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In last week's Torah portion, Parashat Yitro, we recited the Ten Commandments, one of the most central and recognized passages of our entire Hebrew Bible. However, we Jews know that there are far more than just ten Mitzvahs, or Jewish commandments, in the Torah. As a matter of fact, the rabbis derive exactly 613 Mitzvahs from the five books of the Torah.
This week, we read Parashat Mishpatim. This portion contains many more important laws of the Torah. It is not a coincidence that this section of the Torah comes right after the giving of the Ten Commandments. While those ten sacred laws can be understood in a somewhat general manner, this week's portion gets more specific, revealing various core principles of Jewish law.
This comes to teach us that we should not think it is enough simply to follow what we might consider to be the ten most important Jewish commandments. Though these ten are certainly emphasized, it is never suggested that they alone can dictate the behavior of our lives. The laws of Mishpatim, for example, remind us that we must be highly aware of the ethics of right and wrong when it comes to matters of business, family, personal injury, and human rights.
There is never a time when we can put our Torah - our values - off to the side and become complacent in the face of corruption or cruelty. The Torah, the basis of our Jewish religion, is concerned with all aspects of our lives. Let us strive to conduct ourselves at all times in such a manner that we can feel we are living with the spirit of the Torah, and let us always feel proud to be Jews!
Shabbat Shalom!
Cantor Zachary Konigsberg
cantorzkonigsberg@gmail.com
917-696-0749
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