטַּעַם חֹק אָז אֵין בָּאִים לִידֵי מִכְשׁוֹל, אַךְ אִם מְקַיְּימִים אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת מִטַּעַם שֵׂכֶל, אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לִידֵי תַּקָּלָה לֵילֵךְ אַחַר הָאֲנָשִׁים שֶׁמְּשַׁנִּים מִדַּרְכֵי הַתּוֹרָה לְפִי רוּחַ הַזְּמַן.
In shortMiddos and mitzvos kept because Hashem commanded them endure forever, the Divrei Binah teaches; those kept for their reasons change with the times.
8On this basis we can explain Rashi's words, “Just as the earlier ones were from Sinai, so these too are from Sinai.” That is, we keep the Ten Commandments only because they were said at Sinai and are Hashem's commandments. So too, we must keep the laws between a person and his fellow in money matters as a decree of the King, and not because of the sense we see in them. That is why the warning was given about monetary laws in particular, and not about the other mitzvos: these laws can be reasoned out and understood. Indeed, even the nations of the world have rules and laws about money. With these laws, then, a person may end up keeping them for their own sake, because they seem right and proper to him, and in this way he will stumble, just as the Divrei Binah warned. That is why the Torah placed Parshas Mishpatim right after the Ten Commandments: to tell us that these too are from Sinai. The two are equal, for we were commanded to keep both only because of Sinai, and not because of our own reasoning about them.
וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר דִּבְרֵי רש״י הַקָּדוֹשׁ ׳מָה הָרִאשׁוֹנִים מִסִּינַי אַף אֵלּוּ מִסִּינַי׳, הַיְינוּ דִּכְשֵׁם שֶׁעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת מְקַיְּימִים רַק מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ בְּסִינַי וּמִפְּנֵי הֱיוֹתָם מִצְוֹת ה׳, כָּךְ עַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה יֵשׁ לְקַיֵּים גַּם אֶת עִנְיְנֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵירוֹ בְּדִינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת, בְּתוֹרַת גְּזֵרַת מֶלֶךְ וְלֹא מֵחֲמַת הַהֲבָנָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם. וְלָכֵן נֶאֶמְרָה אַזְהָרָה זוֹ דַּיְיקָא לְעִנְיַן דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת וְלֹא בִּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁבְּמִשְׁפָּטִים אֵלּוּ יֵשׁ בָּהֶם שֵׂכֶל וַהֲבָנָה, וּמָצִינוּ שֶׁאַף אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם יֵשׁ לָהֶם חוּקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים בְּעִנְיְינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת, וְעַל כֵּן בָּהֶם יָכוֹל הָאָדָם לָבֹא לְקַיְּימָם מִצַּד עַצְמָם שֶׁכָּךְ נָכוֹן וְנִרְאֶה לוֹ, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יָבוֹא לִידֵי מִכְשׁוֹל כַּנִּזְכָּר, לָכֵן סָמְכָה הַתּוֹרָה אֶת פָּרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים לַעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, לוֹמַר לָנוּ שֶׁאַף אֵלּוּ מִסִּינַי, שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם שָׁוִים שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוּוּנוּ לְקַיְּימָם אֶלָּא בְּסִינַי, וְלֹא מִצַּד סְבָרַת עַצְמָם.
In shortRational monetary law is the easiest to keep for its own logic, so of it in particular Rashi says, “These too are from Sinai.”
9This is what the Midrash means when it says that the Torah tied the keeping of the laws to the mitzvos commanded at Marah: Shabbos, the red heifer and civil laws. Israel was commanded about the red heifer already at Marah because it is a chok, a decree of the King without a reason. It was given before the giving of the Torah for this very reason, to teach that the whole Torah must be kept as a chok. And “And these” adds to those earlier ones, teaching that the mishpatim too must be kept in this way.
