Parshat Shoftem

Moses proceeds to review the regulations necessary for the appointment of judges. A judge was forbidden to show bias or accept a bribe. Justice was to be administered righteously and impartially. If a local judge were to find a case too difficult to decide, he should refer it to a higher authority such as the kohanim or the High Court sitting in the Sanctuary. Their decision would be final and binding. Refusal to abide by their decision incurs the death penalty.

The crime of idolatry, after a thorough inquiry, was punishable by death. The accused could not be convicted based on the testimony of only one witness. Judges needed to use great care when examining the witnesses in a case involving the death penalty. Moses noted that the time may come when the people may want a king to rule over them. When this time occurs, the appointed ruler was to be chosen form among the Israelite people and chosen by G-d. He was not to misuse his power and he was to write his own Torah scroll, so that he would be a G-d fearing ruler.

Moses then enumerates the gifts that the kohanim were to receive as their sustenance. If a kohen form another city would come to the Sanctuary, he would be allowed to officiate together with the kohanim already there and to share in the dues they received.

The Torah forbids all forms of superstition and magic practiced by soothsayers. Israel has no need for such tricks since G-d would provide inspired prophets from among the people. False prophets, who spoke in the name of idols, were to be punished by death.

The removal of a landmark to enlarge one’s property constitutes theft. Before anyone could be convicted of a crime, there must be two witnesses. If a witness was proven to have given false testimony, he was to receive the punishment intended for his victim. The Israelites should not show fear before any enemy they are about to engage in battle with; G-d would protect them. Three categories of men were exempt from military service; the man who had just built a new house but had not yet dedicated it, the man who just planted a vineyard, but had not yet enjoyed its fruit, and the man who had just become betrothed.

Before Israel attacked a city, the people should try to negotiate a peaceful entry in which case the inhabitants would become subservient. Only if the peace overtures failed, could a formal siege take place. If Israel were victorious, all men of the enemy were to be put to death, but their women and children were to be spared. Fruit trees were not to be destroyed during a siege so that they could benefit the new inhabitants of the conquered city.

If the body of a murder victim was found in a field, and the murderer could not be discovered, the responsibility for the murder rests with the nearest city. In an act of atonement, the elders of the city were to slaughter a young heifer in an uncultivated valley containing a stream. They were to wash their hands in the presence of kohanim, testify that they were not responsible for the murder, and pray for forgiveness.

A main phrase in our parsha this week is “Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof”, which means, “Justice, justice shall you pursue…” The complete verse states: Justice, justice shall you pursue, so that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your G-d gave to you…”
Once again we see a conditional statement. If we are to inherit the land and live in spiritual existence, then we must pursue justice. What does this mean? The Hebrew word “tirdof” is usually translated as “follow”, but it can also mean “pursue”. One who follows, does not necessarily do so with conscious intent. Sheep follow, but a predator pursues. The word “rodef” is typically used to mean “pursue”. The sages command us to be like Aaron with the phrase “ohev shalom v’rodef shalom”; a lover of peace and a pursuer of peace. If we interpret tirdof as pursue, then we must seek out justice with deliberate intent.

The word “tzedek” used in this context of the verse has the plain meaning (known as the “p’shat”) of “justice”. However, the word can also mean “righteous”. Thus, the survival (physical and spiritual) of the people rests with a sensitivity to pursue truth and justice in an honest, fair, and responsible manner. Rendering aid to the poor is as much an act of Tzedakah (righteousness) as denouncing bigotry or apprehending a criminal. In order for the Jewish people to be an “am kadosh”, a “Holy people”, then we must be vigilant against all forms of injustice.

What is the meaning of the double use of the word tzedek? On a simple level, the use is linguistic or stylistic. That is, one uses the double word for emphasis. Recall that in the Torah, Abraham was called by G-d using his name twice and so was Moses.

Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra, in his classical commentary on the Torah, writes that the double use of tzedek means that we should pursue justice even if it is not to our advantage or liking. Protecting the rights of the accused is a hallmark of our American Constitution. Its origins may lie in the words of the Torah many thousands of years earlier! The midrash of Rabbi Nechumya ben Hakanah interprets the repetition as an allusion to the Attribute of Justice acting in both this world (olam ha’zeh) and in the World to come (olam ha’bah).

Another interpretation is that the repetition reminds us that justice must be balanced (even handed). The word tzedek has a gematria of 194. The digit sum of this number is equal to fourteen, the same as the word “yad” or hand. Thus, repeating the word tzedek, gives us the two hands of even justice. The word “tirdof” has a gematria of 684 and a digit sum of eighteen. This is the same as the word “chai” which means “life”.

