MISHPATIM
Yirmiyahu 34:8–22, 33:25–26

We often wonder how far Hashem is willing to extend Himself for the sake of His people. Although we know that Hashem’s attributes of kindness and compassion are unlimited, we sometimes question what acts we must do to deserve His special grace and favor. This week’s Haftarah gives us some insight into to this matter and helps us understand how to elicit Hashem’s grace.

Yirmiyahu’s Final Message of Exile

The Haftarah’s setting is shortly before the destruction of the first Bais Hamikdash and the Jewish people’s subsequent major massacre and exile. Yirmiyahu Hanavi was charged with the painful task of informing the Jewish people of their upcoming tragic era. Although they had received literally thousands of prophetic warnings (one per morning) about their imminent exile, they had always regarded it as a remote possibility sometime in the distant future. (Radak to Yirmiyahu 11:7) This week’s Haftarah recounts Yirmiyahu’s final message to them about their horrifying fate. His harsh words came after a brief grace period that had suggested some degree of hope. Hashem had recently rescued the Judean kingdom from an imminent Babylonian attack. The Babylonians had laid a heavy siege on Yerushalayim, and the Jewish people
responded to it by repenting to Hashem and committing themselves to Torah principle. Hashem accepted their early stages of repentance and suddenly engaged the Egyptian army in war with the Babylonians. When the Babylonians realized that they would be fighting on two fronts, they withdrew from their siege on Yerushalayim. (Mahari Kra 34:22)

Unfortunately, the Jewish people’s grace period did not last very long. Once they sensed some degree of relief they reverted back to their old ways and violated their recently established commitment to guard Torah principle. Hashem responded to their blatant reversal and sent Yirmiyahu to inform them of its grave repercussions. Yirmiyahu told the Judean kingdom that it had forfeited its last chance and that its massacre and tragic exile was set in process. Yirmiyahu told them that Hashem was sending the Egyptian army back to its homeland and was recalling the Babylonian army to capture Yerushalayim and destroy all the Judean cities.

Enslavement of Jewish Brethren

The subject of Yirmiyahu’s prophecy revolved around Jewish enslavement. During the Jewish people’s last years in Eretz Yisrael many of their prominent families had maintained possession over their Jewish brethren beyond the allotted six-year period of service. During the heavy Babylonian siege those families whole-heartedly released their slaves and established a treaty with Hashem to adhere to Torah principle, specifically regarding Jewish enslavement. But, after the Babylonian retreat, those prominent Jewish families could not resist themselves, and they “repossessed” their emancipated Jewish brethren. (Mahari Kra 34:17, Malbim 34:11) In our Haftarah Yirmiyahu praised them for their initial act of emancipation, but severely faulted them for reverting to their previous ways and repossessing their Jewish brethren. Yirmiyahu conveyed to them that Hashem exclaimed, “I established a treaty with your ancestors on the day that I took them out of Egypt [and liberated them] from the house of slavery and said, ‘At the end of seven years you must free your Jewish brethren…’ But
your ancestors did not listen to Me and did not bend their ear. However, you did return today and do what was proper in My eyes…” (34:13-15) Yirmiyahu initially expressed Hashem’s pleased response to the Jewish people’s readiness to release their Jewish brethren from their illegal control over them. However, Yirmiyahu concluded his prophecy with sharp words of reprimand and said in Hashem’s name, “You returned and desecrated My name and repossessed your Jewish bondsmen and bondswomen…[Since] You did not listen to Me to free your brethren, I am declaring you free… to the sword, to the plague and to the famine…” (34:16-17) The above incident raises a serious question in our minds. The Jewish people certainly did not experience their horrifying massacre and tragic exile because they violated Torah principle of emancipation. In fact, Chazal inform us that the first Temple was destroyed because of the three cardinal offenses of idolatry, adultery and murder. (Yoma 9b) In addition, the Torah states that the Jewish people will forfeit the privilege of residing in Eretz Yisrael if they fail to adhere to Shemittah law. (Vayikra 26:32) Yet we discover here that their exile depended on their emancipation or repossession of their Jewish brethren. How do we reconcile this apparent contradiction?

Under Hashem’s Protective Cover

The apparent answer is that Yirmiyahu did not address the cause of the Jewish people’s exile, rather the reason why they forfeited Hashem’s protection. Although the collective Jewish nation had committed severe, inexcusable, cardinal offenses, it remained under Hashem’s protective cover. When Hashem liberated the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage, He staked His claim on His people and declared them “His possessed servants.” Chazal teach us that the Jewish people’s status of Hashem’s possessed servants remains with them irrespective of their level of adherence to mitzvos. In fact, Chazal state that when the Jewish people properly adhere to Hashem’s mitzvos, they develop a higher-level relationship with Hashem and are regarded as His children. Yet, even when they do not properly adhere to His mitzvos, they remain identified as His possessed servants and deserve some degree of His protection. (Baba Basra 10a)

Prior to the Jewish people’s exile, they reinstated their personal status in Hashem’s “eyes” through their commitment to Torah principle specifically regarding possession of their brethren. In this week’s Parsha the Torah forbids one to bind a Jewish person in servitude for more than six years. Chazal explain that this prohibition stems from Hashem’s declaration about Hashem’s precious people, “For they are My possessed ones whom I liberated from Egypt.” (Kiddushin 22b) Based on this principle, one could suggest that when the Jewish people established their treaty with Hashem to respect His general declaration about them being His prize possession, they elicited His favor and grace. Since they regarded their Jewish brethre as Hashem’s possessions, Hashem, in turn, related to them in the same manner.
Although the Judean kingdom’s conduct was far from that of devout servants, Hashem continued to relate to them in their status of “His possessions” and spared them from their Babylonian massacre.

Relating to Us as We Relate to Others

To their grave misfortune, many prominent Jewish families at the time did not uphold their commitment, and instead reverted to their illegal possession of their Jewish brethren. At that point the entire Judean Kingdom forfeited Hashem’s protection and ruined their last chance to delay their imminent exile. In essence, the way that they related to their Jewish brethren, produced Hashem’s similar approach towards them.
After they illegally repossessed their brothers, Hashem responded and stated, “[Since] You did not listen to Me to free your brethren…I am declaring you free to the sword, to the plague and to the famine.” (34:17) Hashem treated the Jewish people in the same manner that they treated one another. Since they disregarded Hashem’s declaration that the Jewish people are “His possession” and not theirs, they were consequently denied their right to possess themselves. Hashem, therefore, responded to their actions and declared them free to the Babylonians and to all natural forces. We gain from this an important insight into Hashem’s grace and mercy. Although the Jewish nation deserved severe retribution for their atrocious, cardinal offenses, they, nevertheless, remained under Hashem’s protection. As long as they regarded each other as Hashem’s prize possession, they enjoyed that same status in Hashem’s “eyes”. However, once they disregarded and abused the status of their brothers restricting them from possessing themselves, they forfeited from Hashem’s perspective their right to be
their own personal possession, as well. In conclusion, this week’s Parsha is devoted to respecting one another in all areas, monetary, physical and emotional. The underlying principle is to display utmost sensitivity to the feelings and possessions of others. If we follow the Torah’s formula and protect each other’s rights, we will undoubtedly merit that Hashem will respond in kind by protecting our rights and securing all our possessions and physical and emotional wellbeing.