Mishpatim- Human Frailty
For this year of Parsha Lesson, I will be focusing on one area of character growth, to think about in the week ahead and the benefits that a person would have from becoming better in that area.
Background
In this week’s parsha the Torah teaches us a very interesting halacha (law). It tells of someone who finds a robber who is tunneling into his house. In the event of this happening, and the homeowner kills the robber- the owner is off the hook and there are no repercussions.
Rashi explains that the Torah here is teaching us the halacha that ‘if someone is coming to kill you, you get up first and kill him.’ How is this situation one where the robber is coming to kill the homeowner? It seems like he is just coming to steal from the homeowner?
Rashi explains that since the robber knows that people do not stand idly by while their possessions are being stolen, therefore the robber knows that this homeowner will defend his property. And yet, the robber is coming to steal from this guy’s house anyway! What that means is that this robber is prepared to kill the homeowner if he is confronted. Therefore, he is already considered someone who is ‘coming to kill you’ about whom the halacha states- ‘you get up first and kill him.’
Question
The robber is only ready to kill the homeowner if the homeowner confronts him! So why doesn’t the homeowner step aside and not confront the robber? This would save the robber’s life!
The only time that the halacha is that one must kill the person who is coming to kill him, is if he is under direct attack or there is no other way to defend himself. In this situation there would seem to be a simpler, more bloodless solution- let the robber help himself, unimpeded, to your belongings and this would therefore ensure that the robber does not become provoked and then attack the homeowner to kill him.
How could the Torah therefore permit, even mandate, that this owner kill the robber who is ‘coming to kill him’?
Answer
It would seem that that is not possible. It is not possible, or impossible enough as to warrant establishing this halacha, for a person to stand back and do nothing when his property is being stolen.
Hashem, who created man, knows that people are made in such a way that they have a very primal and deep connection to their possessions. When a person sees someone coming into their property and robbing that which they worked hard for- almost no person would be able to refrain themselves from tenaciously defending and standing up for their ‘hearth and home’, as foolish and dangerous as this might be.
And in fact, this character trait, which would bring forth such a reaction, is coming from a good place, one which Hashem does not demand that a person ‘fix.’ A person should have tremendous care and concern for their property. A person should work hard and live an industrious life producing things. This is the ‘way of the world’ that Hashem wants man to live in.
Once this is the case, when someone sees someone robbing from them in a way which clearly conveys that the robber will not be able to be merely ‘scared off’, the halacha is that this person should kill the robber in order to protect their own life.
Lesson
When one sees the Torah’s insight into human dynamics and beholds the halachas of the Torah which were made by Hashem, who created man, one cannot help but contrast these halachas with those constructed by man and which have molded the secular society in which we live.
The Torah’s halachas speak to the reality of man and accommodate, correct and provide safeguards for the reality of life in this world for human beings. The Torah does not have a ‘low’ opinion of man- to the contrary, the Torah teaches that man is the pinnacle of creation and the purpose of the entire world! However, the Torah is quite aware of, and sensitive to, man’s frailties and the pitfalls which man, by dint of being human, is likely to face.
And this is in fact the greatness of man! Man has been tasked with having a neshama or essence which is bonded, inextricably, with an animalistic body, with the mission to rise up against this challenge and perfect himself even further. To do so successfully requires a very delicate and intricate dance, which both encourages and brings along the body to be a devoted adherent to the word of Hashem. Each of their strengths, body and soul, must be utilized to serve Hashem properly. With the neshama in charge and the body providing its talents and abilities in fulfilling the commandments of their creator, together they can join forces and ‘win’ the ‘bootcamp’ which is life on this world.
Benefits of this…
When a person realizes that they are both great and capable of spiritual greatness, while at the same time being very much a physical and corporeal human being, this person will be able to gradually grow and attain spiritual heights while also being aware of the stumbling blocks along the path. To be oblivious of either one will mean disaster and lead to one being unsuccessful in his mission on this world.
To not realize the possibility of one’s greatness would be to squander one’s opportunity of life. This can lead to someone capable of the ultimate nobility and spiritual attainments to be locked under the impression of one being not more than a sophisticated animal. This can lead a person capable of transcending the physical world and becoming a spiritual giant to be left occupied and weighed down by only physical concerns.
At the same time, to not understand and be aware of one’s corporeal existence and the innate challenges and limitations which must be addressed, would mean one being unrealistic and unwise as to what one will face. This can lead to a person being discouraged when there are challenges in life. Expectations of greatness often just need more time and wisdom to be able to be realized. The incremental growth which is necessary, and which will give one the satisfaction to continue growing, would all be pushed aside and the person will themselves be frustrated in their efforts to grow.
Wishing everyone a wonderful Shabbos!
