Beis Yaakov Mishpatim

בית יעקב הכולל משפטים


Concepts -מושגים

מתחיל באמצע ספור- we’re starting in the middle of the story. The בית יעקב explains that the story of the person sold into slavery starts in the middle namely him being sold, not from the beginning, meaning why did he steal. בית יעקב explains based on the אריז"ל that the motivation to steal comes from before Adam Harishon came into this world. While he was in the upper spiritual worlds, he took from and ate from the tree of knowledge, as a result he was subsequently sold into slavery by being sent into this world of action.

יחוס literally means lineage. Here it also means the ability to relate to the source of a person, meaning their soul, and Hashem. When a person loses their יחוס they forgot where they come from, and the strength of purpose that it provides.

תקיפות the force of personality and purpose which keeps a person from losing direction in this world of confusion
חטא ועונש ממקום אחד the sin and punishment are from the same place. The result of a crime against creation is not a new and original response, but a direct result of what they have destroyed. Here Adam Harishon’s inability to remember his יחוס and trace his connection to Hashem, is a result of his error in believing that they own anything, it all belongs to Hashem.
סמיכה the chain of ordination from Hashem to Moshe and future rabbinical courts. Its ability to relate all the way back to Hashem, allows the court to act with strength and
purpose, in the same way as Adam Harishon should have, being the direct creation of Hashem.
ובשבעה יצא לחנם- on the seventh year the slave leaves free. When a person recognizes Hashem as their source, he regains his strength and focus. He remembers that Hahsem alone is his master, and no one else. He can stand with strength against the world and not forget, he is child of the Avos, and the creation of Hashem.
לא רצו לגלותה the rabbis did not want to reveal יחוס and the names of Hashem all the time. While we were previously extolling the virues of yichus, at the same time, too much understanding clearly who is the king, and source of everything leads a person to not having free choice, when it is very clear then a person cannot choose freely as Hashem’s presence is too clear.

Izhbitzer Twist
The Izhbitzer is showing the two perspectives in life of forgetting Hashem, which is necessary for our existence in this world, for it creates free choice and total revelation of Hashem’s presence which is impossible for us in this world, as it makes choice impossible.

Practical Advice

The עבד עברי is the story of our lives somewhere in between being sold into slavery and before being set free by the seventh year. We try to remember who we are and what we need to do, and ultimately hang in there, as we are stuck in the middle of remembering and forgetting.