06. Mishpatim 21:01f – The Order of the Parsha: An Attempt at Explaining the Sequence of the Halachos (06)

06. Mishpatim 21-01f. the order of the Parsha, an attempt at explaining the sequence of the Halachos, Class Six.
We revisited last week’s discussion about ownership: it’s not enough that it is not someone else’s, you need to make it your own (etc.).
We developed the four ideas as four successive levels from less to more severe in the area of disloyalty (and taking or accepting what isn’t yours).
1) מפתה it isn’t anyone else’s, but I refuse to make it mine before I enjoy it.
2) מכשפה is Avoda Zara, we are giving ourselves to another god, this is much more disloyal because we belong to Him and are going elsewhere.
3) רובע ונרבע I am connecting to something which isn’t mine, and can never be mine, this is perverse. It’s like RaShI says in Ha’azinu on the Possuk חדשים מקרוב באו לא שערום אבותיכם when Yidden try to be like a Goy they out-Goy the Goy.
4) זובח לאלוקים יחרם we focused on two points: A. you’re using the very Avodos (work) done in the Beis HaMikdash which is the worst of Avoda Zara; B. the term חרם denotes that even as it exists it’s as if it isn’t here (the worst level of Avoda Zara).