Feb 17/07 — Parashat Mishpatim

Commentary by Chazzan Aníbal Mass

Before anything, I’d like to remind you that last week we read the Ten Commandments from the Torah. During the service some people had the chance to enjoy the D’var Torah about the Parashah. Others decided to stay after services to study it more deeply, and that made me think how easy is in these days to find different opportunities or places to study Judaism. But, on the other hand, we are witnessing a generation with less and less interest in Judaism; with people less and less educated judaically. The reasons are many. Among them are our superficial lifestyles, our lack of spirituality, and sometimes even our shyness about asking questions.

Well, let me tell you that this phenomenon, according to our sages, was already present at the time of the delivery of the Torah at Sinai. In fact, there is a very interesting Midrash that relates the revelation in the following terms:

God was ready to speak, to reveal His Law, to make His voice heard by the entire people of Israel. Over three days the people followed a process of waiting and purification; after all, it is necessary to be worthy of receiving the Law, worthy of the vision of God. Nevertheless, some weren’t interested in this. The morning of the day on which all Israel should have been gathered beside the mountain, there were men and women still in their tents … sleeping in their beds.

Then, the Midrash continues to make reference to the biblical text: God had to first show Himself with thunder and lightning to awaken and shake up those who were still sleeping when the hearts of men and women should have been awake and alert to receive the message of God.

How is this possible? These laws were extremely important because they would bring peace and hope to the Israelites!

1) The truth is that for many having their own law would separate them definitively from their “actually-not-so-bad” Egypt.

2) Others thought that if only some of them listened to the commandments of God, that was enough.

3) Some preferred to listen to the laws from the comfort of their tents. It was just easier.

My friends, the people didn't want to receive this law because many of them still had a slave mentality.

And so we arrive at this week’s Parashah, Mishpatim, which is a direct continuation of the Ten Commandments. And there is no coincidence when we read that the first law in this Parashah is the one that speaks of the slave that is freed, but who doesn't want freedom, preferring instead to stay with his master and serve him. And the Israelites, in one way or another, still continued to have a slave mentality ... That generation needed thunder and lightning to wake them up, so that they could open their eyes and jump out of their beds, out of their dangerous comfort.

Excessive comfort is sometimes dangerous, at least for the continuity of our people. Because history has demonstrated to us that if there is something that the People of Israel can never do, it is to fall asleep. We have learned from that moment of Revelation at Sinai to always be alert.

Today assimilation is shrinking our congregations. The statistics on assimilation sound stronger than the biblical thunder and lightning, but we are so comfortable and there is so much noise surrounding us that we can’t see it.

And once again history repeats itself:

1) Today we are not sure if we definitively want to leave “Egypt”—Egypt being all sources of slavery.

2) Today we still think that it is enough for a few “religious people” to be devoted to the Torah and concerned
about our continuity.

3) Today more than ever we prefer to stay in the comfort of our homes.

It is not the same. It is necessary to be fully involved, to really know how to keep Judaism alive and to commit to finding solutions. My friends, in this Parashah God speaks, once again, to each one of us hoping that this time we want to listen to Him, although that might imply some sacrifices and some discomfort. Shabbat contributes to the necessary silence that allows us to hear His voice. Let us listen to the voice of God then, to be really free.

Shabbat Shalom.