Mishpatim “Judgments”
Exodus 21:1-24:18
We left off last week with God giving the command for a day of rest “Sabbath”. The Israelites are settling in to their new surroundings while hearing and seeing God in ALL His Glory.
We begin this week with Moses informing the people of many ethical and ritual laws. We also see the covenant between God and the Israelites being sealed.
With all these people coming together in a close tight nit community, we can certainly imagine the need for further order. We know this was not just a small family traveling through the wilderness on a vacation. This was upwards of 1 million people. These people had lived under such oppression, most probably did not know right from wrong, because they never had the freedom to make that choice. We read how God directs Moses to set boundaries and begin teaching these people how to live righteously and healthy. How to grow in their relationships with each other and God Himself. God reveals His perfect will for the people in their new living arrangements. Makes me wonder, what it would be like, moving to another country, and only having the knowledge of my previous country’s laws and rules. There would definitely be some learning.
We see God spell out the following: worshipping other gods, what foods are safe to eat, how to handle business transactions, social justice, the treatment of animals and the introduction of the Shemitah (Sabbatical year). We also see God giving Moses instructions on the celebration of (3) yearly festivals (unleavened bread, feast of First Fruits and the feast of Ingathering). We also read about the conquest of Canaan and the promises of God if they will hearken what He tells them regarding the people in Canaan.
In the last chapter of this Parsha, we see Moses go up to The Lord. Along with Moses is Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and 70 elders, these men can only worship the Lord from afar. Moses alone is only allowed near the Lord. Moses pens the words of the Lord, he builds an alter at the bottom of the mountain and sets up 12-pillars, according to the 12-tribes of Israel. Moses took the blood from the oxen that the young men of the people had offered in burnt offerings and put it in basins and he threw it against the alter he had built. Moses then reads what God had spoken to him to the people. The people agree that they will do “all that the Lord has spoken”. Moses then took the blood and threw it on the people binding this covenant that the Lord has made with them in accordance with the words.
God then instructs Moses to come up with Him, so He can give Moses the tablets of stone with the commandments written for instruction. We conclude this reading with Moses on the mountain for forty days and forty nights in the presence of the Lord.