parshat Mishpatim

There is no such thing as an 'incurable' disease.

Right after the giving of the Torah and before the many halachot that appear in our parasha, the Torah declares: "These are the statutes that you shall place before them" (Shemot 21:1), which is the source of the halacha that one must adjudicate in beit din (rather than non-Jewish or secular courts). This special location gives special importance to the place of Jewish monetary law in our national and individual lives.

After the granting of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, this is followed with a long and detailed list of instructions, commandments, and laws. The mere existence of such a list presupposes the willingness of the population to follow these laws and instructions.

The people of Israel come to the land of Israel by conquering the land from other nations. This Parasha sheds light on the morality of our conquest.

A shiur by Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed for "Prashat Shekalim".

A shiur by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks for the weekly portion "Mishpatim".

Although it is a very big mitzvah to lend money, some people are reluctant to do so because they know of loans that proved difficult to collect. Must you lend someone money if you are not sure it will ever be repaid? What do you do if you lent money to someone who seemed very honest and sincere, but now that it comes time to repay, he informs you that he is penniless? What may you do and what may you not do to collect your money? How can you guarantee that you get your money back?