Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and Exodus 22:25-28.
There is a saying in recovery groups: “Principles, Not Personalities.” The Lord puts forth principles for right and holy living. The first verse of today’s reading has the Lord give us a sobering principle through Moses: “Do not curse a ruler of your people.” Complaining about those who hold public office is a form of curse, since what is needed is prayer for the leader, not complaints. Your prayer will be a blessing upon the person; your complaining, a kind of curse. There is a sense in which we are doing one or the other—blessing or cursing; praying or complaining. Anger is to be directed to the building up of good principles, not the tearing down of personalities.
Next, there are regulations designed to keep the passions for greed and competition in check. The passage then contains the basic prescription for keeping the Sabbath and the three major pilgrim feasts. All of this comes directly from the Lord.
This is the second of three parts of the Torah Portion Mishpatim (Laws)
Conservative and Reform Jewish congregations read only this part this year,
as also in this Bible plan.
Here is the entire portion in all three parts.
Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Praying for those in office.
The Saturday passages follow the reading list that Jewish people use in their synagogue worship
throughout the world. They are taken from
“The Torah,” the first five books of the Bible from Genesis to Deuteronomy
that are read each year beginning with autumn.
For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook. You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information
The Bible Through the Seasons 