Finding ourselves still in the midst of receiving the Torah, it seems fairly out of place to reference the idiom reflected at the start of our Parsha that, “The devil is in the details”. It was reassuring to discover (ChatGPT-verified) that this is based on the original expression, “G-d is in the details” - coined by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe - a famous 20th-century architect. Apparently, the original term fell out of use due to concern for ‘taking G-d’s name in vain’ - one of the Ten Commandments from last week’s Parsha.
So, strangely enough, this is an amazing reflection of our Parsha’s opening idea: we have to take great care not to leave the grand visions of Sinai at the top of the mountain. Rather, we are called upon to find their resonance and reflection in the smallest details of our lives. Hashem is relevant in our grand visions and in our most detailed plans. He created the world and He continues to sustain the world. As David Hamelech beautifully expresses it in Tehillim, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”. Hashem is there with us - guiding us in the next step we take and in our vision of where these steps can ultimately take us.
Rashi reveals this powerful connection between the grand experience of Sinai and the minute details of the 53 ‘mundane’ mitzvot in Parshat Mishpatim. It’s all in the letter, “Vav”. The hook at the start of the Parsha is, “And these are the statutes”. Rashi reveals that, “...just as is the case with the former [ten] commandments - they were given at Sinai, so too these [multiple mundane mitzvot] were given at Sinai!
Holding on to this, ‘Vav’, is crucial to living a balanced religious life. Sometimes, we get too pulled into the details and forget the driving vision. At other times, we can get caught up in the grand vision and forget the many steps it takes to do real good and bring Hashem’s refined morality into our daily life. Which area comes more naturally to you and which one is more of a challenge?
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