Parashat Mishpatim

Parasha Thoughts

By Rabbi Shemuel Akhamzadeh

וְכִֽי־יַכֶּ֨ה אִ֜ישׁ אֶת־עֵ֥ין עַבְדּ֛וֹ אֽוֹ־אֶת־עֵ֥ין אֲמָת֖וֹ וְשִֽׁחֲתָ֑הּ לַֽחָפְשִׁ֥י יְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ תַּ֥חַת עֵינֽוֹ׃

When a man (master) strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let him go free on account of his eye.

Many question Hashem’s fairness and mercy when a child is born with a certain defect, or when a youngster gets sick or passes. Obviously, this is very hard for the relatives and everyone should pray for them. However, Ben Ish Chai in his drashot on the parasha gives an explanation to solve the riddle. He says we can see the answer from the words of this pasuk: וְכִֽי־יַכֶּ֨ה אִ֜יש – when a man strikes his slave. This phrase is hinting to when Hashem strikes a person by a blemish. לַֽחָפְשִׁ֥י יְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ – It is for sending him free on the account of a certain spiritual blemish.

Ben Ish Chai continues to explain from the following verse: וְאִם־שֵׁ֥ן עַבְדּ֛וֹ אֽוֹ־שֵׁ֥ן אֲמָת֖וֹ יַפִּ֑יל – If he knocks out the tooth of his slave (he goes free). שֵׁ֥ן is a shortened form of the Hebrew word Shana (year). If the master causes the years of his servant to be lost, it is to free him from his blemish. He explains that the Neshama actually begs Hashem for these defects since they will help fix the soul.

Shabbat Shalom

 

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