Grounded Growth
Parshat Mishpatim
"Ve'Eleh Ha'Mishpatim - And these are the laws that you shall place before them". (Shemot: 21:1)
Thus begins our weekly Torah portion Mishpatim, a portion that is chock full of commandments, laws of conduct, torts and damages, and is the basis for several lengthy volumes of Talmud technicalities and inquiries.
Why would Hashem give us the Torah (in last week's portion of Yitro), wow us with thunder, lightening and pyrotechnics, and then drop the ball in helping us with continued spirituality and inspiration? Where is the spirituality and inspiration in the minutia of civil law and regulations of conduct towards another human being? Why couldn't the Torah have begun the actual study phase (Mishpatim) with some Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), a great story, or at the very least, something
more inspirational and moving?
The answer is that because without the basic, boring, and mundane realities of our lives, there can be no enduring spirituality. Holiness and spirituality must be grounded in the physical reality of our existence. One cannot be holy yet out of touch with the other. Many years ago a prominent successful educator told me, "in order for children to find spiritual, material, and emotional success, they must have stability and be grounded in reality" and I concur.
The greatest gift we can give our children and students is that of stability. Everything else is secondary and will come in time. This I believe, is the reason why the Torah portion begins with such mundane and civil laws. These basic and functionary statutes form the concrete foundation and stability of living life as a Mentch. The spirituality, with time, thought, and study will come.
But without being grounded you really have a castle built on thin air.
Shabbat Shalom
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