First Love Your Fellow Then Love Hashem

This weeks parsha, Mishpatim, follows, the giving of the Ten Commandments, the greatest revelation ever (yet).

Mishpatim starts with a number of basic, mundane laws concerning our daily interactions with people.

One would think that after so great a spiritual high we would be discussing loftier pursuits, prayer, meditation, love and fear of Hashem, not base tort laws concerning others.

This teaches us that to Hashem it is more important that we get along then be spiritual. First love your fellow, then connect to Hashem.

This is hinted in this weeks extra Torah reading, Shkalim. Every Jewish male was required to give a silver half shekel coin which went for the communal offerings.

Why a half shekel?

The Maggid of Mezrich explains that each of us are like a half. We become whole through our connecting with other half shekels, other Jewish people.

More than Hashem wants us to connect with him, He wants us to love each other.
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Dedicated to all the wonderful Shluchos, loving sisters, gathered at the Shluchos Convention in New York. Especially to my wife, Dina Hurwitz, my other half shekel, who has been a rock throughout my difficult battle with ALS.