Parashah Mishpatim — Comments
The first word of this week’s Torah portion (parashah) is Mishpatim. The word in English means “rules” or “ordinances” and is derived from the root “shafat” (“to judge”). The name is appropriate since, of the traditional 613 mitzvot (commandments), this portion contains 53. It is well to remember that the commandments in the Scriptures are more like instructions. God says we have a choice to obey them or not, and then strongly recommends we do when He says, “Choose life!” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
The mishpatim are requirements—like laws—in that you can choose to break them or not; for instance, you can exceed the speed limit when you drive. It may not cause you a problem by disobeying this law on occasion; however, if you consistently go over the speed limit, you will get a ticket, get into an accident, or both. The mitzvot express the basis of God’s relationship with the Jewish people. They were given to help us fulfill the purpose for which we were born: a closer relationship with God.
Two of the 53 mitzvot enumerated in this parashah command us to give to God. They are Exodus 23:15 and Exodus 23:19:
Exodus 23:15 — “No one is to come to worship Me without bringing an offering.”
Exodus 23:19 — “You are to bring the best firstfruits of your land into the house of Adonai your God.”
There are many other places in the Bible that speak of giving to God. Many center around tithing:
Genesis 14:20 — “Avram gave him a tenth of everything.” (given to Melchizedek)
Genesis 28:22 — “Of everything You give me, I will faithfully return one-tenth to You.” (Jacob’s vow)
Leviticus 27:30 — “All the tenth from the land, whether from planted seed or fruit from trees, belongs to Adonai; it is holy to Adonai.”
Numbers 18:21 — “To the descendants of Levi I have given the entire tenth of the produce collected in Israel… It is their inheritance in payment for the service…”
Numbers 18:26 — “Tell the Levites: when you take from the people the tenth… you are to set aside from it a gift for Adonai, one tenth of the tenth.”
Numbers 18:28 — “From all your tenths… you are to give to Aharon the cohen the gift set aside for Adonai.”
Deuteronomy 12:6 — “You will bring there your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tenths… your voluntary offerings, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep.”
Deuteronomy 14:22–23 — “Every year you must take one tenth of everything your seed produces… and eat it in the presence of Adonai your God.”
Deuteronomy 26:12–13 — “After you have separated a tenth… and have given it to the Levi, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow… you are to say… ‘I have rid my house of the things set aside for God…’”
There are more references in the Hebrew Scriptures, including Malachi 3:8–10, where God makes His views known about giving back to Him what is His in the first place and encourages the people to test Him:
Malachi 3:8–10
“Can a person rob God? Yet you rob Me. But you ask, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tenths and voluntary contributions. A curse is on you—on your whole nation—because you rob Me. Bring the whole tenth into the storehouse, so that there will be food in My house, and put Me to the test,” says Adonai-Tzva’ot. “See if I won’t open for you the floodgates of heaven and pour out for you a blessing far beyond your needs.”
We also see this pattern in Nehemiah (12:44) during the rebuilding of the Temple and in 2 Chronicles (31:5–6, 12) under King Hezekiah’s reforms—and in the Brit Chadashah (Newer Testament) in Hebrews 7, where the significance of the tenth given to Melchizedek and the Levites is discussed. Many of these passages are tied to the Land and to agriculture, so some dismiss their relevance today. Any declaration to establish a specific requirement is therefore based on tradition and interpretation and is not universally binding. Still, these passages help us shape guidelines for how God wants us to respond to His instruction in Exodus to bring our best firstfruits. The decision to give—and how much—remains a matter of heart before God.
Consider the sobering account from Acts 5:1–11:
Acts 5:1–11 — Ananias and Sapphira conspire to lie about their gift; Peter confronts them for lying to the Ruach HaKodesh, and both fall dead. Great fear seizes the community.
Yeshua also rebuked sanctimonious religious leaders for outward punctiliousness without inward faithfulness:
Matthew 23:23–24 — “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law—justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!”
Compare that with the poor widow’s offering:
Luke 21:1–4 — Yeshua sees the rich giving out of abundance but praises a poor widow who gives “all she had to live on.”
God looks at the heart. Whatever you give back to God, you give in recognition of what He has done for you. What you give is to be given in thanks, praise, and faith: thanks for His provision and sustaining grace; praise for His creation—this world and our lives; and faith that, like the Messianic believers in Acts, we can rely on HaShem to bless us beyond our understanding when we trust Him completely.
Acts 4:34–35 — “Nor was there anyone among them who lacked… they laid the proceeds at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made as anyone had need.”
Elisha blessed the widow and her sons with God’s provision (2 Kings 4:1–7). The oil flowed until there were no more vessels. Had they brought more vessels, they likely would have been filled as well. God is a God of fulfillment. He fills us to the brim. Our cups run over. Our lack of trust often limits what He is ready to give.
Look also at the first sign in Cana: “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them to the brim (John 2:7). Later Yeshua says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
His Father promises blessings for obedience:
Deuteronomy 28:1–2 — “If you listen closely… observing and obeying all His mitzvot… Adonai your God will raise you high above all the nations on earth; and all the following blessings will be yours in abundance—if you do what Adonai your God says.”
He wants to bless us. The more we trust and obey, the more room we make for His abundance. He knows our best life is realized by adhering to His instruction. The 613 mitzvot help us get there—and they can be summed up in two: love God and love one another. Bringing the best firstfruits into God’s house expresses both.
God’s house exists to worship Him and be a light—to encourage fellowship among believers and to be a resource for anyone in need. Do you tithe? Do you give 10% to the congregation—to God’s house? Is it 10% of gross, net, more, or less? I cannot tell you what is right for you. Scripture leaves room for interpretation. What matters most is your heart, your attitude, your compassion, your selflessness. God will get along fine without your money—but you will get along far better if you make a faithful commitment.
The greatest blessings often follow the greatest sacrifices. When we give of ourselves, we draw near to God—our life’s purpose. Note that “mitzvot” is commonly translated “commandments,” but it also carries the sense of “deeds/blessings.” In our free will, when we surrender to God’s will, His provision overflows with joy. Peter walked on water, then sank when he lost focus; so do we. Financial obedience is part of keeping our eyes on Him.
Speaking of translation, the Hebrew word “korban” is often rendered “sacrifice,” but its root means “drawing near.” If obedience feels like mere obligation, step out in faith until obligation becomes joy. I once heard of a pastor who gave millions and saw God’s provision multiply. He gave enthusiastically and was blessed to be a blessing.
Exodus 25:2 — “Tell the people of Israel to take up a collection for Me—accept a contribution from anyone who wholeheartedly wants to give.”
My advice is this: see your best life as one in which you offer your best to God. Trust that it will fill your life with abundant blessings and convict you that the more you give with your whole heart, the more you fulfill His commandments to love Him and to love your brothers and sisters.
How much should you give? That is your decision before God. As He says, life and death, blessing and curse are set before us. Choose life. Don’t be close-fisted—you will lose what you try to keep. Be open-handed—and you will receive more. Don’t give only when you have “extra.” Make a commitment. Bless and honor Him. Being in His will is the most satisfying experience of my life, and I heartily recommend it. You can have it if you determine to give Him what He is entitled to: the best of your firstfruits.
He takes care of us. He numbers the hairs of our heads. Shouldn’t we tell Him how grateful we are? He tells us not to rob Him. He says that giving our best to His house will bless us. He even invites us to test Him in this. I say, “Try it—you’ll like it.”
Psalm 145:14–19
“The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him.”
Prayer
Dear Father in heaven, send Your Ruach HaKodesh to reveal to us the truth we discover when we make You our first priority in everything, including our finances. Amen.
