Weekly Portion – מִּשְׁפָּטִים – Mishpatim – Ordinances – Exodus 21:1 – 24:18; Jeremiah 34:8 – 22
After the tremendous spectacle at Sinai comes the true test of maturity: the descent into the plain of humanity. Lightning and trumpet blasts give way to the sober rules of living together. We reach the decisive point where the people of Israel give a radical commitment with a simple “We will do and we will hear” (Na’aseh ve-nishma). It is the decision to give faith form not through understanding, but through action. This is the birth hour of a spirituality that must prove itself in the small things and demonstrates: a God who finds no place in everyday life remains behind on the mountain.
After the mighty revelation at Mount Sinai comes the weekly portion Mishpatim—translated as “ordinances” or “laws.” It is quieter, but of great depth and very practical. It demands that faith descend into real life. There are no more voices and lightning, but ordinances, responsibility, and relationships between person and person. This is what a spirituality that wants to endure looks like.
Amid...
Become a Member
-
Read all member content
Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel.
-
Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel
Connect with Israel, right from your home.
-
Lift up the voice of truth and hope
Support Jerusalem-based Zionist journalism.
Already a member? Login here.