Thus, if we pursue justice in an even-handed manner, we merit life (as indicated in the second half of our verse). The number 684 can be broken up into the sum of 613 + 71. The number 613 alludes to all of the mitzvos in the Torah, while the number 71 alludes to the word “malleh” which means “full of”. Thus, by pursuing justice, we are fulfilling the taryag (613) mitzvos of the Torah!

The Torah may not be speaking literally about physical life, but spiritual life as well. What kind of society would it be, if everyone turned a deaf ear to the plight of the poor and needy. Can one truly be “alive” in such a society? The whole phrase “tzedek, tzedek, tirdof” has a gematria of 1072 which in turn, has a digit sum of ten. This number alludes to the Ten Commandments. Again, we fulfill the mitzvos of G-d when we pursue justice and righteousness with all of our might.

The two words “tzedek, tzedek” can also be thought of as acronyms for other words. For the first tzedek, the three letters (tzadi, dalet, kuf) could represent “tzedakah, daat, and kedushah” which mean “charity, knowledge, and holiness). For the second tzedek, the three letters could represent, “tzahal, dikah, and komaym” which means, “rejoicing in life, examine ones deeds, and rise up erect”. We see hear three sets of ideas. The first set (tzedakah, daat, and kedushah), involve actions that we, as Jews, can perform toward ourselves and one another. To know what G-d, through His Torah, wants from us, and how we are to act as Jews toward one another. The second set (tzahal, dikah, and komaym), alludes to aspects of ourselves as human beings. We should rejoice in life, examine our character traits, and stand erect, which means be counted and take responsibility.

The Kabbalists speak of three parts to a person; "The Body", "The Intellect", and "The Soul". The concept of three is important since it forms a closed set. A triangle containing three sides is one of the strongest shapes in nature. By aligning the three sides with ourselves, our fellow human beings, and G-d, we form a very stable structure as well. This is the basis of Torah and what we must all strive to maintain. The body refers to ourselves as a physical entity. The intellect refers to our relationship with others since we distinguish ourselves from the animals by using our intellect to think, reflect, and analyze our environment in relative to others. The Soul, or Neshamah, is the part that is still linked with G-d. It contains that spark of divinity that is in all of us. The Torah in Bereshis (Genesis) states that Man was formed “b’tzelem elokim”, in the image of G-d (as the Master of all Forces). If we want to pursue justice and righteousness, it is these concepts that we must keep in mind at all times!

