So I've had the priviledge to dig into a few holy chasidic texts on this parsha of Mishpatim, and they all seem to start-off quoting the Zohar which explains that within the verse, "These are the laws which you shall put before them" is the secret of gilgulim (past lives, reincarnation and all that jazz).
The Baal Shem Tov tells of a man, recently convicted of a crime, who came to see him with a sincere complaint. "I know the that the trial was carried out in accordance with the law, and that the judges judged me according to the holy Torah, but Rebbe, I also know - I'm so, so innocent!" "I know," the Baal Shem Tov assured him, "but in a past life you committed this crime, and this is why you were brought into this world; to be punished for this crime, even though you in this life are innocent."
Sometimes I have bad days, and sometimes I have even worse ones. I usually find myself asking myself, my past, and Hashem "What's up! Why is this all happening?" Then, with Hashem's help, I remember "Who knows? Could be gilgulim, could be yesterday's chet (mistake), could be my stomach's revenge for all that fruit on Tu Bishvat. Y'never know. Then the thought usually flashes "So how does that help me now?" It helps, a lot. It helps me realize that Hashem is in control of my day, my past, and my future. What's left for me is only, and I have to repeat to myself 'only' , how I react. "So why not be happy! "
Usually this crazy thought, popping into my head at the start of a long bad day, is enough to bring a smile to my face. What are you talking about "be happy"? Is it possible to just do that? Just to decide, after I missed the bus, stepped in a deep puddle, dropped my books twice (in the holy snow) and missed my appointment, to be happy? Experience has told me - yes. It's as simple as that. With a flick of the brain it's possible to focus on how amazing life is. Name your pleasure - the ability to breathe . . ahhhh . . to walk, to skip (wheee), the wonderful friends we have, the clothes we have, how I'm going to treat myself to a delicious dinner for avoiding such a horrible day. Suddenly, not only did I "choose" my way out of a bad day, but with Hashem's help, I was happy. Crazy concept.
I bless us all from the deepest depths of my heart, that no matter what happens to us, from any of our gilgulim or mistakes, we can find some way to opt out of a bad day, and instead, choose joy.