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Why does Parshas Mishpatim begin with the obscure law of the Jewish servant instead of the more fundamental laws of theft? The shiur reveals that the eved ivri possesses a "slave mentality" rooted in Adam's refusal to take responsibility—"the woman gave it to me." The six-year servitude is designed to cure this pathology by forcing the thief to take full financial responsibility for both his debt and his family, teaching him the dignity of self-support.
Rabbi Zweig addresses several textual difficulties in the opening of Parshas Mishpatim. First, why does the Torah (תורה) begin with the obscure law of the eved ivri (Jewish servant) rather than the more fundamental and frequently applicable laws of theft that appear later in the parsha? The logical order would be to first establish the law of theft, then detail the consequences for those unable to pay restitution. Second, the pathology described when the servant chooses to remain enslaved seems inverted: "I love my master, my wife, and my children"—placing employer before family. Third, the phrase "eved ivri" is linguistically awkward; the Torah should simply say "when you buy an ivri (a Jew)" rather than the ambiguous "eved ivri," which Rashi (רש"י) notes could theoretically mean a non-Jewish slave owned by a Jew. Rabbi Zweig explains these difficulties through a fundamental insight into the nature of slavery in Torah thought. The source of slavery in human experience traces back to Adam's response after eating from the Tree of Knowledge. When God asked Adam if he ate from the tree, Adam replied, "The woman gave it to me." The Zohar identifies this response as the origin of the slave mentality in two ways: First, Adam refused to take responsibility for his actions. Second, by admitting he failed the test while blaming his wife, Adam was essentially saying, "I haven't justified my existence, so God, You take care of me." This is the essence of slavery—wanting to be taken care of without earning that right through responsible action.
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Shemos 21:1-6 (Parshas Mishpatim)
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