	Oceanside Jewish Center Weekly Parsha By Jonathan Wolf
	Parshat Shoftem Moses proceeds to review the regulations necessary for the appointment of judges. A judge was forbidden to show bias or accept a bribe. Justice was to be administered righteously and impartially. If a local judge were to find a case too difficult to decide, he should refer it to a higher authority such as the kohanim or the High Court sitting in the Sanctuary. Their decision would be final and binding. Refusal to abide by their decision incurs the death penalty. The crime of idolatry, after a thorough inquiry, was punishable by death. The accused could not be convicted based on the testimony of only one witness. Judges needed to use great care when examining the witnesses in a case involving the death penalty. Moses noted that the time may come when the people may want a king to rule over them. When this time occurs, the appointed ruler was to be chosen form among the Israelite people and chosen by G-d. He was not to misuse his power and he was to write his own Torah scroll, so that he would be a G-d fearing ruler. Moses then enumerates the gifts that the kohanim were to receive as their sustenance. If a kohen form another city would come to the Sanctuary, he would be allowed to officiate together with the kohanim already there and to share in the dues they received. The Torah forbids all forms of superstition and magic practiced by soothsayers. Israel has no need for such tricks since G-d would provide inspired prophets from among the people. False prophets, who spoke in the name of idols, were to be punished by death. The removal of a landmark to enlarge one’s property constitutes theft. Before anyone could be convicted of a crime, there must be two witnesses. If a witness was proven to have given false testimony, he was to receive the punishment intended for his victim. The Israelites should not show fear before any enemy they are about to engage in battle with; G-d would protect them. Three categories of men were exempt from military service; the man who had just built a new house but had not yet dedicated it, the man who just planted a vineyard, but had not yet enjoyed its fruit, and the man who had just become betrothed. Before Israel attacked a city, the people should try to negotiate a peaceful entry in which case the inhabitants would become subservient. Only if the peace overtures failed, could a formal siege take place. If Israel were victorious, all men of the enemy were to be put to death, but their women and children were to be spared. Fruit trees were not to be destroyed during a siege so that they could benefit the new inhabitants of the conquered city. If the body of a murder victim was found in a field, and the murderer could not be discovered, the responsibility for the murder rests with the nearest city. In an act of atonement, the elders of the city were to slaughter a young heifer in an uncultivated valley containing a stream. They were to wash their hands in the presence of kohanim, testify that they were not responsible for the murder, and pray for forgiveness. A main phrase in our parsha this week is “Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof”, which means, “Justice, justice shall you pursue…” The complete verse states: Justice, justice shall you pursue, so that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your G-d gave to you…” Once again we see a conditional statement. If we are to inherit the land and live in spiritual existence, then we must pursue justice. What does this mean? The Hebrew word “tirdof” is usually translated as “follow”, but it can also mean “pursue”. One who follows, does not necessarily do so with conscious intent. Sheep follow, but a predator pursues. The word “rodef” is typically used to mean “pursue”. The sages command us to be like Aaron with the phrase “ohev shalom v’rodef shalom”; a lover of peace and a pursuer of peace. If we interpret tirdof as pursue, then we must seek out justice with deliberate intent. The word “tzedek” used in this context of the verse has the plain meaning (known as the “p’shat”) of “justice”. However, the word can also mean “righteous”. Thus, the survival (physical and spiritual) of the people rests with a sensitivity to pursue truth and justice in an honest, fair, and responsible manner. Rendering aid to the poor is as much an act of Tzedakah (righteousness) as denouncing bigotry or apprehending a criminal. In order for the Jewish people to be an “am kadosh”, a “Holy people”, then we must be vigilant against all forms of injustice. What is the meaning of the double use of the word tzedek? On a simple level, the use is linguistic or stylistic. That is, one uses the double word for emphasis. Recall that in the Torah, Abraham was called by G-d using his name twice and so was Moses. Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra, in his classical commentary on the Torah, writes that the double use of tzedek means that we should pursue justice even if it is not to our advantage or liking. Protecting the rights of the accused is a hallmark of our American Constitution. Its origins may lie in the words of the Torah many thousands of years earlier! The midrash of Rabbi Nechumya ben Hakanah interprets the repetition as an allusion to the Attribute of Justice acting in both this world (olam ha’zeh) and in the World to come (olam ha’bah). Another interpretation is that the repetition reminds us that justice must be balanced (even handed). The word tzedek has a gematria of 194. The digit sum of this number is equal to fourteen, the same as the word “yad” or hand. Thus, repeating the word tzedek, gives us the two hands of even justice. The word “tirdof” has a gematria of 684 and a digit sum of eighteen. This is the same as the word “chai” which means “life”. Thus, if we pursue justice in an even-handed manner, we merit life (as indicated in the second half of our verse). The number 684 can be broken up into the sum of 613 + 71. The number 613 alludes to all of the mitzvos in the Torah, while the number 71 alludes to the word “malleh” which means “full of”. Thus, by pursuing justice, we are fulfilling the taryag (613) mitzvos of the Torah! The Torah may not be speaking literally about physical life, but spiritual life as well. What kind of society would it be, if everyone turned a deaf ear to the plight of the poor and needy. Can one truly be “alive” in such a society? The whole phrase “tzedek, tzedek, tirdof” has a gematria of 1072 which in turn, has a digit sum of ten. This number alludes to the Ten Commandments. Again, we fulfill the mitzvos of G-d when we pursue justice and righteousness with all of our might. The two words “tzedek, tzedek” can also be thought of as acronyms for other words. For the first tzedek, the three letters (tzadi, dalet, kuf) could represent “tzedakah, daat, and kedushah” which mean “charity, knowledge, and holiness). For the second tzedek, the three letters could represent, “tzahal, dikah, and komaym” which means, “rejoicing in life, examine ones deeds, and rise up erect”. We see hear three sets of ideas. The first set (tzedakah, daat, and kedushah), involve actions that we, as Jews, can perform toward ourselves and one another. To know what G-d, through His Torah, wants from us, and how we are to act as Jews toward one another. The second set (tzahal, dikah, and komaym), alludes to aspects of ourselves as human beings. We should rejoice in life, examine our character traits, and stand erect, which means be counted and take responsibility. The Kabbalists speak of three parts to a person; "The Body", "The Intellect", and "The Soul". The concept of three is important since it forms a closed set. A triangle containing three sides is one of the strongest shapes in nature. By aligning the three sides with ourselves, our fellow human beings, and G-d, we form a very stable structure as well. This is the basis of Torah and what we must all strive to maintain. The body refers to ourselves as a physical entity. The intellect refers to our relationship with others since we distinguish ourselves from the animals by using our intellect to think, reflect, and analyze our environment in relative to others. The Soul, or Neshamah, is the part that is still linked with G-d. It contains that spark of divinity that is in all of us. The Torah in Bereshis (Genesis) states that Man was formed “b’tzelem elokim”, in the image of G-d (as the Master of all Forces). If we want to pursue justice and righteousness, it is these concepts that we must keep in mind at all times!