Have you ever considered the human body a vessel on loan, and the angelic realm doesn't get this privilege?
This week in Mishpatim, we examine the laws of the guardian who agrees to watch another's possessions. Torah addresses four levels of liability based upon benefit or disadvantage to the owner and guardian.
There is a fascinating comparison between the borrower and lender relationship and our soul-to-body relationship. Our heavenly Potter has fashioned a clay vessel for our temporary use and granted it as a loan in the form of a physical body.
The law states that the borrower, in this case, the soul, has specific responsibilities for "the loan" according to the benefits he receives from the said loan, in this case, our beautiful clay vessels.
One way to think of the law in Mishpatim concerning the borrower and lender is to recognize our great responsibility while enhabiting our bodies.
The soul has borrowed a physical body and experiences life in ways nothing else can.
With this loan comes the responsibility to properly maintain this vessel on earth. We might think of this arrangement as an agreement to fulfill our spiritual mission and make the most of the loan by striving to reach our full human potential.
Terms of service (using contract language here) might include:
Being conscious of our actions
Properly caring for and nurturing our bodies
Striving to improve ourselves and our world
By taking this approach, we unlock the potential of this life and our eternal soul.
On this beautiful day, how do the laws regarding ownership and borrower shape your view of life in the body?
