fbpx

Portion 54

Golden Text: Ex 21:1-23:19
Readings for the week:

Day 1: Ex 21

Day 2: Ex 22:1-23:19

Day 3: Ps 15

Day 4: Is 8

Day 5: Jr 9-10

Day 6: Ezk 8-11

I- As in heaven so also on earth.

This chapter of Exodus begins with a title: “These are the laws that you will propose to them,” the word for laws here is not Torah as one might assume reading only in English, but mishpatim. As we said in Portion 43, they are the provisions within the Torah that govern and uphold the right of individuals in society.

It must be understood that the law designed by God is focused on allowing man excellence in the use of time within legal processes, the minimization of human wear and tear and the spiritual well-being of all parties involved. Not being guided by the mishpatim is synonymous with wearing oneself out, in addition to running the risk of being unfair or ineffective in what one does or decides.

It is good to note that when you do one of the mishpatim you are transferring the perspective of heavenly life to the earthly through you, so Jesus taught that when praying we should also focus on God’s will being done on earth as it is done in heaven[1].

II- A subdued freedom.

On the other hand, divine justice has little to do with equality, but rather with excellence in the exercise of human freedom. Some will ask: And is there freedom when there are laws? Of course, because freedom is truly expressed when we can voluntarily submit to God’s law, instead of being slaves to rebellion against everything He disposes, just for the enjoyment of the addiction that the latter produces.

III- From relativism to the moral absolute.

The fact that man has a deceitful heart makes him someone with a tendency to moral and ethical relativism, so that what is bad today will be good tomorrow or vice versa. This natural characteristic of him will lead him to need, even if he does not recognize it, a full and absolute being (the only one with real credit for this is God because he is the only eternal Being).

Also, because of this characteristic, man cannot make use of the moral absolutes revealed by God (the commandments) and at the same time evaluate which of them would be better or more opportune than the other at a given time. Thus, the mishpatim are the only real way in which man should act. Not from its relativistic and therefore unjust perspective, but from the absolute perspective of God who is just and holy.

When man accepts all of God’s commandments (edot, mishpatim, chukim) he is acknowledging his relativistic and limited reality, putting himself in his rightful place (humility in not having a higher concept of himself than he should have[2]) and God in his own as Lord and King of his life. This brings about a constant renewal of your understanding by daily checking how pleasing and perfect the Creator’s will is.

IV- A majestic law that will be entrusted to God’s people.

If you look closely, these laws are given to Moses while the people were listening from afar, but the laws have not yet been written down in their entirety so that the people could have them. That indicates that these laws are a preamble to how detailed, complex, and important the entire God-given Torah was going to be for them. Faith in God is not just confession, worship, and praise; indeed, it is the whole way of life of the believer subject to the moral will of God. That is why the writer to the Hebrews is going to say that without holiness no one will see the Lord[3].

V- Legislated holidays.

In this preamble to the entire Torah, which at some point the people will have and be instructed in, God includes the celebrations. These feasts (חַג) are interpreted as pilgrimage to the temple or tabernacle[4], but rather they are feasts kept as Shabbat (rest), because that condition represented going up not to a physical place but to God Himself. Today, as temples of the Holy Spirit, these feasts are a pilgrimage to Him. The symbolism contained in all celebrations not only announces truths that define and educate our faith, but also allows us, through lived experience, the cultural contextualization of a good number of biblical passages.

Questions:

1.- Explain in your own words how Torah can be differentiated from mishpatim.

2.- Read each commandment in this portion carefully and separate them from each other. How many have you found?

3.- Share with your group which of these commandments stood out to you the most and why.

5.- Which of these holidays would you like to celebrate and why?

 

[1] Mt 6:10.

[2] Ro 12:3.

[3] Hb 12:14.

[4] Neh 8:14 presents the Feast of Tabernacles as a tahog.

Under Construction..

MAKE A DIFERENCE TODAY