Miller's Musings Parshas Mishpotim: See-nai Every Day

בס''ד

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This week’s Miller’s Musings is sponsored לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Quote of the Week: “Live your life by a compass, not by a clock.”

Miller’s Musings

משפטיםפרשת 

See-nai Every Day

No one likes to be interrupted, especially mid-flow.  Yet the Torah, in the middle of perhaps the most important narrative of all, does just that. The giving of the Torah, Hashem’s only direct interaction with an entire nation, and humanity being presented with the very purpose of our existence, is interposed with the numerous laws outlined in our Parsha.  They are indisputably important directives for daily living, such as those relating to personal injury, liabilities and the judicial system. But is it entirely necessary to have them interject during such a monumental episode as that of receiving the Torah?

If we were to analyse what it was that was so remarkable and unique about Hashem appearing at Sinai, it was the unparalleled connection that we had with Hashem at that time.  Leaving aside what we were given and the implications of such a wondrous gift, just being so close to Hashem at that time and experiencing His presence in such an intimate and manifest way, was something unequaled throughout all of history. It would be natural to therefore assume that this was the pinnacle of human existence.  A moment that would remain the consummate point of connection that could never be rivalled.  Yet the truth is not so clear.  If Hashem wanted this to be the endpoint and aim for our lives then He would have made this permanently possible for us to achieve.  But our purpose and our goal is to connect with Hashem in all we do.  Through our mundane daily living.  Through our interactions with each other.  Through the way we conduct ourselves in our work life and businesses.   Perhaps the message of the Torah is that these laws that govern the more commonplace lived experiences are just as much connecting with Hashem as that of the Divine Revelation at Sinai, and in fact create an even more profound relationship with Him. These laws are placed in the middle of this epic event because they are that very thing that Sinai created; an opportunity, every day and every moment, to feel Hashem’s presence in our lives and this time be the instigator of this transcendence.   

It is a part of the human condition that those things that we permanently possess are the things that are appreciated the least, but are often worth the most.  Our health, our family, our financial security, are all things we seem to only begin to fully value once they are gone.  This may equally be true with the mitzvos we are so fortunate to have been given.  We sometimes regard those more sporadic commandments as having intrinsically more value to them, just because of their rarity, whilst minimising the importance of those that make up our daily schedule or are what we would consider part of being a decent human being.  But davening, blessings, concern for each other, simple kindnesses and acting with integrity are worth more than we can possibly realise and are continuations of that moment at Sinai when we connected with Hashem with such intensity.  We must try to see all the good we do in this vein, knowing that each act we do strengthens our relationship with our Father above.

*May the goodness we do this Shabbos be appreciated by us as much as it is by Him*

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