The First Step to Holiness: Respecting Others' Property

Living with awareness of Hashem begins with a simple but powerful truth: the world does not belong to us. As it says, “The earth is Hashem’s and everything in it” (Psalms 24:1). Even the very ground we walk on is not truly ours. Permission to live in this world was granted, as the verse says, “The earth He has given to the children of man” (Psalms 115:16). Yet this permission comes with conditions. Every action, every space, and every possession must be used according to Hashem’s will.

Understanding Hashem’s World

The laws of the Torah teach us that nothing is random and nothing is ownerless. There are places we are allowed to enter and places we are not. There are items we may use and items we may not touch. Taking what belongs to another person is not only a social wrongdoing. It is a spiritual one. When we misuse something that belongs to another, we are not only offending that person. We are taking from Hashem’s world without His permission.

Private property is therefore not an expression of selfishness. It is a Torah principle that recognizes that everything belongs to Hashem, and He assigned specific items to specific people. When I respect another person’s belongings, I am honoring Hashem’s ownership. When I am careless with another person’s property, I am failing to recognize that Hashem is watching and expecting responsibility from me.

This is why Parashat Mishpatim is so foundational. Its many laws about damages, responsibility, and fairness are not only legal teachings. They train us to live every moment with awareness of Hashem’s presence. True care with another’s property is only possible when a person truly feels that Hashem is watching.

The First Step to Spiritual Greatness

The Talmud teaches that one who wants to be a chassid should be careful in matters of damages. The path to spiritual greatness begins not with lofty ideas but with basic responsibility. A person who truly wants closeness to Hashem must begin by ensuring they do not harm others or their possessions.

A story illustrates this clearly. A young man once wanted so badly to enter the Beit Midrash to learn that when he found the door locked, he tried to climb through a window. In his effort, the window broke. Although his intention was spiritual, the damage was real. Fixing the window cost money, and he was responsible to pay. True righteousness means thinking before acting, even when the intention is good.

Another story speaks of a man delivering Passover food packages to the needy. He felt proud of his kindness and rushed from place to place, driving dangerously. The message is clear. Acts of kindness never justify endangering others. The first obligation of a Torah Jew is not to harm.

Living Torah Even in Final Moments

Great Torah figures lived this awareness constantly. Rabbi Zalmele of Volozhin, while on his deathbed, continued learning Torah without pause. When he wished to fulfill the teaching to stand and walk as well, he asked for a walking stick. But when one was offered, he refused to use it until permission was received from the owner. Even in his final moments, his awareness of another person’s property was absolute. His spiritual greatness never disconnected him from basic responsibility.

Daily Life Applications

These principles apply in everyday life. Leaving Passover dishes in a stairwell may seem harmless, but if someone could trip over them, it becomes a serious issue. Placing obstacles in shared spaces is compared by the Torah to creating a pit that can harm others.

Toys left on the floor are not just clutter. If a guest trips and is injured, responsibility lies with the homeowner. Saying “sorry” does not erase responsibility. The Torah demands real care, not just good intentions.

Parents are guardians of their children. Entrusting a child to someone untrustworthy is not a minor decision. Responsibility means evaluating risks seriously and not relying on assumptions.

Without Torah Study, People Misjudge Right and Wrong

Without Torah learning, people often believe they are honest while regularly failing in basic ethics. A taxi driver once proudly claimed his integrity while turning off his meter to steal from his employer. A passerby eating fruit from a market stand “just to taste” may not realize they are stealing. Without learning halacha, people unknowingly stumble in serious transgressions.

Even those who learn must ensure they apply what they study. Torah law teaches responsibility not only for guarding an animal but also for guarding ladders, windows, candles, slippery floors, noise, borrowed items, and public property. The details teach us to be constantly aware.

A man once studied deeply about the laws of theft, yet the Gemara he was using belonged to the synagogue. He never realized he himself was guilty of the very behavior he was learning about. Torah learning without practical application misses its purpose.

Living Before Hashem at All Times

Employers must pay workers on time. The Chafetz Chaim once rushed to borrow money to ensure a driver was paid immediately, not because of social pressure, but because he knew Hashem demands it.

There are even harms that cannot be repaired. Waking neighbors early with loud conversation cannot be undone. Taking someone’s rest cannot be returned. A person who truly lives with awareness of Hashem thinks about these details.

The Gemara teaches that even actions that cause discomfort to others, even unintentionally, are weighed seriously in judgment. Coughing too close, speaking with unpleasant breath, causing discomfort without meaning to, all reflect whether a person truly lives with awareness of Hashem.

There are righteous people who take practical steps to ensure they never cause discomfort, such as keeping mints with them to avoid troubling others. The first rung on the ladder of holiness is simple: do not harm.

Parashat Mishpatim and Living Before a King

This understanding explains why Parashat Mishpatim follows immediately after the giving of the Torah. The command “I am Hashem your God” is not fulfilled only through belief. It is fulfilled through action. Knowing Hashem means living with the awareness that every step is taken in His world, under His gaze.

At Sinai, the Jewish people already believed in Hashem. They had seen miracles and heard His voice. The purpose of the command was not belief alone but ongoing practice. How does one live with Hashem? Through the detailed laws of Parashat Mishpatim.

These laws benefit society, but their greatest purpose is spiritual. They train us to live every moment as if standing before a King. Every action becomes meaningful. Every choice becomes an expression of awareness.

Recognizing that the world belongs to Hashem transforms everyday life. Care with property, caution with speech, responsibility toward others, and attention to detail are not minor ethics. They are the foundation of serving Hashem. A person who lives this way does not only avoid wrongdoing. They walk through life with constant awareness of Hashem’s presence. This is true spiritual growth and the preparation for the world to come.