When a dispute over property arises and the facts remain unclear, the Torah provides a striking instruction: "Then the master of the house shall draw near" (Exodus 22:7). But draw near to whom, exactly? The Mekhilta raises a bold possibility. Perhaps this means the homeowner must approach the Urim VeTumim, the sacred oracle embedded in the breastplate of the High Priest, to receive a divine verdict.
The rabbis reject this reading. The very next verse clarifies everything: "whom Elohim incriminate" (Exodus 22:8). The word Elohim here does not refer to God Himself. It refers to judges — human authorities appointed to adjudicate disputes. The homeowner must draw near to the court, not to the Temple.
This distinction matters enormously. In the ancient world, divine oracles settled all manner of conflicts. Kings consulted prophets before going to war. The Urim VeTumim itself was used to determine tribal land allotments and military strategy. Yet here, the Mekhilta insists that everyday property disputes belong in human hands. The Torah trusts earthly judges to weigh evidence, hear testimony, and render fair decisions without supernatural intervention.
The teaching reveals a core principle of Jewish jurisprudence. Sacred instruments exist for sacred purposes. But when two neighbors argue over a deposit or a lost object, the resolution comes through reasoned judgment, not mystical revelation. God established courts precisely so that human beings could govern their own affairs with justice.