Theme:

 

Middah/Mitzvah
Standing up for what is right
The law ‘Do not follow the crowd to do evil’ is given for any situation where a judgement must be made. We learn from this how to behave in a situation where we disagree with the major opinion. We must have the courage to stand up for what we know is right, e.g. Yehoshua and Calev stood firm against the majority of Meraglim. The Levi’im didn’t join in the Chet Ha’Egel. Mordechai was the only
Jew who did not bow down to Haman.

 

Task 1: Read text below

 

Following the revelation at Sinai, G‑d legislates a series of laws for the people of Israel. These include the laws of the indentured servant; the penalties for murder, kidnapping, assault and theft; civil laws pertaining to redress of damages, the granting of loans and the responsibilities of the “Four Guardians”; and the rules governing the conduct of justice by courts of law.

Also included are laws warning against mistreatment of foreigners; the observance of the seasonal festivals, and the agricultural gifts that are to be brought to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem; the prohibition against cooking meat with milk; and the mitzvah of prayer. Altogether, the Parshah of Mishpatim contains 53 mitzvot—23 imperative commandments and 30 prohibitions.

G‑d promises to bring the people of Israel to the Holy Land, and warns them against assuming the pagan ways of its current inhabitants.

The people of Israel proclaim, “We will do and we will hear all that G‑d commands us.” Leaving Aaron and Hur in charge in the Israelite camp, Moses ascends Mount Sinai and remains there for forty days and forty nights to receive the Torah from G‑d.