Mishpatim

בס"ד
Highlights in Rashi
selected interesting Rashi’s from the weekly Torah portion, translated into English

M i s h p a t i m


“And these are the laws (mishpatim)…” 21:1
-- …why was the portion of these laws placed near the portion of the Mizbeiach? to tell us that we shall place the Sanhedrin (which gives out the laws) by the (Beit) HaMikdosh i.e. next to the Mizbeiach.

“That you shall set before them”
--The Holy One, blessed is He, said to Moshe: Do not think of saying, “I will teach them the chapter or the law two or three times until they know it well, as it was taught, and I will not trouble myself to enable them to understand the reasons for the matter and its explanation.” Therefore, it is said: “you shall set before them,” that it should be like a table, set with food and prepared to eat from, [placed] before someone. — [From Mechilta, Eruvin 54b]

“…before them”
-- And not before idol worshipers, even if one knows that they will rule (the same) as the Jewish judgment, one shouldn’t bring the law to their court houses, since one who brings the matter before their houses of law, profanes the name of G-d, and honors the name of their deity.

“When you will purchase a Jewish slave…” 21:2
-- From Beit Din, who sold him for stealing, as the verse says, “if he does not have (money to pay) then he shall be sold (as a slave)”.

“If he comes in alone…”
-- Meaning that he was not married.

“…He shall go out alone”
-- This teaches us, that if the slave was not married, his master may not give him a Canaanite maidservant from whom to beget children
מוקדש
לזכות ולעילוי נשמת
אברהם בן ר' פינחס ע"ה, ואחיו יצחק בן ר' פינחס ע"ה

yisro

Highlights in Rashi      
selected interesting Rashi’s from the weekly Torah portion, translated into English

Parshat Yisro



“And Yisro heard…” 18:1
-- Yisro was called seven names, Reuail, Yeser, Yisro, Choveiv, Chahver,
Kinni, and Pootiell. (mechilta)


“Yisro, the father-in-law of Moshe…” 18:2
-- Here Yisro took pride in the fact that he was Moshe’s father-in-law, saying
“I am the father-in-law of the king!”, and previously, Moshe paid respect to Yisro.

“For Moshe and for Israel”
-- Moshe was equal to all of Israel (Mechilta).

“And he saved me from the sword of Pharoh”
-- When Dassan and Avirom revealed to Pharoh that Moshe killed a Mitzri with Hashem’s name etc. Pharoh wanted to kill him, and (when he tried to do so) Moshe’s neck became as hard as marble.

“To the desert…”
-- We know already that he (Moshe) was in the desert, only it is stated here to tell us now of the praise of Yisro: he lived amongst the greatest honor of the world, yet he left all the above, in order to come to the desert and hear words of Torah!

“And Moshe went out to greet his father-in-law…”
-- A great honor was then bestowed on Yisro, since (when) Moshe left to greet Yisro, so did Aharon, Nodov, and Avihu, now who saw all these (great men) and would not join them? (in greeting Yisro?)