This is the d’var Torah I delivered at Congregation Neveh Shalom on February 13, 2026.

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On some issues, science and Torah are in agreement. Reproductive rights are one such issue. But let’s take a broader look at the portion for a second. Parshat Mishpatim moves us from the awe of Sinai into the details of daily living. It’s a collection of civil and ethical laws about damages, responsibility, workers, neighbors, and vulnerable people. And right in the middle appears a striking case: 

“When people fight, and one of them pushes a pregnant woman and a miscarriage results, but no other damage ensues, the one responsible shall be fined… But if other damage ensues, the penalty shall be life for life.” (Exodus 21:22–23) 

If you’re looking for the Jewish perspective on abortion, this is it; at least, this is it according to the oldest law we have. The Torah distinguishes between harm to the pregnant person and the loss of the pregnancy, setting up a legal and ethical conversation that our tradition has continued for centuries. 

The Mishnah builds directly on this distinction. In Mishnah Ohalot 7:6, we read that if a pregnancy endangers the mother’s life, intervention is required because her life takes precedence. Only once the baby has emerged do we treat both lives equally. 

It’s expressed clearly here: Judaism is deeply protective of potential life, but it does not grant a fetus the same legal status as the pregnant person. Jewish law consistently centers the health, safety, and dignity, physical and emotional, of the person carrying the pregnancy. 

That is why many Jewish voices understand supporting reproductive choice not as a rejection of tradition, but as an expression of it. Choice, in Jewish terms, often means moral agency guided by Torah values, medical wisdom, and personal conscience. 

But as clear as the Torah and Mishnah might seem, the choice of how to approach a topic like this is ours, particularly on this Shabbat, designated Repro Shabbat by the National Council of Jewish Women. So here is my invitation for all of us to do the following: lead with compassion. Make space for complexity. Resist the urge to reduce deeply personal realities into slogans. Advocate for access to care, for informed decision-making, and for communities where people facing these decisions are met with care rather than stigma. 

One thing we don’t need the Torah to tell us is that life is complicated. We know that. And sometimes what people need most is not quick judgment but thoughtful support. This Shabbat, as many Jewish communities observe Reproductive Rights Shabbat, we have a chance to approach this sensitive topic the way Judaism often does, with nuance, compassion, and a deep respect for human dignity. 

Mishpatim reminds us that Torah lives in the real world, the complicated, human world. Our task is to carry forward its core commitments, and trusting that sacred responsibility often includes the ability to choose with wisdom, support, and faith. 

Some Torah portions explain historical lineage, linking generations of leaders for context. Some portions detail big, sweeping scenes of miracles and wonder. And some give us the framework for the laws and traditions that guide Jewish observance even today. Parshat Mishpatim falls into that third category.

Mishpatim is a cornerstone of Jewish law, a blueprint for justice, ethical behavior, and societal responsibility. Among its many laws, one passage stands out in contemporary discussions on reproductive rights: Exodus 21:22-25. This verse describes a situation in which a pregnant woman is injured during an altercation, resulting in the loss of the pregnancy. The Torah states that if no further harm follows, the one responsible must pay financial damages, but if harm does follow, then the principle of “an eye for an eye” applies.

This passage has been foundational in Jewish legal tradition, as it differentiates between the status of the fetus and the life of the pregnant person. While some perspectives grant fetal life an independent legal status from conception, the Torah’s distinction here implies that the well-being of the pregnant person takes precedence. This principle is echoed throughout Jewish law, which consistently prioritizes the health, safety, and autonomy of the person carrying the pregnancy. The Mishnah (Ohalot 7:6) reinforces this idea, stating that if a pregnancy endangers the mother’s life, intervention is not only permitted but required.

Jewish tradition calls upon us to uphold justice and compassion in all areas of life, and reproductive rights are no exception. The laws of Parshat Mishpatim remind us that justice is not abstract—it is about ensuring that the vulnerable are protected, that individual dignity is respected, and that ethical decisions are guided by wisdom and care. As much as we’ve advanced in almost every area of science and healthcare, somehow reproductive rights are still contested. Yet our ancient texts apply a nuanced approach, which acknowledges the complexities of pregnancy and prioritizes the life and health of the pregnant person.

In light of this, we offer a blessing, drawing upon our sacred tradition:

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, shenatan lanu Torat emet v’chayei olam nata b’tocheinu.
Blessed are you, Adonai, sovereign of the universe, who has given us a Torah of truth and planted within us eternal life.

This blessing, traditionally recited after Torah study, reminds us that our learning must lead to action. The Torah’s truth is not stagnant; it calls us to uphold justice in our communities. As we reflect on Parshat Mishpatim, may we be inspired to advocate for policies that support those making difficult decisions and ensure that justice, as our tradition envisions it, is upheld for all.

When I used to teach in the day school world I would frequently be called upon to offer a unit called “Jewish Sexual Education” to our 4^th-8^th graders as part of their human sexuality units. My role was to offer up a sex-positive, safety-positive lesson about the way we look at our bodies and how we treat our partners in intimate relationships. This spanned the spectrum from strictly emotional relationships (and emotional abuse) to the very nature of our physical beings and anatomy. It never failed; each year I’d walk into the classroom to have kids shade their eyes and hide their faces because it was too much for them to hear the rabbi use medical terminology for genitalia.

