Parshas Mishpatim: Listen to Your Messages

“He (the Hebrew servant) shall work for six years; and in the seventh year he shall go to freedom… But if the servant shall say, “I love my master… I shall not go free”; then his master shall bring him to the judges and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore a hole through his ear with the awl, and he shall serve him [until the jubilee year.] –Exodus 21:5-6

“Why is the ear and not a different organ of the body pierced? Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said: This ear that heard at Mount Sinai, “You shall not steal,” and nonetheless he went and stole, let it be bored. This reason applies in the case of one who is sold into servitude by the court because of an inability to repay his theft. If he sold himself into servitude because of poverty, the following reasoning applies: An ear that heard at Mount Sinai, “for the Children of Israel are slaves unto Me,” and he went and acquired a different master for himself, let it be bored.” –Rashi ibid

The Biblical commentary Rashi explains the reason that the ear gets pierced (above). But the question remains: Why is only the ear being picked on? The feet caused him to go and steal, and his hands actually stole. Why is only the ear getting punished?

The former Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank (1873–1961) explains that when our ears hear something, we must ensure that it becomes incorporated in every fiber of our being. Clearly with this fellow, the commandments went into one ear and out the other. It never entered the rest of his body. It is as though the commandment only remained in the ear. Therefore the Torah writes, "The ear which heard," because the rest of the body never heard anything! Of course the rest of his body is accountable, but it all began with a lack of transmission from the ear to the rest of the body. Therefore only the ear gets pierced.

What does it mean “to hear”? The story is told about an extremely wealthy king who threw a magnificent party. The tables were all fashioned of gold, and the finest delicacies adorned the tables. The king himself sat at a private gold table with the identical delicacies as all of the attendees. He desired some differentiation demonstrating that he is the one throwing the party. He therefore requested from his trusted servant to bring him two diamond studded goblets solely for his private table. As the servant picked up the goblets from the treasury, one goblet fell and cracked. The king demanded that the servant return already. He was informed that one goblet broke. The king requested that at least the one goblet should be brought, and indeed, one solitary goblet bejeweled his table.

When the nascent Jewish Nation was offered the Torah, their immediate response was “na’aseh vinishmah”, we will do and we will hear. Unfortunately, they broke the diamond studded “we will do” aspect pretty quickly by creating the golden calf. The other adorning “we will hear” aspect remained intact. G-d who is the King of Kings therefore requested that the Jewish People always adorn G-d with the “we will hear” by reciting the daily Shema beginning with the word “hear.” But that hearing requires incorporation throughout our entire being. Hopefully through fulfilling the “Hear O’ Israel,” we will once again fulfill the “We Will Do” part as well.

To truly hear something, we must acquire sensitivity. At every moment, untold numbers of radio waves are passing through the atmosphere directly around us. So why don’t we hear them? Because we are not tuned in! If we would only listen closely and pay attention, we would hear much more.

The lesson of Shema is to tune in, and to listen to our messages.