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Shoftim / שפטים
Shoftim / שפטים
Do not take
bribes for it blinds
the eyes of the
wise. In Mishpotim,
the term, “it blinds
the intelligent
ones” is used. The
Vilna Gaon explains
that since these
verses refer to a
judge, and a judge
must be well versed,
not only in Torah
but also in worldly
knowledge, the
possuk is telling us
the following:
Taking a bribe not
only dulls one’s
understanding of
Torah, but also
harms his
understanding in all
areas of study.
The possuk refers to
a mitzva of
appointing a king.
Yet, when the people
requested a king,
Shmuel HaNavi
rebuked them. Why
were they out of
line for requesting
that which the Torah
expected of them?
The m’forshim
explain that the
answer can be found
in the change of
language. The Torah
views it as placing
upon you a king,
i.e. he is in
control. They,
however, used the
expression “place
for us”, i.e. we
will be the ones to
decide policy.
The possuk instructs
us to listen to the
decision of the Bais
Din HaGadol, the
Sanhedrin, even if
it seems to say left
is right and right
is left. The one who
argues and decides
on his own is called
a “zakain mamre”.
The Chasom Sofer
offers an insight to
this expression
“right is left,
etc.”. Even in a
situation where the
court itself cannot
reach a clear
decision and
therefore concludes
that regarding a
Torah law one must
be stringent, we
still must adhere to
their ruling. This
includes times when,
in contradictory
cases they will
choose to be
stringent in both
cases. Although it
is “left is right
and right is left”,
we are not to follow
our own
understanding,
however clear it may
seem to us.
The parsha instructs
the king what to do
and what not to do.
He is to write a
Sefer Torah and
always have it with
him “to learn to
fear HaShem.” Now,
we are certainly
talking also of a
king of the caliber
of Dovid HaMelech or
someone who was a
G-d fearing person
when he assumed the
position of king.
The Torah is telling
us that in every new
position or
situation that one
finds him or
herself, there is a
new learning process
to ensure that he or
she will continue to
fear HaShem under
all circumstances.
The Medrash Robah at
the end of Yisro
describes the scene
at HarSinai and
again with Eliyohu
on Har Carmel. There
was a complete and
absolute state of
silence and
solitude. The total
and complete focus
was on the voice and
existence of the
Creator of all men.
The medrash ends
with the words of
the Navi in this
week’s Haftora, that
in the future
redemption “Anochi”,
Anochi Anachemchem”-
HaShem says, “I
alone will comfort
you.” The sefer
Shaarie Ora explains
the connection. The
only true state of
redemption is when
the entire world
stands silent and
only HaShem is heard
nothing is
attributed to any
other source of
strength. This is
the promise of “I, I
alone will comfort
you”.
When the possuk
describes the many
jobs that a Cohen
has, it lists four.
1) To serve in the
Bais Hamikdosh 2) to
bless the Bnei
Yisroel 3) to judge
them 4) to clarify
the “negaim”, the
laws of tzoraas. R’
Moshe ‘z’l, with
keen insight, finds
in this the perfect
description of a
Jewish leader. He
must first and
foremost, fear G-d -
serve Him. He must
love his fellow Jew
– bless them. In the
same time he must
perceive their
faults and reprimand
them – judgment, and
the act of seeing
the “blemish”. Many
find fault with the
leader who presents
the problems to be
solved by the
people. However,
this is the true
leader and one who
loves his fellow
Jew.
In Parshas Shoftim,
there are two
paragraphs that deal
with laws involving
war. 1) The
obligation to call
for peace before we
engage in any war 2)
the prohibition to
destroy a
fruit-bearing tree
even in the process
of siege. The Parsha
ends with the law of
“egla arufa”, the
law governing the
finding of a corpse,
not necessarily in
wartime. Since the
next Parsha further
discusses a law of
war, “yifas tohar”,
it presents a
problem - why did
the Torah interrupt
with this story of a
tragic death not in
wartime? A great Rav
in Europe once
commented how murder
was never a Jewish
failing. And yet, at
that time, after the
Russo-Japanese War,
there were many
cases of such in the
Jewish world. He
questioned the
reason for this. He
answered that just
as there are
contagious diseases
and epidemics so
there are contagious
spiritual diseases.
War cheapens human
life and brings on a
rash of murder. For
this reason, the
Torah interrupts the
laws of war to
explain the
preciousness of
human life depicted
by the great
commotion induced by
the “egla arufa”. He
continued with the
question of if there
have always been
wars, why only now
have the Jewish
youth been affected
by it? He answered.
Every sickness has a
serum, a medicine to
relieve it. The only
cure for curbing bad
traits and character
is the Torah. Until
recently, he said,
the Jewish youth was
inoculated with
Torah and unaffected
by the ways of war.
Now, he sighed,
things have changed.
(Bais Yitchok)
You will clear the
innocent blood from
you, if you will act
properly. The possuk
is only expressed
during the
processing of the
“egla arufa”, when
we really don’t know
who the murderer is.
If so, what is the
meaning of this
statement? R’ Chaim,
Shlita, answers. The
Targum hints to, and
the Shalah
specifically writes,
that if the
generation is
deserving, then
worms would exude
from the dead
carcass of the calf
and run a line to
the house of the
real murderer. (The
last letters of this
phrase form the word
“Rima”, worms) This
then is the hope of
the statement; you
will act properly
and clear the air of
the spilt blood of
the innocent man.
Previous Parshos
Tazria
Metzora
Achrei Mos
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukosai
Bamidbar
Shavuos
Naso
Behalosicha
Shilach
Korach
Chukas-Balak
Pinchos
Matos-Masei
Devorim
Voeschonon Ekev
Reah
Shoftim
Ki Seitzei
Ki Savo
Nitzovim
- Vayelech Rosh
HaShana Haazinu-Yom
Kippur Sukkos V'zos
HaBrocha
Breishis
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