By Jess Glassman

This week’s Parsha, Mishpatim, goes through the basic laws and prohibitions for the Jewish people. Moses was sent down from Mt. Sinai with the laws brought down from G-d’s command and delivered it to the Israelites. The Israelite community that was forming was putting their trust in Moses and G-d to be led as a people and led into the land of Canaan. It was clear that this reckless band of ex-slaves was in need of a strong leader and rules to create a civilized community. The Torah governs every aspect of one’s life, therefore providing the Israelites with a structure to build their lives and their nation around. A structured system of laws is able to create guidelines for living, whether it is resting on the Sabbath or selflessly giving to the poor. But how strict do these laws need to be?

Just like at machaneh we need to have basic rules to avoid chaos and anarchy, we know sometimes we need to bend them, just as the Israelites and Moses did then. There is a difference between being a criminal breaking laws and someone who is deviant. Being a social deviant, according to the sociological perspective, can be both good and bad. The typical understanding of being a deviant is associated with the law-breaking aspect and how deviance can disrupt norms, make life unpredictable and cause harm to others. On the other hand, in a community can deviance help to affirm cultural values, clarify moral boundaries, promote social unity, encourage social change and can relieve tension. So, how stringent do we follow these basic laws given to our people thousands of years ago?

For example, we’ve stopped animal sacrificing and replaced it with prayer. As the times evolve, our interpretation of the laws change, too. Reading this week’s parsha has led me to an understanding of the importance of laws, but also the importance of allowing for adaptation and change, which may include some social deviance. I’m not encouraging anyone to break the law, but I am encouraging you to look deeper into the rules and regulations that may seem to control your life and embrace adaptation and change.