Mishpatim

The Alef Kabbala Group (13 Feb 07) discussed a discourse on Sedra Mishpatim, said by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1978 (5738). This 'edited' discourse explains the opening verses of the Sedra in general terms, as a statement about Torah study. The teachings of Torah are given to each person by Moses, throughout the generations, in such a way that they can be internalised. This leads to service of G-d in three modes, represented by the three kinds of servant alluded to in the Sedra: the Canaanite slave, the Hebrew servant and the Hebrew maidservant. These express three levels of dedication to to G-d, similar to the three levels described in Tanya: Rasha, Benoni, Tzaddik.