Mishpatim 5784: Toward a Healthy Society

This week's parsha is primarily concerned with laws meant to order and structure our interactions and society, including a prohibition against cursing judges and the king. In light of this prohibition, Sefi Kraut, Pardes Director of Mahloket Matters, asks us to consider what we can and should do when we believe that the institutions meant to defend our values have betrayed those very values. Reflecting on the protest movement that spread across Israel this past summer, Sefi reminds us that, while the protests may have paused due to the events of October 7th, those core divisions within Israeli society remain and that, in order for us to bridge these divisions, we must learn from our experiences and find a way to allow for debate in a healthy manner.