Mishpatim מִּשְׁפָּטִים - Laws
Torah Portion: Exodus:21:1-24:18
Exodus 23:20–25
23:20 “Behold, I send an angel before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him, and listen to his voice. Don’t provoke him, for he will not pardon your disobedience, for My name is in him. 22 But if you indeed listen to his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries. 23 For my angel shall go before you, and bring you in to the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I will cut them off. 24 You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor follow their practices, but you shall utterly overthrow them and demolish their pillars. 25 You shall serve Hashem your Elohim, and He will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.
Today’s Meditation:
Some people think that the angel Hashem sends to His people may be the Law. That makes sense. Hashem tells them to pay attention to him, listen to his voice, and don’t provoke him (disobey him). Others think that the angel is Gabriel. Whoever or whatever this angel is, people must pay attention to him. If it is the Law, then they were to listen, learn, and obey. Probably to get themselves ready for the promised Land. To prepare them for the people that Hashem wants them to be. That they will be a light to the nations.
Today’s Challenge:
There is a tremendous promise in verse 25. If we are obedient to what Elohim tells us, then He will bless our food and water and take away sickness. Don’t you think this is incredible? Here they are coming out of Egypt, where they have witnessed the Hand of Elohim defeat the enemy through many miracles, and He now promises to do even more. But, once again, there is a contingency. We must agree to serve only Him.
