Adath Israel San Francisco | Modern Orthodox Synagogue in San Francisco | A Welcoming Shul and Jewish Community

Time After Time

A quick review of our parsha highlights one major recurring theme throughout its legal code, the theme of time: 

• Even after the Exodus, Jewish slavery exists, but it can only last for a few years
• If one hits someone and the court needs to determine the extent of the damage, it is necessary to wait and see how long recovery takes
• There is a mitzvah to loan someone money, but one may never charge interest, even if the loan is long term
• Collateral can be taken, but blankets and pillows must be returned daily
• First born animals are given to the Kohanim, but the animals must first spend seven days at home 
• Six years of work lead to shemittah 
• Six days of work lead to Shabbat 
• There is a concept of Aliyah L’Regel, pilgrimage holidays. One might think that he or she should visit G-d often, but Mishpatim says only three visits to the temple every year. Everything must happen like clockwork!

The parsha concludes that even the conquest of Eretz Yisrael will be contingent on time:

I will send a plague ahead of you, and it shall drive out before you the Chivi, the C’naani, and the Chiti. I will not drive them out before you in a single year, lest the land become desolate, and the wild beasts multiply to your hurt. I will drive them out before you little by little, until you have increased and possess the land.

Takeaway: The parasha of Yitro, and particularly, the Aseret HaDibrot (Ten Commandments), focus on eternal values and mitzvot that apply to our whole lives. Mishpatim introduces laws that come from time to time or are based on time. These time based mitzvot teach us to anticipate the mitzvot that come from time to time and appreciate the concept of time.