The key to any society is teamwork. That is the same in football. Every member of the team has to know his job. If even a minor player fails, then the whole team will suffer. So, too, the Torah stresses that we are all part of society and we each have to help.
Quick Devar Torah – Parashat Mishpatim
This week we’re in Parashat Mishpatim, the parashah of communal law—the laws that teach us how to build a just society. What’s striking is how communal everything is in the Torah. Judaism does not envision people living in isolation. Society is meant to function as a community, with shared responsibility.
One powerful example: even someone who lives entirely on tzedakah, on charity, is still obligated to give a tenth of what they receive. Why? Because being part of a community comes with obligations—not just benefits. You are never “outside” the system.
Mishpatim is filled with laws governing how we treat one another—fairness, responsibility, accountability. And that got me thinking about another very sacred American institution we just experienced: Super Bowl Sunday. I’ll leave commentary on the game and halftime show to others—but the structure of football itself is instructive.
Football is all about rules and teamwork. No matter how great a quarterback is, if the team doesn’t function together, they will not win. In fact, the most important people for the quarterback may be the linemen—the ones who don’t get the glory, but who protect him from getting crushed. If they fail, the quarterback gets sacked every time.
That’s the lesson: success is never individual alone. The Torah understands this deeply. Society is a team. Everyone has a role. Some bless the people, some lead, some teach, some support. Even someone who is extraordinarily successful may not separate themselves from the community. In fact, separating oneself from the community is considered one of the worst things a person can do.
The Torah also insists on structure. We don’t each decide halacha for ourselves. We have leadership, courts, and authority. A society cannot function without rules and without people willing to follow them.
And here’s the key point: before the Torah moves on to the Mishkan, to sacred spaces, offerings, and ritual holiness, it says—first get society right. Care for one another. Act justly. Be responsible for each other.
One of the greatest compliments I ever heard about someone was said about a grandfather who, upon hearing there was an earthquake in Japan, immediately asked, “Were any Jews hurt?” His instinct was communal concern.
That’s Mishpatim. We are part of something larger than ourselves. We are a team. Not everyone is the quarterback—and that’s okay. You can be the lineman protecting others. You can be on defense, making sure harm doesn’t spread. But everyone matters.
That’s the message of this week’s parashah—and a lesson worth remembering long after the Super Bowl is over.
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