Parshas Mishpatim reveals a fundamental principle in avodas Hashem that often goes unnoticed. After the fire, thunder, and revelation of Matan Torah, the Torah moves immediately into detailed halachos: laws of damages, loans, and responsibilities between one person and another. At first glance, this feels like a descent from the lofty to the mundane.

Yet Chazal teach that this is precisely the point.

The parshah opens with the words, “V’eileh ha’mishpatim asher tasim lifneihem” (Sh’mos 21:1). Rashi explains that “lifneihem” means like a set table, where Torah is given with clarity and structure. The Ramban explains that these mishpatim are not secondary; they are a direct continuation of Har Sinai itself.

This teaches that true kabbalas ol malchus Shamayim is expressed not only in moments of inspiration, but in disciplined commitment to Hashem’s will in everyday life. When a person acts with honesty, restraint, and responsibility – even when no one is watching – that is a continuation of “na’aseh v’nishma.”

Parshas Mishpatim reminds us that closeness to Hashem is not found only in moments of revelation, but in the quiet integrity of daily choices. The fire of Sinai must settle into the mishpatim of life.

In this way, Parshas Mishpatim teaches that the greatest avodah is not emotional uplift, but faithful consistency.

 

List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)

Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.

Maxim Yehudah ben Yafah

Aharon ben Shamsi

Michael ben Chayah Sarah Beheta

Shmuel ben Itta Etel

Mordechai ben Shoshana

Zaidah Eliezer Zev ben Shifrah

Yehoshua ben Devorah

HaRav Pinchas ben Alta Sima

Yisrael Meir ben Hadassah

Yossi ben Ratzon

Yair ben Alfred

Uriel ben Amir

Tamir ben Moshe

Shachar ben Aharon

Rab ben Yitzchak

Ronen ben Tomer

Yisrael ben Yocheved

Yoel Sar Shalom ben Nelly

Avraham Mordechai ben Yael

Yitzchak ben Dinah

Eliezer ben Chanah Malkah

Meir Aryeh ben Devorah

Moshe ben Chanah

Yaakov Dov ben Pninah

Yaakov ben Ethel

Moshe Yonatan ben Tziporah

Yehudah Leib ben Mania

Yochai ben Ruchamah

Yechezkel ben Miriam Yehudis

Avinoam Yosef Nissim ben Shoshanah Roza

Refael ben Dukhtar

 

Heleni Orna bas Chen Chanah

Iris Rachel bas Miriam Chayah

Chanah Brachah bas Svetlana Tziporah Chayah

Sarah bas Shoshanah

Maya Mazal bas Zivah

Tamarah bas Ksiyah

Esther Hadassah bas Devorah

Chayah Shulamis Brachah bas Sarah Leah

Leah bas Ita

Devorah bas Miriam Zisel

Ruchamah Sarah Fraida bas Hadassah 

Sharonah Mindy bas Rivkah Rachel

Chayah bas Shterna Sarah

Sharonah Mindy bas Rivkah Rachel 

 

Israeli Soldiers (Please recite Psalms 25, 26, 46, 83, 142.)

 

Menachem Zion ben Ariel

Hillel Zev ben Ariel

Shmuel Pesach ben Chinah

Yehudah ben Elisheva

Dov Ber ben Rachel Chayah

Hillel Yisrael ben Tzilah

Zechariah Yisrael ben Elisheva Feiga

Yitzchak Yehudah ben Elta Draizel

Zechariah Menachem Chaim ben Elta Draizel

Yair Menashe Shmuel ben Shoshanah

Shmuel Tzvi ben Liba

Daniel Abba Tzvi ben Chayah Tz’rina

Yechiel Aharon ben Sarah Miriam

Aryeh Simchah ben Chayah Michal

Amitai ben Yitzchak Venvar

Yisrael Yehudah ben Elisheva Rachel

Shmuel Yosef ben Adinah

Neta (Nechamah) bas Avital Emunah

Naomi Emunah bas Inbal Nechamah

To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  and complete the Google form.