וְזֶהוּ דְּאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, שֶׁתָּלְתָה הַתּוֹרָה קִיּוּם דִּינֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים בַּמִּצְוֹות שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בְּמָרָה, שַׁבָּת פָּרָה וְדִינִים. דְּהִנֵּה הַטַּעַם שֶׁכְּבָר בְּמָרָה נִצְטַוּוּ עַל פָּרָה אֲדוּמָּה הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא חֹק וּגְזֵירַת מֶלֶךְ לְלֹא טַעַם, וּמִפְּנֵי כָּךְ נִיתְּנָה כְּבָר לִפְנֵי מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, לְהוֹרוֹת כִּי יֵשׁ לְקַיֵּים הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ בִּבְחִינַת חֹק, וְאֵלֶּה מוֹסִיף עַל אֵלּוּ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, שֶׁגַּם דִּינֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים יֵשׁ לְקַיֵּים בְּדֶרֶךְ זוֹ.
In shortThe red heifer, a chok without a reason, came early at Marah to teach that the whole Torah, monetary laws included, is a chok.
10When a person keeps the Torah and its mitzvos in this way, solely because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them, he will be privileged to fulfill his task in the world properly. This also lets us explain why the holy Zohar ties gilgul to this verse. The main reason a person must, Heaven forbid, come back to this world a second time in a gilgul is that he does not keep the Torah's mitzvos in order to fulfill Hashem's will. He mixes in his own feelings and understanding, and so his mind and heart do not let him fulfill Hashem's will in every matter and every situation. But when he keeps the whole Torah in the spirit of “‘And these’ adds to the earlier ones,” so that chok and mishpat are equal in his eyes, he can be sure that he will not, Heaven forbid, cause a blemish in this world. And so he will not need to come back again in a gilgul.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר מְקַיֵּים אָדָם הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוֹות בְּאוֹפֶן זֶה אַךְ וְרַק מִפְּנֵי צִיוּוּי הקב״ה, בָּזֶה יִזְכֶּה לְקַיֵּים כָּרָאוּי תַּפְקִידוֹ בָּעוֹלָם. וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר עִנְיַן דִּבְרֵי הַזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ שֶׁקִּישְּׁרוּ אֶת עִנְיְנֵי הַגִּלְגּוּלִים לַכָּתוּב זֶה, שֶׁכֵּן עִיקַּר הֲסִיבָּה שֶׁמֵּחֲמָתָהּ צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם ח״ו לְהַגִּיעַ בַּשֵּׁנִית לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּגִלְגּוּל, הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין מְקַיֵּים מִצְוֹות הַתּוֹרָה מִצַּד קִיּוּם רְצוֹן ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְזֹאת מֵחֲמַת שֶׁמְּשַׁתֵּף אֶת הַרְגָּשָׁתוֹ וַהֲבָנָתוֹ הָעַצְמִית, וּמִמֵּילָא לֹא בְּכָל עִנְיָן וּבְכָל מַצָּב מַנִּיחַ לוֹ שִׂכְלוֹ וְלִבּוֹ לְקַיֵּים רְצוֹן ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ. אַךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא מְקַיֵּים אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה בִּבְחִינַת אֵלֶּה מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, שֶׁהַחֹק וְהַמִּשְׁפָּט שָׁוִים אֶצְלוֹ, אָז הוּא מוּבְטָח שֶׁלֹּא יִפְגּוֹם ח״ו בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וּמִמֵּילָא לֹא יְהֵא צָרִיךְ לָבוֹא שׁוּב בְּגִלְגּוּל.
In shortA soul returns in gilgul mainly because a person mixes his own understanding into his service; keeping chok and mishpat alike prevents that.
11This, however, takes a high degree of mesirus nefesh. The yetzer hara does not easily let a person live this way. Only by summoning all his strength, with mesirus nefesh against his own inclinations, is he privileged to reach it. This is “that you shall set before them,” before their very selves, as my holy father taught in the words we cited at the start.
