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(The scene: A dimly lit podium. Obama leans in, grips the sides of the lectern, and pauses for a full five seconds. He looks into the distance as if seeing the ghosts of history.)
My fellow Americans... and my fellow students of Torah.
We gather here today to look at Mishpatim. Now, some people... they look at these laws and they see a dry list of rules. They see a "thou shalt" and a "thou shalt not." But when I look at the text, I see a story. I see a journey. I see the audacity... of justice.
The Lincoln Connection
The Torah tells us right out of the gate: if you have a slave, you set him free. Now, I’ve spent some time in a house... a big White House... looking at a portrait of a man named Abraham. Not the Abraham of Ur, but the Abraham of Illinois.
And you have to wonder... was it a coincidence? Or was it destiny? I believe that just as G-d called upon the first Abraham to leave his father’s house, He called upon the second Abraham—Mr. Lincoln—to lead this nation out of the wilderness of bondage. He understood that you cannot have a house divided, and you certainly cannot have a house where "forever" is the status of another man’s soul.
A Personal Confession
Now, this hits home for me.
We know the history. We know that Michelle... the love of my life... is the descendant of those who were held in chains. Her ancestors labored under the lash of a law that did not recognize their humanity.
But I want to be clear about the state of the Obama household today. People ask me, "Barack, who’s in charge? Is there any servitude left in that house?"
And I tell them... it’s me. If there is a slave in the Obama residence, he is standing right here. I’m the one getting the late-night "suggestions" on how to fold the laundry. I’m the one being told that my jokes aren’t as funny as I think they are. I have been liberated from the presidency, only to be captive to the "honey-do" list. And frankly... I’m okay with that. Because the pay is terrible, but the benefits are world-class.
The Mandate of Healing
But let’s get to the heart of the matter. Mishpatim teaches us something profound about our responsibility to one another.
The Torah says that if you get into a fight—and let’s be honest, I’ve had a few fights in Washington—and you injure someone, you don't just walk away. The text says: “V’rappo y’rappe.” “And he shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.”
It’s right there! It’s not a suggestion. It’s a mandate. You break it, you fix it. You hurt them, you pay for the doctor.
And that... is what we tried to do with the Affordable Care Act. We said, if the system is broken, if people are hurting, we have a moral obligation to ensure they are "thoroughly healed." We wanted a country where a pre-existing condition wasn't a life sentence.
Now, my successor... he had some different ideas. He saw V’rappo y’rappe and thought it meant "Vanish and Replace." He decided to take the "healing" out of the "healthcare." And it’s a tragedy, because the law of the land should reflect the law of our hearts.
Conclusion
So as we study these judgments, let’s remember: freedom isn't just about breaking the chains. It’s about building the clinic. It’s about making sure that every one of G-d’s children can stand up, walk tall, and get a checkup without going broke.
Thank you, God bless you, and Shabbat .... Shalom!
