We find at the very end of Parshas Mishpatim that the Torah goes back to the period of Matan Torah, and specifically to Moshe Rabbeinu bringing a Korban thereby being Kores Bris with HKBH. In 24:7, the Chumash teaches ‘Vayikach Sefer Habris, Vayikra B’oznei HaAm’ and the people say, ‘Na’aseh V’nishmah.’ Right after that in the next Pasuk, it says Moshe took the blood of the Korban, and he sprayed it on the people. The Pasuk describes the blood that Moshe Rabbeinu used in the Korban as something that he divided in half. ‘Chatzi HaDam VaYasam B’aganos, V’chatzi HaDam Zarak Al Hamizbei’ach,’ half of it he sprayed on the Mizbei’ach, and the other half he sprayed onto the people when they said Na’aseh V’nishmah.
Rashi says a Malach came and split the blood exactly fifty-fifty. Why exactly fifty-fifty? The Pachad Yitzchak explains in a letter (Iggeres 77) considers the word ‘Luchos.’ Regarding the Luchos HaBris, the word ‘Luchos’ appears for the most part Chosser. Meaning, it’s spelled lamed-vav-ches-saf, without a vav towards the end. There’s certainly a message in why ‘Luchos’ is spelled Chosser. In Ki Sisa 31:18, G-d gave to Moshe ‘Shnei Luchos HaEidus.’ Luchos is spelled Chosser, missing both vavs. What’s the Remez that it’s spelled Chosser? Rashi says it’s teaching that both Luchos were equal; one was not bigger than the other.
What’s the significance in both Luchos being identical? Says Rav Hutner, that’s the Krisas HaBris. The idea of being Kores Bris typically is, as Rashi says by the Bris Bein HaBesarim, when things were split fifty-fifty and the Baalei HaBris went in between. This was as if to say, ‘we’re fifty-fifty with each other; I’m loyal to you and you’re loyal to me.’ A Bris is a demonstration of the commitment and dedication of one side to the other. That’s the typical Bris.
Here, it was a different Bris; it was a bris of Torah. G-d, in giving the Luchos, demonstrated to Klal Yisrael that the Luchos are a Bris that Klal Yisrael needs to be Metzuyanim (exemplary) in both Bein Adam L’chaveiro and Bein Adam L’Makom. Each of the two Luchos – one representing Bein Adam L’Makom and one representing Bein Adam L’chaveiro – were ‘Shneihem Shavos,’ were precisely of equal significance.
This is also the Remez of the apportionment of the Dam. Half of the blood goes onto the Mizbei’ach, which is a Remez to Bein Adam L’Makom, and half goes onto the people, which is a Remez to Bein Adam L’chaveiro. These two aspects of the Bris of Torah signify that one without the other is inadequate. A person cannot say, ‘I will only focus on Bein Adam L’chaveiro, or only on Bein Adam L’Makom.’ The expectation of Torah, by definition, is to be completely equal between Bein Adam L’chaveiro and Bein Adam L’Makom.
As Rav Hutner writes, the pen that’s responsible for the Mishnah Berurah, which is an Avodah in Bein Adam L’Makom, is the same pen that’s responsible for the Sefer Chofetz Chaim, which is an Avodah in Bein Adam L’chaveiro. Each is equated one with the other. Anything less is not Torah.
Similarly, Rav Yisroel Reisman would quote Rav Pam who would often say in the name of the Kli Yakar that an animal must generally have two Simanei Taharah. If it possesses one Siman without the other, it would not be Kasher. So too, man has two Simanei Taharah, that of Bein Adam L’chaveiro and Bein Adam L’Makom. A person who possesses one Siman without the other is incomplete. The Torah requires that a person be Metzuyan in both.
Rav Hershel Schachter is fond of relaying the Meiri in his introduction to Shas where he quotes a Midrash that maintains that the first five of the Aseres HaDibros, which are Mitzvos Bein Adam L’Makom, were written on the First Luach and the second five, which are Mitzvos Bein Adam L’chaveiro, were written on the second Luach. The Meiri teaches there’s a direct parallel between the first set of five and the second set of five. Specifically, the sixth of the Aseres HaDibros is related to the first; the seventh to the second, etc. Each side is not only equal but is inherently aligned with the other.
This is the message of Parshas Mishpatim, which is almost entirely comprised of Halachos that are Bein Adam L’chaveiro. As a matter of fact, the number of Mitzvos Asei Bein Adam L’chaveiro contained in Mishpatim is B’gematria equal to the word ‘V’eileh’ of ‘V’eileh HaMishpatim.’ That’s Meramez to the fact that the Ikkur of the connection to Sinai is the awareness that Mitzvos Bein Adam L’chaveiro are as essential as Mitzvos Bein Adam L’Makom. Kach Hi Divrei Toraseinu HaKedosha. For this reason, the blood was apportioned exactly fifty-fifty. A Yesod Gadol in Avodas Hashem.