Parshat Mishpatim: Part One

I had a feeling that this parsha was going to be a good one when I saw that it starts on page 248 of the Rashi Chumush (favorite time of day: 12.48, favorite commentator: Rashi). Then, I looked at the Parsha.

I once read somewhere, and I can’t remember, where someone used the verses,

“When two men will fight and they will jostle a pregnant woman and she will miscarry, but there will be no fatality, he shall surely be penalized when the husband of the woman shall impose upon him, and he shall give it thought the judges’ orders. But if there will be a fatality, then you shall give a life in place of a life…”

to explain the Jewish view of abortion. While most people associate religion with being anti-abortion, that’s not what Judaism is about. Judaism understands that what is most important is the health of the mother. Now, with regard to the above verse, it states clearly in the Torah the if a woman is killed, she is counted, like all other people, as a fatality. If someone causes a woman to miscarry, they are not charged with murder because a miscarriage is not counted as a fatality (but they will definitely be punished by the husband of the woman).

All I’m saying is that when the government takes away your choice, it doesn’t create a stronger, more unified nation. When people grow up in a society with choice, they learn that consequence comes with poorly made decisions and that responsibility is a byproduct of having the ability to make decisions. But go ahead and think what you’d like, erm-hrm, Coops.