וְאָמְנָם נִצְרָךְ לְכָךְ דַּרְגַּת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ רַבָּה, כִּי הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע אֵינוֹ מַנִּיחַ בְּנָקֵל לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּדֶרֶךְ זוֹ, וְרַק בְּהִתְעַצְּמוּת וּבִמְסִירוּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ כְּנֶגֶד הַנְּטִיָּה הָעַצְמִית זוֹכִים לְכָךְ, וּבִבְחִינַת ׳אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם׳ לִפְנֵי עַצְמוּתָם, כְּדִבְרֵי אאמו״ר זצ״ל הַמּוּבָאִים לְעֵיל.
In shortKeeping every mitzvah purely as Hashem's decree takes great mesirus nefesh against one's inclinations: His laws “before their very selves.”
12As we observe the tzaddik's yahrzeit, we must reflect on his ways, seek to cling to them and walk in his paths. A number of his instructions and warnings concerned matters like these, where the yetzer hara tempts people to think there is no harm in changing a practice and not keeping it, and they do not fully grasp how much care it deserves. One example is wearing garments with the right side over the left, and not the reverse, which my holy father was very particular about. Once a relative he had not seen for many years came to him, and my holy father would not greet him as long as the relative was wearing clothes with the left side over the right. We must take it upon ourselves to keep this practice, even though for many people it is a chok whose reason they do not grasp.
וּבְעָמְדֵינוּ בְּיוֹמָא דְּהִילּוּלָא שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק, עָלֵינוּ לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בִּדְרָכָיו וּלְחַפֵּשׂ לְדַבֵּק בָּהֶם וְלֵילֵךְ בְּאוֹרְחוֹתָיו. וְכַמָּה מֵהַדְרָכוֹתָיו וְאַזְהָרוֹתָיו הָיוּ מֵעִנְיָנִים כְּגוֹן אֵלּוּ, שֶׁהַיֵּצֶר הָרַע מְפַתֶּה לַחְשׁוֹב שֶׁאֵין בְּכָךְ גְּרִיעוּתָא אִם יְשַׁנּוּ וְלֹא יִנְהֲגוּ כֵּן, וְאֵין מְבִינִים כָּל כָּךְ גּוֹדֶל עִנְיַן הַקְּפִידָא בָּזֶה. וּכְגוֹן לְבִישַׁת הַמַּלְבּוּשִׁים צַד יָמִין עַל גַּבֵּי צַד שְׂמֹאל וְלֹא לְהֵיפֶךְ, שֶׁהָיָה מַקְפִּיד עַל כָּךְ בְּיוֹתֵר. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהִגִּיעַ אֵלָיו קָרוֹב שֶׁלֹּא רָאָהוּ זֶה שָׁנִים רַבּוֹת, וְלֹא רָצָה לִיתֵּן לוֹ שָׁלוֹם כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהוּא לָבוּשׁ בְּמַלְבּוּשִׁים שֶׁצַּד הַשְּׂמֹאל הוּא עַל צַד יָמִין. וְאָנוּ צְרִיכִים לְקַבֵּל עַל עַצְמֵינוּ לִשְׁמוֹר עַל עִנְיָן זֶה, הֲגַם שֶׁאֵצֶל רַבִּים הוּא בִּבְחִינַת חֹק.
In shortOn the tzaddik's yahrzeit we should take on his care in practices that seem trivial, such as wearing garments right side over left.
13Likewise, one should make an effort not to write the date by the reckoning of the nations of the world. My holy father saw such matters as among the causes holding back the redemption. As Chazal famously taught, our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt in the merit of not adopting the ways of the nations in their language, their clothing and their names, but keeping to the ways of the Avos. The future redemption, too, will come in this merit.17
וּכְמוֹ כֵּן יֵשׁ לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְבַל לִכְתּוֹב תַּאֲרִיךְ שֶׁל מִנְיַן הָאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, וכ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה רָאָה בְּעִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ מֵהַסִּיבּוֹת לְעִיכּוּב הַגְּאוּלָּה, כַּיָּדוּעַ מַאֲמָרָם ז״ל (פסיקתא זוטרתא שמות ו, ו) שֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם בִּזְכוּת שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינּוּ לְדַרְכֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בִּלְשׁוֹן וּמַלְבּוּשׁ וּבְשֵׁם וְנָהֲגוּ בְּדַרְכֵי הָאָבוֹת, וְכֵן גַּם הַגְּאוּלָּה הָעֲתִידָה תִּהְיֶה בִּזְכוּת כָּךְ.
