Parashat Mishpatim

February 21, 2025
23 Sh'vat 5785
Parashat Mishpatim
Exodus 21:1 - 24:18

Dear Friends,

This week we had our second class on the Book of Ruth, along with members of the Riverdale Presbyterian Church. We came together with no agenda beyond that of gathering and learning from one another. It sounds so simple, yet the act of listening and being present for one another can be a challenge. We found common ground around this text based on our own faith traditions.

It seems fitting to have done this as we come to this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, Laws (Exodus 21:1-24:18). This week, we follow the pyrotechnics of lightning and thunder at Sinai along with a practical guide for living with one another. One of the most important aspects of this Torah portion is the way it teaches us about empathy.

“Do not oppress a stranger, because you know what it feels like to be a stranger: you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
(Exodus 23:9)

Once more I turn to my teacher, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z”l, who continues to shine light on how to respond in the everchanging world around us. He reminds us that having empathy for those we know is relatively easy; the greater challenge is to have empathy for those we do not know and whose experience is not the same as ours. As he writes: “fear of the one-not-like-us is capable of disabling the empathy response.” Many of our Biblical stories are structured to engender empathy for the unlikeliest of characters.

Empathy is not simple. It takes work. Step one, it takes listening. It is an essential aspect of conflict resolution. Only when we see the other’s humanity can we come to a resolution. As we study together and build bridges with one another, may we have the patience to listen and hear one another.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Lins Shriner-Cahn