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Torah readings

Torah reading Mishpatim (משפטים): Exodus 21:1–24:18

Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ) told us the two greatest commandments were to love God unreservedly and to love other people unselfishly (Matt. 22:34–40; Mark 12:28–31; Deut. 6:4–6; Lev. 19:18). Learning what the LORD would do in a situation — to walk as He walked (1Jn. 2:6) — is at the heart of this week’s Torah reading Mishpatim (“judgements,” Ex. 21:1-24:18).

Readings

  • Exodus 21:1–24:18
  • Jeremiah 34:8–22; 33:2–26
  • Matthew 17:1–12
  • Deuteronomy 10:12–13
  • Romans 12
  • Philemon 1

Studies

The following are recorded discussions by Hallel Fellowship teachers on Scriptures related to Mishpatim.

Torah answers for modern life: A call to justice and mercy (Exodus 21-24). Lady Justice holding scales stands opposite a dove in flight.

Torah answers for modern life: A call to justice and mercy (Exodus 21–24)

Despite its ancient origins, the Torah’s guidance on ethics, justice, and compassion remains pertinent today. Faith must be wedded to obedience in applying Heaven’s teachings to contemporary life. This study of Torah reading מִּשְׁפָּטִים Mishpatim (“judgments,” Exodus 21–24) delves into legal interpretations of the Ten Commandments, stressing fairness and impartiality in legal proceedings. The Torah’s stance on issues like slavery underscores principles of compassion and equitable treatment. Drawing from biblical and historical contexts (Paul’s letter to Philemon, Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) in Matthew 20), we advocate for justice, mercy, and societal transformation guided by Torah’s timeless wisdom.
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How Heaven leads families from bondage to freedom (Exodus 21; Romans 6; Mark 10)

How Heaven leads families from bondage to freedom (Exodus 21; Romans 6; Mark 10)

One of the key lessons from Torah portion מִּשְׁפָּטִים Mishpatim (Exodus 21–24) and from the Prophets and Gospels is that God and Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) doesn’t separate religious and civil laws. The reasons for that are encapsulated in the Greatest Commandment and the Golden Rule — and in the Torah laws that restricted and ultimately abolished slavery.
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The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28)

Why Heaven wants us to master servanthood (Exodus 21)

“(T)he Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 NASB). While some see the instructions in the Torah about relationships between masters and slaves as proof of no transcendent Source for the text, others see the context as part of a “poison pill” that Heaven put in the human heart sickness that seeks subjugation of others deemed weaker or powerless. That’s the surprising lesson we learn from the Torah portion מִּשְׁפָּטִים Mishpatim (Exodus 21–24) and companion passages on the wrong treatment (Jeremiah 34:8–22) and right treatment…
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When God shouted 3 times to fight oppression (Mishpatim: Exodus 21:1-24:18)

When God shouted 3 times to fight oppression (Exodus 21–23)

Are “white lies” covered by the Torah prohibition on lying? What does it mean to curse your parents? Does the Torah really contain a time bomb for human slavery? How is that connected to the LORD’s warning about oppression? And was the Angel of the LORD during the Exodus a manifestation of the Messiah? How does this angel compare with Yeshua (Jesus)? These are topics covered in the Torah reading מִשְׁפָּטִים Mishpatim (“judgments,” Ex. 21:1–24:18).
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How to live with as much grace as the Torah commands (Exodus 21:1–24:18)

Does the Torah promote vigilantism (taking the law into your own hands)? Some years ago, those who were against Torah would ask facetious questions like, “If I see my neighbor mowing the lawn on the Shabbat, do I have permission to kill him?” This ridiculous line of argument even ended up as an episode plot for a popular show (“The Midterms,” The West Wing, October 2000).  Are these judgments ignorant and obsolete? For example, in this section of the Torah refers to daughter literally as their father’s silver. Are daughter just the property of their fathers freely passed around and bought and…
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Exodus 21–24: 13 hues of the Creator’s justice and mercy

Does the Torah promote vigilantism? Are its instructions backward and obsolete? If not, what do these instructions mean to me today? In the Torah reading מִּשְׁפָּטִים Mishpatim (“Judgments,” Exodus 21–24), we see an explanation of each of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). By keeping the words of Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ) in our minds (Matthew 22:36–40) while reading the Torah, we can start to understand how the instructions teach us as much about the character of the Father as they do about Heaven’s goal for our treatment of other people.
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A biblical man and a woman weighing each other on the scales of justice with northern lights. The Real Meaning of "eye for an eye" God's lessons in peacemaking.

Real meaning of ‘eye for an eye’: God’s lessons in peace-making

Last time, we discussed lashon ha-ra (evil tongue, i.e., gossip, slander and divisiveness) and how it is one of the latter-day plagues among God’s people. In this excursus, we will explore a related principle taught in Torah by Yeshua and His apostles: proportionality. A number of Christians often consider “eye for an eye and tooth for tooth” an example of the “old covenant” not to live by anymore and quote Yeshua to that effect. Rather, we’ll see that “eye for an eye” is a Bible parabolic idiom teaching proportionality. The point of justice is to restore the offender to the community,…
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Exodus 24: Moshe and elders dine with God

In Exodus 24, we read that after the revelation of the 10 Commandments, God wanted to reveal more information to Moshe (Moses) but for part of that journey, he brought an entourage. God told Moshe to appear before Him but God also called for Aharon (Aaron), Nadab ben Aharon, Abihu ben Aharon, and 70 of the elders of Israel to meet with Him on the mountain first for a seven-day feast, and they did meet Him. They saw Yeshua (Jesus), the Word, the Logos of the Father. That’s why Abraham as well as Moshe, Aharon, Aharon’s two oldest sons and…
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Exodus 22-23: Judgments teach us about God

The judgments that God gave Moshe (Moses) to teach the Israelite people tell us a lot about God’s character and personality. We learn how God sees us as well. It’s a difficult section to go through because these judgements cover so many issues that aren’t related directly to one another but these things have been written down for us to learn. These judgements are written for us so we can avoid incurring them on ourselves.
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Mishpatim 2014 (Exodus 21)

Exodus 21: The real lesson about slavery

Yeshua told us that the second greatest commandment was to “love your neighbor as yourself.” How do we go from loving our neighbors on a theoretical level to a practical level? Exodus 21 doesn’t just show us how people should treat people. It also teaches us how God treats people. God is going to treat you the same way you treat others. If you abuse people, God will allow abuse to come to you. If you are kind to others, God will be kind to you.
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Journey to the 10

Exodus 12–20 recounts a transformation of Israel from a people in bondage to a truly free nation of ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. This “Journey to the 10” is a path each believer should take before and after baptism to become fully mature, not lacking anything. (Start the series of studies from the beginning.) This is the backdrop for Exodus 21–24.

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