Reeh 12:01 · unit 1

TT #14 · Parashas Reeh · First Aliyah · Passuk 12:01

The Complete Passuk

אֵ֣לֶּה הַחֻקִּ֗ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּשְׁמְר֜וּן לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֦י אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ לְךָ֣ לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ כָּל־הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם חַיִּ֖ים עַל־הָאֲדָמָֽה׃

These are the statutes and the ordinances that you shall observe to do in the land that Hashem, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess it, all the days that you live on the earth.

Chabad.org — 12:01

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei / Yoma 67b.

Sefaria — Yoma 67b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אֵלֶּה הַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים – תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן, הַחֻקִּים אֵלּוּ הַמִּדְרָשׁוֹת, וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֵלּוּ הַדִּינִים.

English: “These are the statutes and the ordinances” — The Sages taught: “The statutes” are the midrashic expositions; “the ordinances” are the civil laws.

On the daf / in context: The classic distinction associates chukim with matters whose reason is not obvious (or with the interpretive tradition) and mishpatim with rational civil jurisprudence.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei / Bavli) — defining the categories of chukim and mishpatim.

What Is Learned

“Chukim” refers to midrashic teachings; “mishpatim” refers to the civil laws.