Mishpatim – Judgments

The Torah Portion this week, Mishpatim/”Judgments” is taken from Exodus 21:1 – 24:18.
It goes hand in hand, and is hard to separate, from last week’s parshah of Yitro/Jethro! Last
week’s parshah tells us of the beginning of the encounter that takes place at Mt. Sinai and
this week continues on with this same significant time. Within this parshah, YHVH shares
53 commandments of the 613 total, causing this section to often be referred to as Sefer
HaBrit (“the Book of the Covenant”). We understand that what was taking place at Sinai
was actually a wedding ceremony; Israel was being presented with their (and our) Ketubah
– wedding contract! Here we begin to see actual parts of what this Ketubah entails.
This is enhanced by this number 53 being strategically woven within these verses,
53 is the numerical value of the prophetical name given to Jerusalem, Aholibah:
Strong’s #172 ‘Oholiybah ‫ אהליבה‬My Tabernacle in Her – the whole purpose was
for YHVH to have a place where He could tabernacle, by taking Israel in this
marriage covenant this becomes declared over them!
*Remember this name! It will be important later!
1 Corinthians 3:16 – “Know ye not that ye are the Temple of Yah, and that the Spirit of Yah
dwelleth in you?”

Exodus 21:1
Judgments: Strong’s #4941 mishpat ‫ משפט‬judgment, justice, ordinance; from #8199
shaphat ‫ שפט‬to judge, govern, vindicate, punish
Word Picture: ‫( מש‬Strong’s #4851) drawn out; ‫ = פ‬mouth, within this letter is a hidden Bet
‫ ב‬picture of the house or “with in”  by way of the mouth, that which is within is drawn
out, Matthew 12:34 – “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”
‫ ט‬paradoxical letter having both a blessed and accursed meaning, it is an inverted letter
creating a picture like that of a woman pregnant
*These ordinances that YHVH is placing before Israel (and before us) will draw out what is
within their womb, will show forth whatever their womb is impregnated with!

Set: Strong’s #7760 suwm ‫ שום‬to put, place, set, appoint, or make
It’s a close cognate of #7762 shuwm ‫ שום‬garlic, used only once in Numbers 11:5
where garlic is listed as one of the things Israel longed for from Egypt.
*Here we already have a hint of what will be drawn out due to these mishpatim and this
journey  it will draw Egypt out!

The root shaphat ‫ שפט‬is spelled with the same letters (just a different order) as shataph
(#7857) ‫ שטף‬to wash, rinse, or to cleanse. It’s also the same letters as taphash (#2954)
‫ טפש‬to gross, inert, stupid, insensitive.
It presents two possibilities of how these laws/mishpatim/Ketubah will affect us!
1) We can allow them to wash us, in effect cleansing us. 2) We can ignore the
commands of YHVH and be insensitive to His calling!
*The word taphash is only used in Psalm 119:70 showing this same analogy – “Their heart
is as fat (taphash) as grease; but I delight in thy law”.
Delight: Strong’s #8173 sha’a’ 1 ‫ )שעע‬to stroke, be smeared over, be blinded, to smear
over the eyes 2) to sport, take delight in

Within the Hebrew language it paints a vivid picture of the Torah (these mishpatim) being
smeared upon the eyes of those who were blind and now they see, and seeing they enter
into this marriage covenant with delight! John 9:6 paints the same picture – “When he had
thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes
of the blind man with the clay”

Israel’s Encounter

In order to truly understand some of the events of this parshah we must backtrack into last
week’s and review a few key incidents. Israel, while in Egypt, allowed themselves to be
compromised by falling into idolatry and became spiritually niddah/unclean.
*This is a very important fact! The physical laws concerning niddah teach us
spiritual principles concerning our relationship with YHVH. Concerning a woman in
this state, Leviticus 15:19 – “Whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean”. This
presents a problem, if Israel remains in this state of uncleanness; they will be unable
to come into the presence of YHVH (if they do they would defile Him). The cleansing
process begins in Egypt where they use hyssop to apply the blood (hyssop: Strong’s
#231 ‘ezowb ‫ אזוב‬hyssop, plant; contains the 3 letter root of #2101 zowb ‫ זוב‬a flow,
issue, discharge, menstrual blood), continues as they mikveh by crossing the Red
Sea, and the final stages are to happen here at Sinai as they wash their clothes.

