Mishpatim: Kindness to Strangers and the Jewish Ethics of Speech

I just have to say, has been a fun week in The Jewcurious School. So fun, I want to let everyone see inside, even people who aren’t one of our regular students.

First, in our Weekly Torah class, I revealed to students that this week’s parashah (Mishpatim) contains my favorite verse (and I talk about why it’s my favorite:

You shall not oppress the stranger, and you know the feelings of the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Shemot/Exodus 23:9)

This parashah is also connected to my favorite passage of Talmud – Bava Metzia 58b-59b – on the ethics of speech. In it the Sages assert that speaking in a way that humiliates another person is as grave a sin as spilling blood.

CLICK TO WATCH THE REPLAY OF THIS LESSON

Membership in The Jewcurious School certainly has is privileges; however, because this lesson covers both my favorite Torah AND my favorite Talmud, I can’t help sharing it with everyone. If you like how that class is done, please consider joining us in The Jewcurious School for 3 classes like that one (on different topics) every week.

This week we also talked about what’s called the Torah She’Ba’al Peh, or the Oral Torah, which over the last two millennia have coalesced into what we call Rabbinic literature today: the Mishnah, the Talmud, medieval law codes like the Mishneh Torah and Shulhan Arukh, and even Kabbalah. Members can access that class here: CLICK TO WATCH

Finally…the week’s not over! Today we’re getting going with our first in-depth lesson in our new Introduction to Judaism course, with a discussion about God: Who God Is (and Who God Isn’t) in the Jewish tradition. Members can join this class at 12pm Pacific today here: CLICK TO JOIN THE LIVE CLASS

Just to be clear, this 26-week Introduction to Judaism course is one you can join at any time and learn at your own pace, because all classes you might have missed are recorded for your review whenever it’s most convenient for you.

Thanks for reading, Hero. I know The Jewcurious School isn’t for everyone, but I wanted to give everyone on my email least a free peak inside, just in case it might be right for you.

PS…For those who’ve been curious about The Jewcurious School, I want to make sure you’re aware you can join us risk-free for the first month. If you try it out and find out it’s not right for you, I’ll give you a full refund of any tuition paid (whether you join us on the monthly plan or annual plan) within the first 30 days, under the terms of our 100% No-Judgment, No-Hassle Guarantee.