Mishpatim – Judgments
מִּשְׁפָּטִים
From Slavery to Freedom
A Hebrew slave was to be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect. Unlike the image of chained slaves on a ship, Hebrew slaves were not to be treated this way. The Hebrews were slaves themselves. Egyptians treated the Hebrew slaves very harshly. G‑d reminded the Jews that we were once enslaved and mistreated—and thus we must treat our slaves well, always mindful of our past. We are also commanded to care for foreigners, orphans, and widows!
Deuteronomy 24:17-18 (Complete Jewish Bible)
17 “You are not to deprive the foreigner or the orphan of the justice which is his due, and you are not to take a widow’s clothing as collateral for a loan.
18 Rather, remember that you were a slave in Egypt; and Adonai your G‑d redeemed you from there. That is why I am ordering you to do this.
For the Jewish people, slavery was akin to indentured servitude. In a society without bankruptcy, debts were settled by working them off—or, in some cases, by selling a family member into slavery. After six years, the slave was to be freed in the seventh year, or redeemed by a kinsman who paid their debt. In a profound spiritual parallel, Yeshua paid our debt to our G‑d and Master, redeeming us from slavery. Our Kinsman Redeemer has shown us a loving and compassionate G‑d who desires that we treat all His children with righteousness and care.
Treating Slaves with Respect and Consideration
The Torah provides specific guidelines for the treatment of Hebrew slaves:
Shemot 21:1-11 (Complete Jewish Bible)
1 “Now these are the rules that you shall set before them.
2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.
3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be the master’s, and he shall go out alone.
5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’
6 then his master shall bring him to G‑d, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.
7 When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.
8 If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her.
9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter.
10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights.
11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.
The Blood Covenant
Moshe, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel ascended the mountain to enter into a blood covenant with our G‑d. This covenant was not merely a ritual; it was a solemn proclamation of obedience to G‑d’s Torah—a commitment to live righteous lives. The Torah (the contract) was read aloud, and the people freely declared their dedication to G‑d’s commands. In essence, the covenant was sealed by blood.
Shemot 24:1, 5-8 (Complete Jewish Bible)
1 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the L‑RD, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar…”
5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the L‑RD.
6 And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar.
7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the L‑RD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”
8 And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the L‑RD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Similarly, at the Passover seder just before Yeshua’s crucifixion, He and His disciples renewed this covenant—the wedding vows made by our forefathers with G‑d.
Matthew 26:26-28 (Complete Jewish Bible)
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,
28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
The Meaning of Consuming the Body and Blood
Today, some critics ask, “How can Yeshua say ‘This is my body, this is my blood’ when the Torah prohibits such practices?” Additionally, Acts 15 records that Yeshua instructed His disciples not to eat blood. However, in Hebraic tradition, sharing a meal with a tzadik (righteous person) was a way to partake in his wisdom and become like him. In this light, consuming the Master’s flesh and blood is a figure of speech—a symbol of abiding in Him.
He explained, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56). Just as the seventy elders and Moshe committed themselves to the Torah on Mt. Sinai…
Exodus 24:7 (Complete Jewish Bible)
7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it aloud, so that the people could hear; and they responded, “Everything that Adonai has spoken, we will do and obey.”
Torah, Manna, and the Bread of Life
Rabbis teach that the manna which fell from heaven symbolizes the study of Torah. To consume Torah is to partake of the heavenly bread—a truth that Yeshua echoed when He compared Himself to manna:
John 6:35 (Complete Jewish Bible)
35 Yeshua answered, “I am the bread which is life! Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever trusts in me will never be thirsty.”
This imagery foreshadows the wedding supper of the Lamb.
The Wedding Supper of the Lamb
At the wedding supper, redeemed souls are clothed in “fine linen, bright and clean” (a symbol of righteous deeds). Revelation paints a vivid picture of this celebration:
Revelation 19:6-9 (Complete Jewish Bible)
6 Then I heard what sounded like the roar of a huge crowd, like the sound of rushing waters, like loud peals of thunder, saying, “Halleluyah! Adonai, G‑d of heaven’s armies, has begun his reign!
7 Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us give him the glory! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his Bride has prepared herself—
8 fine linen, bright and clean, has been given her to wear. (“Fine linen” means the righteous deeds of G‑d’s people.)
9 The angel said to me, “Write: ‘How blessed are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb!’” Then he added, “These are G‑d’s very words.”
If we let scripture interpret scripture, the “rushing waters” in Revelation 19:6 refer to the multitudes of redeemed people—a theme echoed in Revelation 17:15:
Revelation 17:15 (Complete Jewish Bible)
15 Then he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the whore is sitting, are peoples, crowds, nations, and languages.”
These multitudes are those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, given garments of fine linen at no charge. In biblical times, a king’s banquet required proper attire—a symbol of honor and readiness. Likewise, when Yeshua invites us to His Father’s banquet, we must be clothed in the white linen garments of repentance and righteousness.
I was once told by attorney friend that he and some other attorneys had once decided rent a limo on the spur of the moment. They had decided to celebrate and travel to the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Boston for dinner and drinks. The problem was that they were in casual dress. When they arrived at the Ritz Carlton the door man told them that they could not go in without wearing a suit and a tie. This was surely humbling experience as this attorney has a reputation for being one of the top attorneys in the Boston area. Quickly he went back to the limousine and asked the limo driver for his bow tie. When the attorney returned the door man would not buy it. He looked more out of place wearing a tie with his casual clothes than he did to begin with. He was asked to leave as he did not have the appropriate attire. May we all be found worthy to enter by fully clothing ourselves with fine linen, bright and clean garments provided to us by our L-rd. We cannot fool our L-rd and our G-d. We must be fully clothed in the white linen garments of repentance and in walking with our L-rd.
Complete Jewish Bible Isaiah 61:10
10 “I am so joyful in Adonai! My soul rejoices in my G‑d, for he has clothed me in (Yeshua) salvation, dressed me with a robe of triumph, like a bridegroom wearing a festive turban, like a bride adorned with her jewels.”
The Promise of Redemption
After six years of slavery, Hebrew slaves were freed in the seventh year. We have lived in a sinful world for approximately six thousand years—now, in the Hebrew year 5785, our redemption draws near! The master of this world, the evil one, will soon be expelled:
John 12:31 (Complete Jewish Bible)
31 “Now is the time for this world to be judged; now the ruler of this world will be expelled.”
If a slave is to be redeemed before the full term, the price must be paid—reflecting the mystery that we do not know the day or the hour of our Redeemer’s coming:
Matthew 24:36 (Complete Jewish Bible)
36 “But when that day and hour will come, no one knows—not the angels in heaven, not the Son, only the Father.”
And yet, as 2 Peter reminds us:
2 Peter 3:8-9 (Complete Jewish Bible)
8 “Moreover, dear friends, do not ignore this: with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day;”
9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some people think of slowness; on the contrary, he is patient with you, for it is not his purpose that anyone should be destroyed, but that everyone should turn from his sins.”
Though we may not know the exact moment, the promise endures—the seventh millennium and our freedom are approaching!
See you at the wedding banquet!
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