Parshat Shoftim
This weeks portion describes the command to set up a proper judicial system to be able promote a just and righteous society. The most well known verse sums it up:
Justice, justice shall you pursue (16:20)
Since the dawn of civilisation man has struggled to create a society that is fair, where all are treated equally before the law and with dignity.
Man’s animal soul drives him towards selfish and even cruel and destructive behaviour, yet we are not just sophisticated animals destined to only think of ourselves. We have a Divine soul which is a purely spiritual component that enables us to transcend our selfish and parochial concerns.
But the Torah understands that our animal side has a strong “gravitational pull towards earth” and so it uses the double expression “Justice, Justice” and the strong verb “to pursue” which indicates that we must make a concerted effort to act fairly.
We may not even realise just how prone we are to veer from fair judgement of others. This story underlines this: –
A case once came before Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, the Rebbe of Apta (1755–1825), when he served as a rabbinical judge in the town of Kolbasov. While the case was underway, he suddenly felt inclined in favour of one of the litigants, though his initial leaning was against him. This sudden change roused his suspicion that something was amiss, and he ordered a halt to the proceedings. Upon investigation, he discovered that someone had slipped a packet of money into his coat.
Said the Rebbe of Apta: Although I was totally unaware of the attempt to bribe me, my judgement was affected. How true are the words of the Torah that “bribery blinds the eyes of the wise”!
Shoftim is read just before Rosh Hashana when we start thinking about the True Judge who scrutinises our every deed. God’s justice is perfect. We recite a whole series of verses underlining this – “The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice; a G‑d of faithfulness and without iniquity, righteous and just is He.”
We live in a world filled with negative judgement of others and it is so easy to get caught up in this pattern of thinking. As we approach Rosh Hashana we can reverse this and focus our critical judging eye back onto ourselves to find the areas in our lives that require improvement.
Wishing you a Ketiva Vachatima Tova – May you be inscribed and Sealed for good judgement in the new year.
Shabbat Shalom!