Before this cleansing process is complete, there are some rules instituted at the mountain!
Exodus 19:12
Bounds: Strong’s #1379 gabal ‫ גבל‬to bound, border
Contains the 2 letter root ‫ גב‬gab (#1354) convex surface, back

Touch: Strong’s #5060 naga’ ‫ נגע‬to touch, reach, strike; a verb which can indicate doing
actual harm (same term is used in Lev. 15:19 concerning “touching” a woman who is
niddah). From the Hebrew language a picture begins to immerge of Israel in a niddah state
who is unable to touch the mountain because it has come to embody the presence of YHVH.
Touching the mountain would be like touching the back of Him! If they were to do this,
they would cause themselves to be cut off, doing harm to themselves but also to Him by
diminishing and defiling Him! It is only when this cleansing is complete that the marriage
ceremony can continue!

Exodus 20:18
Removed: Strong’s #5128 nuwa’ ‫ נוע‬to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger, move, to wander
about, to be shaken
*The 1st reference of this word is speaking of Cain in Genesis 4:12 – “When thou tillest the
ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive (nuwa’) and a
vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.”
Tillest: Strong’s #5647 ‘abad ‫ עבד‬to work, to serve, also used to describe the Levitical
service of the priests and serving YHVH
*This is also the term used to describe why Israel would leave Egypt – “Let my
people go that they may serve (‘abad) Me in the wilderness”

When Israel chose to remove themselves from the mountain, they in effect chose the way of
Cain! It is no coincidence that Cain lived in the land of Nod ‫ נוד‬cognate word of niddah!

Now we can understand the significance of the prophetical name Aholibah! (gematria of 53
& 53 laws are found in this parshah). Aholibah was the name given to Jerusalem as a
metaphor when she played the adulterous wife. Ezekiel 23:11 – “And when her sister
Aholibah saw [this], she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her
whoredoms more than her sister in [her] whoredoms.”
*The one in whom His Tabernacle was to be chooses to play the harlot instead by
staying in her niddah state. The mishpatim exposed the seed within her!

The Solution

Within this week’s parshah the emphasis is once again put on the fact that Israel will not be
going up the mountain.
Exodus 24:2
Near: Strong’s #5066 nagash ‫ נגש‬to draw near, approach, infers an intimate encounter
(One that Israel cannot partake in because of their refusal to be cleansed)

Even though Israel has made the wrong decision, however, YHVH still presents them with a
solution (just like He did Adam and Eve). He offers them a means of redemption!
Exodus 24:14 – “Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you; and behold, Aaron and
Hur are with you, if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them”.

Tarry: Strong’s #3427 yashab ‫ ישב‬to dwell, remain, sit, to abide, to marry
‫ י‬prefix = 3rd person future tense – He will, they will; & )#7725( ‫ שב‬to return,
turn back (teshuva)

Here: Strong’s #2088 zeh ‫ זה‬this one, here, such

“They will return (repent, make teshuva) by way of the lamb!” John 15:4 – “Abide in me,
and I in you”. (It is no coincidence that in vs. 10 Yahshua tells us how to do this “If ye keep
my commandments, ye shall abide in my love”  Here in Exodus the
mishpatim/commandments lead us to the same conclusion).
Aaron: Strong’s #175 ‘Aharown ‫ אהרון‬lightbringer; at times Aaron can represent the false
light similar to Lucifer whose name means “light-bearer”.
‫ = א‬I will ‫( = הר‬har) mountain ‫ ון‬suffix = to diminish  I will diminish the mountain
(Ketubah), this is the purpose of the false light bearer, to diminish our covenant with our
true Groom.

Hur: Strong’s #2354 Chuwr ‫ חור‬hole; related to #2353 chuwr ‫ חור‬white cloth, from #2357
chavar ‫ חור‬to be white, grow white

Man/Do: Strong’s #1167 ba’al ‫ בעל‬owner, husband, lord (representing the one whom
Israel often played the harlot with)

“To return (to your Ketubah and make teshuva) take the lamb (Messiah) in order to be
made white and cleansed from your niddah state due to ba’al, your other husbands, who
have diminished the mountain and the wedding covenant!”

We need to take a closer look at these two individuals Aaron and Hur because within them
you see juxtaposed the true Groom Messiah and the counterfeit.
Aaron – “I will diminish the mountain”, Aaron fulfills this name when he makes the golden
calf in Exodus 32!

