Parshas Mishpatim: Was that a miscarriage or a premature birth?

This week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim: Exodus 21:1 - 24:18, includes the text, "When men fight, and one of them pushes a pregnant woman and a miscarriage occurs, but no other damage ensues, the one responsible shall be fined according as the woman’s husband may exact from him, the payment to be based on reckoning. But if she suffers a fatal injury, the penalty shall be life for life – eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." 

Jewish pro-abortion advocates deliberately misuse this translation to diminish the value of the unborn child, and as a tool to justify and defend unlimited abortion in Judaism. This particular interpretation of Torah has resulted in many Jewish generations lost. It calls into question the foundations of Judaism as a moral and just system. It also causes many righteous born Jews to convert out of our faith in order to resolve a seemingly impossible moral dilemma.

An alternative translation reads, "and a premature birth results." This translation coincides with the Hebrew words and avoids the dilemma.

In our Haftarah portion, Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) 34:8-22 and 33:25-26, Jeremiah warns King Zedekiah that ignoring the law regarding the emancipation of slaves after six years will result in severe consequences for his kingdom. Earlier in Jeremiah 7:30-34, the prophet warns the King to stop child sacrifice or the kingdom of Judah will end in catastrophic death and destruction.…

30. For the people of Judah have done evil in My sight, declares the LORD. They have set up their abominations in the house that bears My Name, and so have defiled it. 31.They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind.…32,So behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place will no longer be called Topheth and the Valley of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. For they will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. 33. The corpses of this people will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to scare them away. 34. I will remove from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and bridegroom, for the land will become a wasteland.”…

Every week, our pro-life commentary mentions modern Israel's governance that ignores guidelines in Torah and prophecies in Tanakh, a style that offends the Holy One. Instead, policy makers endorse and enable immoral and unethical practices that find favor with agnostic progressives. We believe that Israel's problems are easily solved with the enactment of laws and policies that align with our sacred sources of wisdom and spiritual truth. As well meaning world leaders offer political, economic, and military solutions, we know that adherence to our founding documents will produce lasting results.

Israel and the Jews have daily opportunities to redeem ourselves both personally and nationally. We need not depend on foreign leaders or foreign aid for our future. We need only depend on the Almighty. According to prophecy we will, and God's mercy will redeem us and then rest of the world, too.

Rabbi Chananya Weissman's timely essay on our need to listen and apply prophecy speaks volumes.

Prophetic Messages for Jews With Heretical Beliefs

https://chananyaweissman.substack.com/

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Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.

Cecily Routman is the founder and president of the Jewish Pro-Life Foundation. She opposes abortion homicide in general and among Jews in particular and laments secular policy making in Israel that results in loss of Jewish life and delays the messianic redemption. She envisions a Torah based holy Land of Israel and a world that respects the life of every human being from conception.