Ask the Rabbi
- Torah and Jewish Thought
- Torah Study
Question
Shalom ! How do you explain the difference between Mitzvot, Chukim and Mishpatim?
Answer
Mitzvot are a general term which include chukim (mitzvot which are seemingly difficult to understand) and mishpatim (mitzvot which we can readily understand). It's just important to stress that the more one learns Torah and the benefits of the mitzvot, many chukim, for him, turn into mishpatim. There also may occasionally be the opposite, that a mitzva which was always seen as beneficial and logical (e.g. the prohibition on homosexuality in Judaism), all of a sudden is seen in the western world as a "chok", which is still prohibited, but some may say they don't see why.
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