A Message from Rabbi Bellows

February 8, 2026/21 Sh’vat 5786

Friends, 

In this week’s Torah portion, Parshat Mishpatim, we transition abruptly from the thunderous, mountain-shaking revelation of the Ten Commandments to the “nuts and bolts” of civil society. The Torah moves from the sublime “I am the Lord your God” to the practicalities of property damage, worker rights, and the treatment of the most vulnerable.

This shift teaches us a vital lesson for 2026: Spirituality that does not translate into social justice is incomplete. The Torah’s ancient “mishpatim” (laws) feel strikingly modern. The parsha commands us, “You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger” (Exodus 23:9). 

Welcoming and protecting the stranger is foundational to our sacred text and tradition.

Additionally, the parsha introduces the law of helping our enemy’s donkey. It doesn’t ask us to love our enemy—a difficult feat—but it demands that we act on their behalf. If we find our enemy’s donkey in distress, we must help it and return it to their owner. In our polarized society, where “the other side” is often demonized, Mishpatim challenges us to see the humanity in the other, to open our hearts and minds to all who are in peril and work to repair the brokenness of our world. 

May we continue on the path of tikkun— repair and bring blessings into our world.

Rabbi Lisa Bellows