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Shabbat Parashat Mishpatim 5784

Mishpatim | 1 Adar I 5784 | 10/02/2024

Parashat Hashavua: On Justice and the Right of Appeal – part II

Certain specific legal issues, the organizing of the beit din system, choosing judges, and the rules of adjudication are discussed in this week’s parasha as well as the previous one. Yitro suggested to Moshe that Moshe deal with the big (gadol) matters and the lower courts would deal with the small (katan) matters. Moshe carried it out differently, taking the hard (kasheh) cases and leaving the small cases for the other courts. In Devarim (1:17), it says that the lower courts would refer to Moshe the cases that were too difficult for them. Let us look at the difference between these terms and the distinction that is hiding behind them.

Ask the Rabbi: Reading Advertisements on Shabbat

May one read advertisements on Shabbat? If not, is it permitted to read divrei Torah on the same page as an ad?

Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: Deeper Literature – #188 – part II

[Last time we saw Rav Kook begin to explain why there was a need for a deeper philosophical/spiritual approach than was presented in the Yagdil Torah journal in order to attract the young and searching. The last point was a partial admission that not all young scholars can develop in the new approach. However, Rav Kook claimed that many can.] Especially at a time like this, when matters impact us in the most significant ways, we should be able [to identify a serious number of young scholars to become experts in deep spirituality] among those whose spirit is receptive to giving much of their energies to in-depth spiritual studies, with hard work and internal joy. For them, we must open wide entranceways like the width of the entrances to great halls. May many “sail in these waters and increase knowledge.”

P'ninat Mishpat: Should the Will be Updated? – part II

Reuven and the defendant (=def) were married in a second marriage for each. Reuven wrote a will, leaving his main possession, a large, commercially used building, exclusively to def, and not to his children (=pl). Pl claim that in the year before his death, Reuven expressed several times to pl (sometimes in def’s presence) that he wanted them to receive significant portions of the inheritance. After operating the business for a few years, as Reuven wanted, def sold it for 1.6 mil. NIS, (claiming she kept it going as long as she could). [We saw that there were not grounds to invalidate Reuven’s will. Part II deals with def’s commitment to give some of the sale’s proceeds to pl]. Pl demand 60% of the sale’s proceeds, as def promised them several times after Reuven’s death, as she mentioned in WhatsApp messages. Def admits making the commitment, albeit without a formal document or act of kinyan. She claims that it is only for the following reasons that she refuses to keep her word. First, she thought she would be able to sell the property for housing, which would have brought in much more money; she needs the entire amount she received for her own support. Also, since making those assurances, she invested a lot of time and money into the property, due to which she deserves full proceeds. Finally, pl have asked their share from the gross sales price as opposed to her net returns (deductions include taxes and agent’s and lawyer’s fees).

Mishpatim 5784
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Mishpatim 5784

We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for:

Nir Rephael ben Rachel Bracha
Ori Leah bat Chaya Temima

Arye Yitzchak ben Geula Miriam

Neta bat Malka

Meira bat Esther
Yerachmiel ben Zlotta Rivka

Together with all cholei Yisrael

Hemdat Yamim is dedicated

to the memory of:

Those who fell in wars

for our homeland

Prof. Yisrael Aharoni z"l

Kislev 14, 5783

Rav Shlomo Merzel z”l
Iyar 10, 5771

Rav Reuven & Chaya Leah Aberman z"l
Tishrei 9 ,5776 / Tishrei 20, 5782

Mr. Shmuel & Esther Shemesh z"l

Sivan 17 / Av 20

Mr. Moshe Wasserzug z"l

Tishrei 20 ,5781

R' Eliyahu Carmel z"l

Rav Carmel's father

Iyar 8 ,5776

Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky

bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h.

Tamuz 10 ,5774

Rav Asher & Susan Wasserteil z"l
Kislev 9 / Elul 5780

R' Meir ben

Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld z"l

Mrs. Sara Brachfeld z"l

Tevet 16 ,5780

R 'Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha

and

Chana bat Yaish & Simcha

Sebbag, z"l

Rav Yisrael Rozen z"l
Cheshvan 13, 5778

Rav Benzion Grossman z"l
Tamuz 23, 5777

R' Abraham & Gita Klein z"l

Iyar 18, /5779Av 4

Rav Moshe Zvi (Milton) Polin z"l
Tammuz 19, 5778

R' Yitzchak Zev Tarshansky z"l

Adar 28, 5781

Nina Moinester z"l

Nechama Osna bat

Yitzhak Aharon & Doba

Av 30, 5781

Rabbi Dr. Jerry Hochbaum z"l

Adar II 17, 5782

Mrs. Julia Koschitzky z"l

Adar II 18, 5782

Mrs. Leah Meyer z"l

Nisan 27, 5782

Mr. Shmuel & Rivka Brandman z"l

Tevet 16 5783/ Iyar 8, 5781

Hemdat Yamim
is endowed by
Les z"l & Ethel Sutker
of Chicago, Illinois
in loving memory of
Max and Mary Sutker
& Louis and Lillian Klein z”l

A weekly divrei Torah leaflet: A Glimpse at the Parasha, Ask the Rabbi, From the writings of Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook, zt”l, Pninat Mishpat (Jewish Monetary Law).