It's like Mitzva Popcorn!
Do you think that the Torah finished its account of Matan Torah at Har Sinai with last week's sedra of Yitro, and it continues with a new topic - the laws and statutes that are presented in Parshat Mishpatim? If you think so, think again. Take a look at the end of Parshat Mishpatim and you will find more of the account of the Sinai Experience. In fact, the famous NAASEH V'NISHMA that we associate with Matan Torah (actually, with right before we received the Torah) is found in Mishpatim - not in Yitro. In Yitro there is one NAASEH promise on the part of Bnei Yisrael, and in Mishpatim they said it again. And the third time, it was NAASEH V'NISHMA. (That's why we left the quote in the box above from last week - it really belongs to this week's sedra - last week's should have quoted another part of the same Z'mira: DIBER B’KODSHO B’HAR HAMOR, YOM HASHVII ZACHOR V’SHAMOR)

Back to the point. Parshat Mishpatim does not follow the Torah's account of Matan Torah - it is sandwiched between two parts of the account of Matan Torah. And it is there because it belongs to Matan Torah. It is part of Revelation at Sinai. Ask people what G-d gave us at Sinai. Chances are the less-learned and/or the weaker-believing will answer: The Ten Commandments. A very significant part of Traditional Torah Belief is that ALL of the Torah was given at Sinai. The Aseret HaDibrot was heard by the People and they were subsequently "written in stone" by G-d, to be brought down the mountain to the People. During the 40 days and 40 nights on Sinai, G-d taught Moshe Rabeinu the rest of the Torah. He told him what was to be written in the Torah and He explained what was to be transmitted orally, through the generations.

So what about that cute picture of an unpopped and a popped corn kernel? This. In addition to the Aseret HaDibrot containing specific mitzvot, they also are the chapter headings of groups of mitzvot. They are the precious, unpopped kernels of G-d's Torah. Parshat Mishpatim is the first demonstration of Mitzva-popping. (K'doshim is too.) If in the Aseret HaDibrot there are two words - 6 letters - LO TIRTZACH, Thou shalt not murder, then in Mishpatim we have the statement of the punishment for murder. And if the killing was not intentional, we are taught that we must provide a place of refuge for the inadvertent killer. But if the killing was intentional, the refuge will not protect the killer. And if one inflicts injury upon another without killing, it will depend upon the victim's recovery or otherwise. All of this is an elaboration of LO TIRTZACH. And there are the commands to Sanhedrin to execute certain sinners. This too is part of LO TIRTZACH - the flip side of it. And so is the issue of the thief caught in the act and killed. And the concepts of self-defense and RODEIF- NIRDAF (pursuer-pursuee). And animals that kill or maim. As with LO TIRTZACH, we find popped kernels from Stealing, improper use of speech, and other topics as well.

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