Shoftim Weekly Portion, Our body vs. our money שופטים , Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, 5786 לקו״ש חי״ט ב׳

Who owns your body—and why does Torah law treat your body differently from your money? In “Shoftim: Our Body vs. Our Money” (שופטים), Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz explores a sharp question hidden inside Jewish law. A person’s own admission can carry great force in a money case. Yet that same admission alone cannot let a court punish the person’s body. Why should the law trust your words about your money but not use those words against your life or body? The answer reaches far beyond a court. It changes how you see health, wealth, freedom, duty, and every choice you make. Drawing from the deep teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, in Likutei Sichos, Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz shows that money and the body do not stand on the same level. Your money may come under your control. Your body and life remain a sacred trust from G-d. This key idea also sheds light on why Jewish blessings relate in a special way to what the body enjoys. Rabbi Steinmetz makes this hard Torah study clear, direct, and useful. Beginners will gain a strong introduction to Torah and Jewish learning. More skilled learners will find a rich path into halacha, Chassidus, ownership, human worth, and