Parsha Mishpatim (Sh'mot (Exodus) 21:1-24:8)

Parsha Mishpatim (Sh'mot (Exodus) 21:1-24:8)

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Weekly Stick of Joseph Torah Study (2/6/21)
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Torah Parsha Mishpatim Ex. 21:1-24:8
Haftorah: Jer. 34:8-22; 33:25-26
Stick of Joseph: Moshiyah 3:1-4:1 (LDS 5:1-6:2)

 In this weeks reading I will concentrate on Sh'mot (Ex.) 21:12-14 which  sheds some light on one of the controversial accounts in the Stick of Joseph. Sh'mot 21:12-14 reads:

[12] He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
[13] And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
[14] But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
(Exodus 21:12-14 KJV)

 Now one of the most controversial accounts in the Stick of Joseph records how Nefi killed Lavan.  According to the account, Nefi encounters a drunk Lavan by chance in the nighttime streets  of Jerusalem and kills him (1Ne 1:16-18 (LDS. 4:5-19)).  Many are shocked by this account and accuse Nefi of murder.  However according to our Torah Parsha, this was not a case of  Murder.  Nefi's account makes it clear that this killing fit the circumstances described by Sh'mot 21:12-14 perfectly.  To fit this mitvah a killing must:
 

1. Not be done by design
2.  Come about by an act of Elohim
 

Nefi makes it clear that his slaying of Lavan was not by design, he says:"And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." (1Ne.1:16 (LDS 4:6))

 He also makes it clear that the slaying was "an act of God" saying:
  

And it came to pass, that the Spirit said onto me again:Slay him for YHWH has delivered him into your hands; Behold YHWH slays to bring forth his righteous purposes... And again, I knew that YHWH had delivered Lavan into my hands for this cause...
 (1Ne. 1:17  (LDS 4:12-13a, 17))

 It is very interesting that the the mitvah in the Torah goes on to say,  "I will assign you a place to which he can flee."  This generally refered to a city of refuge.  These cities were designated safe havens where these people would be safe from those who would pursue them for  revenge.  However in Nefi's case Elohim had another idea for a place that He would designate for Nefi to flee as expressed as Nefi's count continues/

 There is a clear connection between this mitzvah from this weeks Torah reading and the Stick of Joseph accoun in which Nefi kills Lavan.  According to the Torah. Nefi's killing of Lavan was not murder, it was not by design, but an act of Elohim, and Elohim fulfilled his promise in the Torah to provide Nefi with a place to flee.