Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Mishpatim/0/he

נושאים לשולחן שבת – פרשת משפטים

Law and Order

Should the main purpose of a judicial code be to lay down principles of right and wrong or to preserve law and order? Which do the legal sections of the Torah aim to do?

• Examine the laws presented in Parashat Mishpatim (and other legal sections of Torah). What types of laws are included?  How are these formulated (are they conditional or absolute statements?)  What punishments are included?  What does this suggest about the purpose of the Torah's legal code?
• How do other Ancient Near Eastern law codes compare?  What can the differences teach about the underlying values of each culture and their conceptions of justice?  ראו התורה וחוקי מזרח הקדמון.
• Would you refer to the Torah as a whole as a law code? Why or why not?

Of Fetuses, Bystanders and Manslaughter

שמות כ"א speaks of a case in which a pregnant woman is injured in a brawl leading to either a miscarriage or the premature birth of her baby.  The verses abound in ambiguities, making the exact law unclear.  Scan the verses and discuss the following issues, using נזק לעוברי אורח ומשמעות "יהיה אסון"as a guide:

• What can this case teach about how the Torah views the status of a fetus? Is it considered its own independent entity, no different than any human being? Or, is it considered to be only a part of its mother's body ("עובר ירך אמו"), leading to lesser culpability if aborted?  What textual issues affect your answer?
• If a person intended to kill one individual, but mistakenly kills another, how should the action be viewed?  Is this a capital crime, as there was intent involved, or is it accidental manslaughter, as the victim was not actively targeted? What does the case of the pregnant bystander teach about the law?

"עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן"

As the penalty for certain forms of physical assault, the Torah puts forth a כלל של עונש "מידה כנגד מידה", declaring that one give an "עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן שֵׁן תַּחַת שֵׁן...". 

• Is this the fairest form of justice, or "cruel and unusual" punishment? 
• In setting penalties for crimes, which of the following objectives should take precedence: compensation to the victim, rehabilitation of the criminal, retribution, or deterrence?  What does this law suggest?  Is this the norm or exception in Torah?
• The overwhelming majority of Talmudic sages rule that in the case of bodily harm, the guilty party pays restitution rather than being mutilated. But is this the simple interpretation of the verses in the Torah? Does the simple sense of the Biblical texts differ from the Rabbinic verdict? If so, why is this? And, most importantly, איך ניתן לשלב בין הפשט והדרש? ראו "עין תחת עין".

היתרונות של שנת השמיטה

מהי מטרת שנת השמיטה?  בעוד שרמב"ןויקרא כ"ה:ב'אודות ר' משה בן נחמן focuses on how the year helps an individual's spiritual growth and increases their recognition of Hashem, שד"לויקרא כ"ה:ב'אודות ר' שמואל דוד לוצאטו emphasizes how the year inculcates social equality and concern for the less fortunate.  רמב"םג ל"טAbout Rambam Moreh Nevukhim,¹ in contrast, suggests that Shemittah serves a practical function in keeping the land healthy and capable of bearing fruit.

• Is it possible that certain commandments were instituted only for utilitarian purposes? What other mitzvot have been given such an explanation?²
• Does the Torah promote capitalism or socialism?  What do the laws of Shemittah suggest?³
• How are Shemittah and Shabbat similar?  What benefits are gained from an enforced resting and refraining from work?  

עוד...

לעוד נושאים בפרשה, ראו: רשימת נושאים – פרשת משפטים.

¹ ראו בגישה השנייה של רמב"ם כאן.

² ראו רשב"ם ורמב"ם לגבי מטרת חוקי כשרות ורלב"ג לגבי צרעת. כולם מסבירים שההיבטים של כל אחד מהחוקים הללו קשורים בדאגה לבריאות האדם.  ראו גם רמב"ם המציע שמטרת הקטורת היתה להפיג את הריח הרע של פגרי הקרבנות.

³ ראו זאב ז׳בוטינסקי שמציין כי מחזורי השמיטה והיובל משלבים אלמנטים של שתי המערכות. במשך שש שנים כלכלת שוק חופשי מאפשרת צמיחה ותחרות, בעוד שהשנה השביעית מנסה להבטיח כי נמנעות המלכודות של מערכת כזו, כלומר פערים גדולים בין עשירים לעניים.