I started each year with the same speech about how “this too is Torah” and reminded them that the Torah is chock-full of examples of boundaries being violated and rules about what constitutes an appropriate physically intimate relationship. This is acknowledged in multiple ways throughout the Torah, but specifically in our current Torah portion.

This week we read Parshat Mishpatim, the middle section of text in Sefer Shemot, the Book of Exodus. The Israelites are on their way out of Egypt to Israel. They have begun to set up their own system of laws and rules, beginning last week with the Ten Commandments. This week, Parshat Mishpatim focuses on interpersonal laws in regard to business. The main idea of this section of text is that we have the obligation to treat each other in business and in relationships as complete, equal human beings.

In the list of responsibilities towards other humans, the text talks about indentured servants and other types of “ownership” relationships. It may sound strange to modern ears, but this includes marriage. The Torah is explicit that the rights of two people in a committed relationship are food, clothing, and conjugal love. Jewish law values the rights of both partners to sexual satisfaction within their partnership. Moreover, withholding pleasure from a partner is seen as breaking a commandment. 

We often think of biblical Judaism as being ancient and antiquated. We often have to dig deep into laws about sacrifice to figure out how those laws are relevant to us today. For this law, there’s no need to dig. The Torah values responsible and committed physical bonding and recognizes that withholding that physical need is a form of enslavement. It’s a pretty progressive take for these ancient words. 

Anyone who has spent time with me in a meeting (specifically a meeting during the colder months) knows that I am almost always freezing. For about nine months a year, I keep a space heater on in my office, and ten months a year I use one in my bedroom. I simply can’t get warm enough. This also means I always have a sweater or sweatshirt on me or with me, and sometimes even a blanket at the ready in case a meeting space is too cold for my comfort. Since I’m usually prepared with these items, I also often end up lending them out when needed. Of course, occasionally I forget to gather them back, which means sometimes I’m cold, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

The ability for me to find warmth, however, is a huge blessing, and it makes me aware of how many people do not have that luxury. It’s a reminder of how much there is to do to support those who need warmth and shelter, especially in these cold and wet months in Portland. 

This week in the Torah we read Parshat Mishpatim, the middle section of text in Sefer Shemot, the Book of Exodus. The Israelites are on their way out of Egypt to Israel. They have begun to set up their own system of laws and rules, beginning last week with the Ten Commandments. This week, Mishpatim focuses on interpersonal laws with regard to business. The main theme of this section of text is that we have the obligation to treat each other in business and personal relationships as complete, equal human beings.

In these new laws, we learn, “If you take your neighbor’s garment in pledge, you must return it to them before the sun sets; it is his only clothing.” The notion that someone should have what they need by sunset, the time in which we are most vulnerable, is, according to the Torah, the essence of humanity. Sharing warmth and protection, especially during this time of year, is more than a nice gesture; it’s a commandment.  

If you’re cleaning out your home of items you no longer use, consider donating them instead of tossing them. KGW offers a non-exhaustive list of organizations that are taking donations. 

How can you tell if the information you’re presented with on a daily basis is true? I don’t mean “true” as in “your truth,” I mean “true” as in factual. In the past half-decade, one of the things that continues to divide us more and more is mistrust, which is only encouraged by social media and the popularization of the claim of “fake news.” We’re living in a strange time, when science is subjective and statistics can be manipulated and interpreted in whichever way makes our side appear to be right.

Instead of having productive debates over the merit of various ideas, we’re fed misinformation at such a rapid pace that even social media channels have had to fact check tweets and place warnings on posts that haven’t been proven or substantiated. What’s worse, when we hear false information about anyone or anything, we’re now forced to ask ourselves if the repercussions of speaking up are even worth the time and energy. 

Speaking out to correct falsehoods and stop the spread of misinformation takes courage, and the obligation to do so goes back to the Torah in this week’s portion. This week we read Parshat Mishpatim, the middle section of text in Sefer Shemot, the Book of Exodus. The Israelites are on their way out of Egypt to Israel. They have begun to set up their own system of laws and rules, beginning last week with the Ten Commandments. This week, Parshat Mishpatim focuses on interpersonal laws with regard to business. The main idea of this section of text is that we have the obligation to treat each other in business and in relationships as complete, equal human beings.

As we learn in the laws we read in chapter 23, verse 1: “You must not carry false rumors; you shall not join hands with the guilty to act as a malicious witness.” There’s no ambiguity there. The language itself is almost as heavy as the burden of carrying falsehoods and lies. The Torah is clear in the instruction that when we hear something that is false, we have an obligation to correct, and bring the truth to light. 

However, before you go around correcting everyone, which might make you right, but likely won’t win you any friends, the Torah also tells us that we are to fulfill this obligation with grace and compassion. 

Lies only weigh us down. They weigh on our conscience, and their propagation can have weighty consequences. Parshat Mishpatim reminds us that the mitzvah of lightening someone’s load isn’t just about a physical burden. To be truly courageous and compassionate human beings, our job is to lift up the truth, and by doing so, lessen everyone’s burden just a little bit.