Parashat Mishpatim

February 9, 2026

Jessica Keim, Lower School Science Specialist

This week’s parashah, Mishpatim, addresses God’s civil and ethical laws, often referred to as the “Covenant Code.” Recounted to the Israelites by Moses, this code outlines consequences for crimes, manners in which civil disputes must be dealt with, and the foundations, both in belief and action, of the Jewish people.  Perhaps, more than anything, it provides a script of how to treat others, a “brick and mortar” approach given at a time when the Israelites would shape who they were and what they stood for.  
Though much of it may seem incontestable, such as “You must not carry false rumors” or “You shall not wrong or oppress a stranger,” one could say that this reflects the cycle of human history that is delivered on repeat. We must be told, but preferably shown, how to treat people. When we stop reminding ourselves, are we bound to make mistakes and hurt others because our lack of reminding makes us ignorant?  Without revisiting this code, do we begin to unconsciously craft a new code of ethics that strays away from our very foundation?
 
Though at first glance, these laws may appear to belong to a societal structure that is no longer relevant (most of us do not own donkeys anymore), their meaning is eternal: Treat others fairly. Do no intentional harm. Right your wrongs. Give respect where it’s due. Put God and your people first. All of these ideas appear to be self-evident, but without reflecting on them, we are bound to reshape them in some way, for good or ill.  
As we teach our children to “treat others as you would like to be treated,” we must remind ourselves of what that means by revisiting the Covenant for ourselves.  Though the very essence of a society is to be dynamic, or always changing, the values, creeds, and traditions that make the Jewish people who they are must hold true; the “why and how” never to be forgotten.  
First mentioned in this parashah, “an eye for an eye” (ayin tachat ayin) has become a metaphor for revenge or a system of “equalizing” in current culture. Though originally interpreted to reflect monetary compensation, perhaps its meaning can also be viewed as such: In looking at what makes us who we are, we then put forth the vision of how we can act accordingly in modern times. Shabbat Shalom.