Mishpatim – Equality in the Law

Today we live in a society based on the motto, “All men are created equal”, We accept this concept as our motto and we have many laws to back it up. This concept is clearly addressed by the Torah in the statement, “Do not lean the law against the pauper in his litigation”.

Thousands of years ago when we received the Torah this statement was very revolutionary, since rights were always unquestionably in the hands of the wealthy, whether they were land owners, slave owners, or wealthy business men (all of these have verses commanding proper ways of dealing with them).