In this week's parasha , Mishpatim , the Torah teaches us how careful we must be not to cause harm to another person or his property. Right after Matan Torah , the first mitzvot that Bnei Yisrael were taught were the civil laws governing interpersonal relationships. We must take to heart that the same Hashem who commanded us to observe Shabbat , Kashrut , and Taharot HaMishpacha also commanded us to compensate others if we cause them damage. The same kedusha that we receive by fulfilling mitzvot between us and Hashem is present when we fulfill mitzvot ben adam l'chavero . Just as a person understands that he cannot possibly know the halachot of Shabbat without learning them, he must also understand that he cannot possibly know the halachot of monetary law without studying them or consulting a rav . Those who are truly yirei shamayim are extremely careful when it comes to monetary halachot . Just as they would not take a chance with consuming something that is not kosher , they are equally meticulous about not violating laws related to theft or withholding payments owed to others. Rabbi Shlomo Levenstein told the following story: A young rabbi in Bet Shemesh had been learning in kollel for years but was not satisfied with the upcoming sugyot they were scheduled to study. He began searching for a kollel that was learning the topics he was most passionate about, but after months of searching, he was unable to find what he was looking for. Meanwhile, his household expenses continued to mount, and he had no source of income to cover them. One day, his wife went to the grocery store. After checking out, she met someone she knew outside and began talking. In the middle of their conversation, her shopping wagon slipped away unnoticed. Suddenly, someone shouted, alerting her that the wagon was rolling straight toward the street. She ran to catch up with it, managing to grab it just before it entered the road. However, on its way, the wagon had hit a parked car, leaving a scratch. She returned home and told her husband what had happened. He immediately jumped out of his chair and exclaimed, "Oh no! We damaged someone's property and didn't pay for it. We owe him money! We must find him at once." Without hesitation, they hurried out of the house and ran back to the grocery store. When they arrived, the woman pointed out the car that had been scratched, and they saw that the driver was just pulling out of the parking spot. The young rabbi motioned for the driver to stop so he could speak with him. He explained that his wife had accidentally scratched the car with her shopping wagon. The driver responded that he had seen the scratch and was very upset that someone had damaged his brand-new car without leaving a note. He said, "If the car had been old, it wouldn't have bothered me so much. But I just got this car two days ago. It really upset me." The young rabbi apologized profusely, gave the driver his phone number, and told him, "No matter what it costs, we will pay the full price." As the rabbi and his wife walked home, he began to wonder how he would possibly pay for the damages. It was never a question of whether he would pay—only a question of how . A minute later, as they continued walking, he bumped into a friend who asked how he was doing. He mentioned that he had been searching for a new kollel but had not been able to find the right one. The friend responded, "I actually just opened a kollel that is learning exactly what you're looking for. We have nine avreichim and one spot left." Not only that, but the stipend they were paying was significantly higher than what he had been receiving in his previous kollel . The rabbi immediately told his friend, "I would love to join." Afterward, he reflected on what had happened. "Paying for damages when you don't have the money is difficult. But when Hashem saw that I was willing to do the right thing, He gave me the greatest gift—the kollel I had been searching for—as well as the ability to pay for the damages." Every mitzva is precious. Just because monetary laws involve other people and seem like mundane matters does not mean they have any less kedusha than mitzvot between us and Hashem. Hashem wants us to be complete in all mitzvot . And those that involve parting with money—especially when it is difficult—are even greater in His eyes. Shabbat Shalom.