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Why does the covenant at Sinai focus on Mishpatim—laws that the Ramban (רמב"ן) says apply to all mankind? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: at Har Sinai, God established a relationship not only with the Jewish people but with all humanity through the Noahide laws. The Jewish people, through Sefer HaBris, accepted stewardship to ensure the entire world maintains these universal laws and has the resources to survive and fulfill them.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a fundamental question on the Ramban (רמב"ן)'s understanding of Sefer HaBris. Rashi (רש"י) identifies Sefer HaBris as everything from Bereishis through Matan Torah (תורה), but the Ramban disagrees, stating it refers specifically to the laws of Mishpatim. Yet remarkably, the Ramban himself rules in Parashas Vayishlach that most of Parashas Mishpatim—the laws of loans, damages, deposits, torts—is included in the Noahide commandment of Dinim, applicable to all mankind. This creates a profound paradox: how can the unique covenant between God and Israel, sealed with "Na'aseh V'nishma," consist primarily of laws that apply universally to all nations? The resolution begins with a careful reading of the creation narrative. On the third day, God declared that all vegetation and fruit should contain seeds, and the pasuk confirms "vayehi chen"—it was so. Yet when God permits Adam to eat, the Torah repeatedly emphasizes he may eat "every plant that has seeds" and "every tree that has fruit with seeds in it." This redundancy teaches that the permission to eat is predicated on the ability to replace. Adam may consume from the world only what can be reproduced; he has no right to deplete the universe's resources. This establishes the fundamental principle that humanity must replace what it takes from creation.
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Shemos 24:7, Mishpatim
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What is the primary purpose of the cities of refuge - protecting the accidental killer or something else? The shiur argues that creating respect for law takes precedence over providing sanctuary. True deterrence comes from recognizing the gravity of murder itself, not fear of punishment.
