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Why does the Torah (תורה) interrupt its laws of judges with commandments about returning a lost animal and helping an enemy's overburdened donkey? The shiur shows that these mitzvos teach a fundamental principle: we are commanded to hate a person's wickedness, not the person himself. This insight explains both Moshe's judicial system and how to maintain relationships even with those whose actions we despise.
Rabbi Zweig opens by revisiting a question from the previous week about Yisro's criticism of Moshe's judicial system. Yisro complained that Moshe was being "mezalzel b'chevod Yisrael" (diminishing the people's honor) by making them wait in line all day. Moshe's response—that they came "to seek out Hashem (ה׳)"—seems not to address the criticism. Rabbi Zweig explains that Moshe deliberately disrespected both litigants to humble them, making them more amenable to compromise. Since anyone coming to court is already considered a "rasha" for being unwilling to compromise, Moshe's method served to put them in their place and promote settlement. The main theme emerges from an apparent organizational problem in Parshas Mishpatim. The Torah (תורה) presents three laws about judges, then suddenly interrupts with laws about returning an enemy's lost animal and helping unload an enemy's overburdened donkey, then returns to judicial laws. This disjointed structure demands explanation.
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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 23:4-6
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