MEASURING UP
In this week’s Parsha, Mishpatim, the Torah presents a large compendium of laws and mitzvos. The Parsha begins with the letter “vav” indicating that this compendium is a continuation of the previous Parsha in which we became HaShem’s chosen people and received the Torah from Him. What is the unique connection between these laws and our becoming His chosen people?
Within this compendium HaShem instructs us to be considerate of the stranger, namely, a person who is not Jewish but lives amongst us (Mesechas Geirim 3:2). The Torah commands us to be careful with and sensitive to the stranger’s feelings and to remember that we, too, were strangers in a foreign land, in Egypt. We did not get out of Egypt on our own, it was HaShem Who took us out. We are no better than anyone else.
This responsibility to be concerned for the feelings of the stranger is placed upon every individual. It is not a mitzvah placed on the court system or on the governing apparatus. Every Jew was subjected to slavery in Egypt and is therefore obliged to be considerate of other strangers in his own land.
Immediately following this mitzvah is the mitzvah of shmitta. Every seventh year we must allow the Land of Israel to rest. During the shmitta year we may not plow, till, sow and even harvesting is highly limited. Anything that grows by itself such as fruits may not be collected by the owner exclusively. He must open the gates of his orchard and allow entry to every creature that wishes to take the fruit. Even animals have equal rights to the fruits of the shmitta year! What is the understanding of such a strange law? Considering that Israel’s economy is predominantly agricultural, how can such a society sustain itself for an entire year without any agricultural activity?
The answer, of course, is that we are able to sustain ourselves the year of shmitta by the Grace of HaShem. He Who gives us the laws of shmitta also guarantees our sustenance. The understanding of this law is specifically to remind us that we are not the “owners” of our Land. It belongs to Him and He welcomes us into His Land.
The reason that shmitta follows the mitzvah of supporting the stranger is to ingrain within the Jewish psyche that we are not the owners of our Land. We are granted permission by the Owner of the Land to live in His Land. For that matter, as well, we are instructed by the Owner to show respect for the other strangers. We cannot attribute any Jewish superiority to our own greatness. Every thing, every place and every one belongs to HaShem.
It is true that we have a superiority by virtue of the fact that we are chosen by HaShem and were given a unique role to play in world history. However, that does not make us better or more worthy of basic human rights than others.
Reb Yisroel Salanter noticed two children arguing who was taller. They decided to stand back to back and see whose head protruded higher. While lining themselves up, one child scraped away some earth from the place where his friend was going to stand, thereby making his friend’s position lower than his own.
Reb Yisroel told the child, what must you lower your friend? You can accomplish the same result by elevating yourself.
How fortunate we are that HaShem gave us His Torah! How fortunate we are that He respects and cares for every one of His creatures and has taught us to follow in His ways!
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Paysach Diskind