Parashat Mishpatim: The Foundation of Consideration

Torah Begins with Consideration

As we enter Parashat Mishpatim, we find ourselves immersed in a long list of mitzvot—many seemingly legal and technical. But hidden in these details is one of the deepest Torah messages of all: empathy and human dignity are the foundations of Jewish law.

Surprisingly, the parsha begins not with lofty spiritual ideals but with the halachot of the eved Ivri—the Jewish servant. Why would a Torah meant for a holy nation begin here?

The Jewish Servant: More Than a Slave

Chazal explain that a Jew may become a servant under two tragic circumstances: either due to extreme poverty or to pay restitution for theft. But even then, the Torah demands that this individual be treated not as a slave—but with dignity so great, it's said that “one who acquires a servant acquires a master.”

If there’s only one bed in the house—it goes to the servant. If there’s only one meal—the servant eats first. The Torah doesn’t erase human hierarchy—it elevates our expectations of compassion within it.

The Young Maidservant: Future of Dignity

The Torah then speaks of the amah Ivriya, a young Jewish girl sold into servitude. It seems harsh—until we realize the Torah’s intent. This isn’t about child labor. It’s about rescue. The sale is conditional: she is intended to one day marry into the family. She enters as a servant but is to be treated as a future wife and mother of the home.

As Rav Dessler taught—quoted often by my father, זצ"ל—the rights of Jewish women are learned not from society but from the Torah’s expectations of how we treat the most vulnerable: a poor, young servant girl.

A Story from Rav Dessler: From Maid to Matriarch

Rabbi Dessler shared a story of a Jewish girl who escaped Nazi Europe and worked as a housemaid in England. The Sassoon family, guided by Rabbi Dessler, decided to marry their eldest son to her—not out of pity, but to fulfill the mitzvah of truly uplifting a Jewish soul. That’s the Torah’s ideal.

Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel: A Living Example of Empathy

Years later, a group of successful British businessmen visited the Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. Their guide introduced them to the "most successful enterprise" in Israel—not a tech firm, but a yeshiva housing 6,000 students, led by Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, zt”l, a man stricken with Parkinson’s.

As they stood, stunned by his presence, he asked one question: “What is the difference between man and animal?” They fumbled through answers, and he waved them off gently. Then he answered:

“An animal tramples a garden without care. A man walks gently. A human being is defined by consideration.”

One of those businessmen, non-Jewish, later dropped a court case over millions of dollars after reflecting on the Rav's words. That’s the power of true Torah.

Halachic Empathy in Action

Later in the parsha, Hashem tells us not to take interest on loans and to return a poor man’s pledged garment by nightfall. Why? Because he is cold. Because he's suffering. Because you should care.

These mitzvot seem small—but they're the building blocks of Torah life.

Naaseh V’nishma: Commitment Before Understanding

Finally, we return to the moment of Matan Torah. “Naaseh v’nishma,” Bnei Yisrael declared: we will do and then understand. We accepted the Torah not because we grasped it intellectually—but because we trusted Hashem, and committed our lives to embodying its values—like consideration, dignity, and compassion.

Conclusion: A Torah of Sensitivity

Parashat Mishpatim may seem full of legal minutiae, but it reveals the Torah’s heart: a life of careful, intentional kindness. From the treatment of a servant to the returning of a borrowed coat, Hashem calls us to walk gently through the world, honoring the dignity of every soul.