Last week, in the Parashah of Yitro, we read about the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai amidst voices and flashes of lightning. Now we want to know what this Torah, delivered from Heaven in such a resounding event, contains. We begin this week to study the commandments given at Sinai, and what do we find? 'Laws'\u2014simple and basic precepts that govern our relationships with one another, instructions that our own logic dictates we follow even without a direct command from the Torah. The paragraphs of Yitro and Mishpatim represent, at first glance, two opposite extremes: In the Parashah of Yitro, we read about Divine revelation\u2014supernatural, celestial, supra-rational. Meanwhile, the paragraph of Mishpatim addresses earthly, everyday matters, issues that are also understandable through the logic of ordinary people.<\/p>\n
TRUE UNITY<\/p>\n
From a deeper perspective, these two Parashiot, whose content is so opposite, are precisely two complementary stages in the extraordinary innovation brought about by the giving of the Torah. The objective of the Sinai event was to eliminate the existing gap between the world of the spirit and material reality, and to introduce Torah and holiness literally into the heart of the world; to unify spirit with matter.<\/p>\n
The principle here lies in the fact that Divine holiness does not displace, annul, or break earthly reality, but rather that earthly reality endures as it is, in its character as a material existence bound to the limitations of this world, and that Supernal Holiness dwells there alongside it. This is the true union of spirit with matter.<\/p>\n
DISMANTLING THE STRUCTURES<\/p>\n
The first stage of union between spirit and matter is described in the passage from Yitro: \"And God descended upon Mount Sinai\"\u2014the extraordinary Divine revelation. Voices and lightning, a terrible tremor that shook the entire world. In the words of the Midrash: \"The bird did not cry out, the fowl did not fly, the bull did not bellow\u2026 the world was still and silent.' In the Jewish people, this Divine revelation caused a profound sense of awe, to the point that they fled the mountain and stood at a distance. That was the first part\u2014Hashem descended here 'below\u2019.<\/p>\n
But the goal, as stated, is that this world not be negated by its very being, but rather continue to function as a material world\u2014yet be an instrument in the service of Holiness. This is why the second stage, developed in Parashat Mishpatim, was necessary: this paragraph, which deals with monetary laws and torts, truly worldly matters, teaches how the Jew should fulfill God's precepts within his earthly life. It is precisely the 'simple' and logical commandments enumerated in this Parashah that indicate the path through which holiness is clothed in the world, accommodated within it, until it becomes part of it.<\/p>\n
FAITH AS A FOUNDATION<\/p>\n
The Parashah of Mishpatim teaches us that holiness is not limited to absolute self-annihilation and self-elevation beyond earthly life. On the contrary, holiness also manifests itself in the small things of daily life when they are carried out according to the Torah's commandments, such as compensating the injured party, treating valuables entrusted to safekeeping with care, paying wages on time, and so on. This is how to create true communion between Divine Holiness and practical, material life.<\/p>\n
But for a Jew to possess this power to introduce holiness into the heart of daily life, the stage of the Parashah of Yitro\u2014the supernatural Divine revelation\u2014is required. The foundation of everything is faith and absolute submission to Hashem. Only as a continuation of this is one able to sanctify everyday life as well.<\/p>\n
Likutei Sichot volume 16, page 242<\/p>\n
NOTES: 1.Shemot 19:20 2.Shemot Rabbah end of chapter 29<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Acabamos de leer, la semana pasada, en la Parsh\u00e1 de Itr\u00f3, sobre la entrega de la Tor\u00e1 en el Monte Sina\u00ed con voces y rel\u00e1mpagos. Ahora queremos saber qu\u00e9 es lo que contiene esta Tor\u00e1, entregada desde el Cielo en un evento tan estruendoso. Comenzamos a estudiar esta semana sobre los preceptos entregados en Sinai… Read More \u00bbDo not break, sanctify<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[954,962,993,1032,942],"series":[],"class_list":["post-798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mishpatim","tag-judio","tag-ley","tag-precepto","tag-sinai","tag-tora"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Terrenal.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/avatar1400.jpeg","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"castbox":{"key":"castbox","url":"","label":"CastBox","class":"castbox","icon":"castbox.png"},"rss":{"key":"rss","url":"","label":"RSS","class":"rss","icon":"rss.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/en\/feed\/podcast\/rabino-tuvia-serber","embedCode":"No quebrar, santificar<\/a><\/blockquote>