  1. Pesikta Zutrasa (Midrash Lekach Tov), Shemos 6:6. ↩
In shortThe Rebbe's father counted writing the date by the nations' reckoning among the causes holding back the redemption, which comes through keeping Jewish ways.
14It is also right to urge care with the blessings over food and other enjoyments, and with their laws. My holy father spoke of this often and urged people to be careful in it. It is good to set a time, when the moment is right, to learn the laws of these blessings with one's family, for example at the meal on the holy Shabbos. My holy father would read a verse in our parshah as a hint to this: “And He will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove illness from your midst.”18 When we are careful with the blessings over food, “I will remove illness from your midst” is fulfilled.19
גַּם מִן הָרָאוּי לְעוֹרֵר אוֹדוֹת זְהִירוּת בְּבִרְכוֹת הַנֶּהֱנִין וְהִלְכוֹתֵיהֶן, אֲשֶׁר רַבּוֹת הָיָה מְדַבֵּר וּמְעוֹרֵר לְהִזָּהֵר בָּזֶה. וּמִן הָרָאוּי לִקְבּוֹעַ זְמַן לִלְמוֹד עִם בְּנֵי הַבַּיִת הֲלָכוֹת בִּרְכוֹת הַנֶּהֱנִין בְּעֵת מְצוֹא, וּכְגוֹן בְּשַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ בְּעֵת הַסְּעוּדָה. וכ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה הָיָה מְפָרֵשׁ בְּדֶרֶךְ רֶמֶז בְּעִנְיָן זֶה אֶת מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּפָרָשָׁתָן (כג, כה) ״וּבֵרַךְ אֶת לַחְמְךָ וְאֶת מֵימֶךָ וַהֲסִירוֹתִי מַחֲלָה מִקִּרְבֶּךָ״, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּזְהָרִים בְּבִרְכוֹת הַנֶּהֱנִין, מִתְקַיֵּים ״וַהֲסִירוֹתִי מַחֲלָה מִקִּרְבֶּךָ״ (יעוין קדושת חלקת יהושע).
  1. Shemos 23:25. ↩
  2. See Kedushas Chelkas Yehoshua. ↩
In shortCare with the blessings over food, learned at home with one's family, brings health, as the Rebbe's father read “I will remove illness.”
15In this merit may we be privileged to have a good life, with health of body and soul. And may the tzaddik plead for us on high, for blessing and success in children, life and plentiful sustenance, and for the complete redemption soon. Amen.
וְנִזְכֶּה בִּזְכוּת זֶה לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים מִתּוֹךְ בְּרִיאוּת הַגּוּף וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְיַמְלִיץ טוֹב בַּעֲדֵינוּ בַּמָּרוֹם לִבְרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּנֵי חַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנֵי רְוִיחֵי, וְלִגְאוּלָּה שְׁלֵימָה בְּקָרוֹב, אָמֵן.
In shortThe Rebbe prays that in this merit we be granted health, and that his father plead on high for children, life, sustenance and the redemption.
Takeaway

It is easy to keep the mitzvos we understand, especially the honest dealings with money that every decent society expects, but a mitzvah that rests on our own reasoning will bend when the times change. The Torah placed Mishpatim right after Sinai so that we keep even the “logical” laws as the King's decree, putting His will before our very selves. That takes real mesirus nefesh, in business, in tzedakah and even in small practices that look trivial, and it is how a person repairs his soul in this lifetime.

Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›

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English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.