by Dr. Jeff Feinberg

This week's parashah, Mishpatim, spotlights the "judgments" or "rulings" which judges are to "set before" the people (asher tasim lifneihem).  The first three chapters read like a guide book for helping the newly installed Judiciary (note last portion, Ex. 18:24-25) to arrive at case law.

 

The first and most central issue addresses the very first words God thundered at Sinai, "I am the Lord who brought you forth, from Egypt, from the House of Bondage." Is this a commandment (as Judaism reads it) or a declaration (as Christianity reads it)? Understanding the words as a commandment becomes clear in this week's parashah (Ex. 21:2-6).  Israel is never to forget her experience as a slave in Egypt, the "Big House" (a translation of Par'oh from Middle Egyptian).

Accordingly, all Israelite slaves are to go free after completing their sixth year of service. The Sabbatical year for individuals is, thus, proclaimed as law for releasing all Hebrew slaves.  And should the slave refuse his/her freedom? After the Yovel (Jubilee), fifty years, seven Sabbaths, freedom is mandated, whether the slaves want it or not (Lev. 25:54-55)! This principle is again affirmed in the New Covenant: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua" (Gal. 3:29).

The question arises, "What if a slave prefers not to go free after six years of service?" Torah commands that "his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently" (Ex. 21:6).

Reading Ex. 21:6, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai asks, "How is the ear different from all other parts of the body?" In other words, why was the ear chosen to be pierced during retziah (piercing).  Answers the Holy One, blessed is He, "The ear heard my voice on Mount Sinai, at the moment that I said: 'For unto Me, the children of Israel are servants' [Lev. 25:55].  They are My servants and not servants of servants. And yet this person has disregarded that which the ear has heard." The Baraita continues,

"... I delivered [the Jews] from slavery to freedom. And yet this [Jew] has spurned My declaration that was witnessed by the door and doorpost, for he has gone and bought a master for himself. Therefore let [his ear] be pierced in the presence of these [the door and the doorpost].  [Kidd.  22b]

Of course, we forgot this very lesson. Beforehand, Judah sold Joseph for silver, and reaped measure for measure (Gen. 37:26-28, cf. Gen.  44:16).  Later, Yeshua would be sold for silver by yet another son of Judah, Judah Iscariot, Y'hudah, ish-K'riot (K'riot, a town in Judah, note Josh.  15:20, 25). Monumental consequences followed: a 49-generation exodus of wandering among nations, and a corresponding loss of national sovereignty. Thank God for setting free the Jubilee (50th) generation (Lev. 25:54-55). Set free from the camps, they/we wandered back--His people to His land, once again re-named Israel!

We must never forget that we are GOD?s bondservants: we are all set free to serve God.

As a nation, we are called to serve. The Son of Man came to serve and give his life as a ransom for all. Never forget the context for this verse--a mother asked Yeshua to make her sons great, and he responded,

"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and their great men exercise authority over them." Taking sharp issue with this national and worldly way of living, Yeshua stated, "It is not to be this way with you, but whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mt. 20:25-28).

These statements must ring true in our lives, or our witness is not great. How do we pour out our lives to empower and build up our households? Where do we find the time and energy to see the other's perspective (empathy) and walk in the other's shoes (roletaking)? How will this change the ethic of how we run our ministries and our national organizations? If we cannot listen to one another and then find the common ground to walk together, His kingdom will be roofless and His House unfinished.

Corporate ministry must serve the corporate body--our personal interests and personal preferences must get the second priority. It is time to trust, delegate, build up, empower, and free our people to serve the Lord.  It's time for the nationals to empower all regions, not just some regions. It's time for the regions to empower all congregations, not just some congregations. It's time for leaders to empower the needy, not just the strong. It's time for mutual accountability. It?s time for us to empower one another and let the slaves go free.