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Thought Questions on Parashat Mishpatim
The Salant Foundation is presenting questions prepared by the Rosh Yeshiva of Be'ar HaTorah, HaRav Gavriel Yoseph Levi. These questions come to stimulate us to ask straightforward questions that we should naturally ask as we learn the Parasha. We are not giving the answers in order to stimulate your thoughts to come up with your own answer. Please send your answers to salantorg@gmail.comThe Salant Foundation looks forward and appreciates all of your answers, comments, and questions. B'ezrat Hashem, we will give our answers next week. Question One: One of the seven Mitzvot of B'Nei Noach, is that each nation must establishe civil laws. Yet, we see in the Torah that Hashem taught Klal Yisrael all the civil laws. Yet, since the civil laws are based on logic, why did HaShem see it necessary for Him to give Klal Yisrael the civil laws? Hashem could have given us just the religious laws, and let the Beit Din generate the rational civil laws? Question Two: A person is allowed to rent his house or property, and there is not notion of any wrongdoing, whatsoever. On the other, the Torah forbids us to lend money and charge him interest? What is the difference between renting your house, and "renting" your money? Answer to questions from Parshat Yisro: 1. Answer to question one "why the holiness of Mount Sinai is not eternal?" The Torah wanted to teach us a principle, that the Torah is not dependent on a certain place or time. Rather, in every place and at every time we have the opportunity to study Torah. On the other the dwelling of the Shechinah is dependent on a particular place. If the Shechinah was in every place, there wouldn't be a concept of a House of Hashem. When you have a special place for the dwelling of the Shechinah, then in that special place the Honor of Hashem is revealed. 2. Answer to question two "why don't we do a special Mitzvah to remember the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai?" The Torah is the central pillar of our lives. Therefore, a layman must dedicate daily time to Torah study, as it says in the Mishneh. Our very learning of Torah must have the same joy that we had at our receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. Therefore, we don't have a specific Mitzvah to remember the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, because the Torah wants to teach us that we need to learn Torah every day and every second, that we are not involved in our livelihood. There is no greater remembrance than our constant dedication to Torah study, and the great joy of Torah study. | 
