Teaching teenagers can be an exciting and insight -inducing experience. It is so easy to listen to them, scratch one’s head, and wonder if you did such things at their age. But, alas, as they say, “Hindsight is 20/20” and “if I knew then what I know now.” Wow, if only I could have had my current wisdom as a young adult…and there is still so much of the world that perplexes me. But back to high school students - teenagers, as a sweeping generalization, still embrace the childhood gut-reaction of avoiding fault. A talking student will quickly advocate for herself by declaring that everyone was talking, and a student with a wrong answer will not hesitate to determine exactly how the teacher led her astray. (And tempted as I might be, I won’t elaborate on due dates and personal responsibility).
You may be wondering what this has to do with Parshas Mishpatim. The fact of the matter is, though, that interacting with teenagers all day provides a profound perspective on humanity as a whole and the Jewish nation in particular. Hashem is “our Father,” and I doubt very much that we count as adult kids.
Being totally honest with ourselves, most adults are equally eager to avoid accepting responsibility for our actions. Sometimes it’s something serious, but even for tiny things - like needing to turn around when you’ve gone the wrong direction and so you look at your watch and pretend you forgot you had to be somewhere in the other direction. What, when you get right down to it, is there anything wrong with having just gone in the wrong direction? Nah - human beings do not like to be wrong, to have others think we are wrong, or to really take full responsibility.
In Parshas Mishpatim, which is law after law after law, however, Hashem demands us to recognize our culpability. “If a man takes his animals into someone else’s field or vineyard, and he lets them trample or graze in this other person’s field or vineyard, he must make restitution with the best of his field or the best of his vineyard” (22:4). No, you can’t blame it on the animals. You can’t claim it was the wind. You can’t say it’s the nature of the world for animals to trample and graze. You have to take responsibility. You put them there. You let them go there.
This doesn’t mean the Torah doesn’t recognize the power of nature or the fact that not all things are in our control (I mean, beyond that idea that everything is only in Hashem’s control…). If an ox gores once, the owner isn’t held responsible - the animal is. It is assumed that there is something problematic with its nature, since the Torah even prohibits the animal’s meat from being sold. An ox who gores repetitively, however, is a different story. If someone knew that there animal had the potential to be dangerous and destructive, he should have kept that ox behind thicks walls… Beyond the fact that it probably should have been put down the first time it gored.
The reminder that each human being has the blessing of bechira, of free will, is everywhere in these laws.
Mishpatim are often commented on as being the structure of any civil society. It is said, sometimes, that any civilization would come up with similar rules in order to function. Perhaps yes, perhaps no. But no law in the Torah is that simple because Hashem wants the Jewish people to be the best that they can be as human beings both corporeal and celestial. We take our laws of ancient times and we transform them into applications for today and for every age.
“If a fire breaks out and spreads through thorns, so that it consumes stacked or standing grain or a field, the one who kindled the fire must make restitution” (22:5). Here is an ancient law that resonates in every generation. Don’t go into a dry forest and play with matches! The destruction that could follow will be your fault!
Teenagers often think that they are invincible. Sometimes, the Jewish nation falls into that trap too. Hashem, however, always knows our potential for greatness, and the lies we tall ourselves are perfectly clear to him.
