"Mishpatim — Part VI — Na’aseh V’nishma: Covenant and Sacred Time"

6.5 — Application: Living a Life of Covenant

What it means to live by “Na’aseh v’nishma” today

At the close of the covenant ceremony in Parshas Mishpatim, the people proclaim:

שמות כ״ד:ז׳
“כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר ה׳ נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע.”
“All that Hashem has spoken, we will do and we will hear.”

This declaration is not only a historical moment at Sinai. It is the defining posture of covenantal life: action first, understanding through the life that follows. It transforms mitzvos from abstract duties into the language of a living relationship with Hashem.

To live by na’aseh v’nishma today is to see the mitzvos not as isolated obligations, but as the structure of a covenant—an ongoing bond that shapes time, behavior, and identity.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: from contract to covenant

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks distinguished between two kinds of human relationships: contracts and covenants.

A contract is built on mutual advantage. Each party agrees to terms that serve their interests. If the terms are no longer beneficial, the contract can be dissolved.

A covenant is different. It is built on loyalty, trust, and shared identity. It binds people together not only when it is easy, but especially when it is difficult.

Na’aseh v’nishma is the language of covenant. The people do not say, “We will hear and then decide.” They say, “We will do, and through doing we will come to understand.” Their commitment is not conditional on full comprehension. It is rooted in trust.

For Rabbi Sacks, this is what transforms duty into relationship. The mitzvos are no longer external commands. They become the shared language of a people living in partnership with Hashem.

Rav Avigdor Miller: covenant lived in daily action

Rav Avigdor Miller emphasized that covenantal life is not built on occasional inspiration. It is built on consistent, everyday obedience.

Many people imagine spirituality as dramatic experiences or lofty thoughts. But the Torah begins its covenantal life with the practical laws of Mishpatim: honesty in business, responsibility for damages, compassion for the weak, and discipline in speech.

For Rav Miller, this is the meaning of na’aseh v’nishma. The covenant is not proven in moments of ecstasy. It is proven in daily choices:

• How a person speaks.
• How he conducts business.
• How he treats family members and strangers.
• How he honors Shabbos and the rhythm of sacred time.

Each mitzvah becomes a small act of loyalty. Over time, these acts form a life of covenant.

Commitment creates meaning

Modern culture often reverses the order of na’aseh v’nishma. It teaches that one must first feel meaning, then act. If the meaning fades, the action stops.

The Torah teaches the opposite. Meaning grows out of commitment. A relationship deepens through loyalty. A practice becomes meaningful through repetition and devotion.

This principle applies to many areas of life:

• A marriage grows deeper through daily acts of care, not only romantic feeling.
• A community becomes meaningful through shared responsibilities.
• A mitzvah becomes alive through consistent observance.

Covenantal life is built the same way. Commitment comes first. Meaning unfolds over time.

Covenant as identity, not obligation alone

Na’aseh v’nishma teaches that mitzvos are not merely rules. They are expressions of identity. They answer the question: who are we?

Israel is the people of the covenant. Its life is shaped by:

• Sacred time (Shabbos and the festivals).
• Sacred speech (Torah and prayer).
• Sacred conduct (justice, compassion, and responsibility).

When a Jew keeps mitzvos, he is not only fulfilling duties. He is living out his identity as part of a covenantal people.

Application for Today — commitment as the path to meaning

To live a covenantal life today is to accept that meaning does not always appear first. It often emerges through faithful action.

A practical way to live na’aseh v’nishma includes:

• Committing to a daily mitzvah or practice, even when inspiration is low.
• Protecting Shabbos as a weekly renewal of the covenant.
• Building relationships—family, community, and faith—through consistent acts of loyalty.
• Viewing mitzvos not as burdens, but as the language of a living bond with Hashem.

Over time, these commitments reshape the heart. Duty becomes relationship. Obligation becomes identity. Action becomes understanding.

Na’aseh v’nishma is not only a declaration at Sinai. It is the pattern of a lifetime. Each act of obedience is another step into the covenant, and each step reveals deeper meaning along the way.

📖 Sources

• Full sources available on the Mitzvah Minute Parshas Mishpatim page under insights and commentaries.