Monica

This week's parsha contains the directive "tzedek tzedek tirdof" -- "justice, justice you shall pursue". The rabbis ask why "tzedek" is repeated and give various explanations. Rabbi Ashi says that the first "tzedek" is the justice of following the law strictly, and the second is the justice of compromise. For example, when two ships seek to use the same narrow passage at the same time, they might have equal claims under the first tzedek but must compromise under the second (lest they both sink). Compromise is not merely pragmatic but commanded. (Sanhedrin 32b)

(I learned the following midrash from Dr. Jonah Steinberg.)

In this week's parsha Moshe retells the giving of the torah. The midrash says that when God spoke each utterance, it (the utterance itself, personified) would go to each and every Israelite and ask "do you accept me upon you?", describing the restrictions and rewards that came with it. When the Israelite said "yes" the utterance would kiss him and teach him torah. This is what is meant by the verse "lest you forget the things that your eyes saw" -- it refers to seeing the utterance speak. (Song of Songs Rabbah 1:2, which itself takes off from "let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth".)

(Aside: this same midrash records a minority view, that each utterance was carried by an angel to each Israelite and it was the angels who did the asking, based on a different proof-text. In that version, the angel also asks the Israelite to accept God's divinity. Neither version addresses what would have happened in response to a "no".)

When Tzelof'chad died without any sons, his daughters went to Moshe and said "give us an inheritance". Rabbi Natan says that this shows that the tenacity of women is stronger than that of men: when Israel was told to take the land the men rejected their inheritance, saying "let us go back to Egypt". The women, instead, said "give us an inheritance". (Sifrei 133)

The torah tells us that when the people rebelled and demanded water, Moshe struck the rock twice. Why twice? He hit it once and a trickle of water came out. The people mocked him, saying "is that all you can do?" At that he became angry and struck the rock a second time, and enough water gushed out to push things out of its path. (Tanchuma, Chukat 9)

In this week's parsha God tells Moshe to appoint 70 elders, who will receive prophecy. 70 does not divide evenly by 12, which left Moshe with the problem of choosing the elders fairly. The talmud tells us he devised a lottery, choosing six men from each of the 12 tribes and having them draw lots for the 70 positions. However, Eldad and Medad said "we are not worthy" and withdrew, so God rewarded them with prophecy too. Not only that, but their prophecy was ongoing, while that of the other 70 was temporary. (Sanhedrin 17a)

The rabbis ask why the torah was given in the midbar, the wilderness. One commonly-cited answer is that it was given in a place not claimed by anyone to show that the torah is available to all. Another is that it was to teach us about openness: just as the desert is open to all influences, so must we be open if we are to adopt torah. We must be open to new perspectives and ready to examine and experiment with others' interpretations rather than closing our minds and thinking we know the truth. (Pesikta d'Rav Kahanah 107a)

I'd love to know the context for this one; I saw this passage quoted in another source but don't have the original.

(I didn't actually give this one today; I deferred to someone else in leading the service.)

This week's parsha repeats the laws for when one wounds another, saying "eye for eye, hand for hand, wound for wound" and so on. The talmud says not to take this literally and institutes fines instead, bringing various linguistic arguments to justify the change. Ibn Ezra, citing the Sa'adia Gaon, instead brings a practical argument: what if one man's vision is not equal to another's? Or what if someone causes another to lose partial vision -- how would you know when you had inflicted a like amount of damage? And, the Sa'adia says, this kind of judgement is even harder in the case of wounds. Clearly, he says, the Torah never meant this to describe physical punishment, as it would be impossible to administer it fairly. (Ibn Ezra on Lev 24:17-22)

When a person is afflicted with tzara'at (usually translated "leprosy"), he is sent outside the camp for at least a week. Obadiah Sforno says that this is to prompt him to ask God for forgiveness. The isolation enables him to contemplate his misdeeds, intentional and unintentional; this, in turn, might lead to personal improvement and repentance. So isolation leads to repentance which leads to God's forgiveness and his rehabilitation. (Comments on Leviticus 14:21)

Rabbi Sheshet said in the name of Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah: he who despises the festivals (by working on them and not celebrating) is like one who worships idols. This is because the command to have no molten gods is immediately followed by the command to keep the festival of unleavened bread. (Pesachim 118a)

Rabbi Sh'muel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: Betzalel was so called on account of his wisdom. At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe, "Go and tell Betzalel to make me a tabernacle, an ark and vessels", Moshe went and reversed the order, saying, "Make an ark and vessels and a tabernacle". Betzalel said to Moshe: "As a rule a man first builds a house and then brings vessels into it, but you say, make me an ark and vessels and a tabernacle. Where shall I put the vessels that I am to make? Can it be that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to you, make a tabernacle, an ark and vessels?" Moshe replied, "Perhaps you were in the shadow of God [1] and knew!" (B'rachot 55a)

[1] B'tzal Eil.

The talmud says that the time of Mordechai and Esther was "darker than night", because even at night we have the moon and stars to shed light. The rabbis compare Esther to the dawn; as light gradually increases, so did Israel's redemption through Esther: first Mordechai sat at the gate, then Esther arose as queen, then the king could not sleep (which led to Mordechai's reward), and finally Esther was able to reverse the king's decree. (Yoma 29a)

Parshat Mishpatim enumerates a variety of commandments for the Jewish people. The rabbis ask what is the purpose of the commandments? According to Rabbi Abahu, they are not just to improve us but to improve the world as well. He compares Israel to a gardener tending an orchard; the commandments are like the instructions given to the gardener. If they are followed, the orchard will survive, bloom, and provide food for all who need it. (Exodus Rabbah 30:9)