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Why does the Torah (תורה) place the Sanhedrin next to the altar? The shiur explores the ramp (not steps) leading to the altar as teaching non-self-awareness during divine service. Judges, like those serving at the altar, must transmit the law without personal discretion—pure servants, not principals—and true kindness requires focusing on others, not on our own spiritual growth.
Rabbi Zweig examines three questions arising from Rashi (רש"י)'s statement that the Sanhedrin should be seated next to the Mizbeach (altar): What is the logic of this placement? Why does the Gemara (גמרא) emphasize that the social justice laws of Parshas Mishpatim are "from Sinai" when we already know from the Ten Commandments that interpersonal laws were given at Sinai? And how does looking at the Mizbeach teach anything about shalom (peace)? The key to answering these questions lies in understanding one specific law of the altar: the prohibition against building steps leading up to it. The Torah (תורה) requires a ramp instead, ostensibly to prevent the kohen's genitalia from being exposed. Rashi himself asks the obvious question—the kohanim wore pants, so nothing would be exposed anyway. Rashi's answer is that steps create a situation that is "close to nakedness."
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Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Mishpatim (Shemos 21-24), focusing on the juxtaposition of the altar and judicial laws
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