Exodus 32:24-25
Naked: Strong’s #6544 para’ ‫ פרע‬to let go, let loose, this is the same term used to describe
the adulterous woman who had her hair loosened by the priest when coming to drink the
bitter waters (Numbers 5:18 – “And the priest shall set the woman before YHVH, and
uncover the woman’s head”)
*Right here we have the whole scenario of the bitter waters playing out  the priest
(Aaron) uncovers the adulteress woman’s head (Israel) and they partake of the
bitter waters (golden calf is ground and they are forced to drink it).

In this case, Aaron represents the other husband, the means by which Israel becomes
niddah – he causes them to fall into adultery.

Hur – Remember his name came from the root meaning to grow white. He is noticeably
absent from the Golden Calf story, yet he is mentioned as being in charge along with Aaron
before Moses goes up the mountain. Though not much is said within the Torah concerning
exactly who Hur is, much time is spent on this within Rabbinical commentary.
The Sages believe the absence of Hur within the Golden Calf tale, is due to the fact
that he was killed because he opposed and attempted to prevent the making of the
gold calf!
Hur is often linked to Miriam (he is believed to be her husband by the historian
Josephus and in the Targums the son of Miriam).
Miriam: ‫ מרים‬rebellion, mar = bitter & yam = sea, water  bitter waters
*Hur becomes a shadow picture of the true Messiah. The one who takes on the bitter
waters of His bride incurring the death penalty for her, where Aaron represents the false,
causing death and judgment to enter and the bride to be caught in a compromising
position!

In Exodus 31:2 we read of one named Hur and his lineage (some believe the same one
mentioned here in chapter 24) – “See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son
of Hur, of the tribe of Judah”
Bezaleel was the builder of the Tabernacle. His name translates to “in the image
of YHVH”
Through the true Groom the Tabernacle is built and we are transformed into the image of
YHVH! And tying it all together, he was assisted by one named Aholiab, from this name is
derived Aholibah (the prophetical name of Jerusalem who plays the harlot).

This is the exact picture we see taking place in the book of Mark concerning the woman
with the issue of blood! Mark 5:25 – 29

Touched: Strong’s #680 haptomai ἅπτομαι to fasten one’s self to, adhere to, cling to;
connected to #681 hapto ἅπτω to fasten to, adhere to, to fasten fire to a thing, kindle, set on
fire  Just like Mt. Sinai that was set on fire! By taking the lamb, she’s now allowed access
to the mountain where the wedding covenant will be once again agreed upon!

This woman had this issue of blood (niddah) for 12 years  12 pillars are set up at the base
of Mt. Sinai representing the 12 tribes of Israel!
Pillars: Strong’s #4676 matstsebah ‫ מצבה‬pillar, stump; from #5324 natsab ‫ נצב‬to stand,
take one’s stand, establish
*‫ מ‬prefix = from, out of, the womb & ‫ = צבה‬tsabah (#6638) to swell up, describes the belly
of the adulterous woman swelling in Numbers 5!

Issue: Strong’s #4511 rhysis ῥύσις a flowing issue; cognate of #4482 rheo ῥέω to flow,
used in John 7:38 – “He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow (rheo) rivers of living water.” This sums up the full transformation from the
adulterous who must partake of the bitter waters to one who is redeemed and has living
water!

This woman was niddah (she represents the whole house of Israel unable to touch the
mountain)! But she takes the lamb and is cleansed! The pillars set up at Mt. Sinai become a
marker and a sign reminding us of our past adulteries (incurring consequences that made
the belly swell and the womb be judged) but they also point towards the fact that by taking
the lamb we would return! The pillars point towards the future fulfillment of Jeremiah
31:31-33

The gematria (numerical value) of Mishpat: 40 ( ‫ )מ‬+ 429 = )‫ (ט‬9 + )‫ (פ‬80 + )‫ (ש‬300 
4 + 2 + 9 = 15; the number 15 is extremely significant upon the calendar of YHVH! The 15 th
of the month of Abib (1st month) is the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the 15 th of the month
of Tishri (7th month) is the Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot! It is these mishpat that teach us
how to remove the leaven out of our lives (spots and wrinkles) in order to be spotless for
the wedding of Sukkot! They serve the same purpose here as well when given to prepare
Israel!