“V’Eileh HaMishpatim – These are the laws…”
Rashi explains that the “V” at the very beginning is meant to teach us that just as the Ten Commandments were given at Sinai, so too, the laws in Mishpatim were given at Sinai.
This means that all laws – those between God and man, man and man, civil laws of damages and dealings – EVERYTHING is from God. Our mission in life is to conduct ourselves properly and, at all times, be honest with HaShem and with our fellow man.
In a deeper sense, we can understand that everything is from God, and therefore we should accept that the things that happen to us are all under the rubric of Divine Providence. Not just our spirituality, but even our material and mundane happenings.
All our situations come from Sinai, from God. All the Civil Law mentioned in our parsha are messages from on High to keep us focused on connecting all of it to HaShem. If I sustain injury or financial loss, this too is from HaShem.
We see this in the conclusion of the parsha. Until Shishi, the sixth passage, there are many laws. But afterward, God tells us, “I am sending an angel…be careful…I will bless you…I will remove illness…” These are blessings that only HaShem can provide. Thus, just as the conclusion is only in HaShem’s hands, so too, all the occurrences in one’s life are in HaShem’s hands.
The parsha tells us to turn to HaShem for all our needs. If we do so, then we can experience the ascent of Moshe Rabbeinu upon the mount and be able to receive HaShem’s Torah and directives.
And, as Rebbe Nachman teaches, our connection to the tzaddik (Moshe) and to the true tzaddikim is the channel through which we can come to true belief in Divine Providence!
Have a great Shabbos
