בּ"ה
Parshas Shoftim
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‘Judges and officers you shall put for yourself in all your gates’ (Devarim 16:18)
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Various Gedolim explain: We, personally, must appoint “judges” at all of our “gates”. Meaning: We must judge what goes out from or comes into (depending) our mouth, nose, eyes, ears, etc.
As an example, before we say something, let us think how it may affect people. Perhaps it will hurt someone’s feelings! Prior to employing our senses, we must contemplate what Hashem would want us to do.
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‘Judges and officers you shall put for yourself (תתן לך)’ (Devarim 16:18)
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Asks HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l; here, with the appointment of authority, why is the word לך, for yourself, used?
Answers Reb Moshe, it is to teach that the judge and the officer that you will appoint will be a gift to you, that you will learn from them how to conduct yourself with righteousness and with justice, and overall, the way of the Service of Hashem. It, thus, turns out that it is a gift from you to yourself.
(Darash Moshe)
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‘Judges and officers you shall put for yourselves in all your gates that Hashem your G-d gives to you for your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgement.’ (Devarim 16:18)
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Says Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev zt”l: We are approaching the Day of Judgement, when Hashem will judge us all. How, though, can we find a way to awaken, as it were, the Divine Attribute of mercy on us? The answer is, when we, down here, conduct ourselves in a way of mercy and kindness; trying to judge others favorably and concentrating on their good points, then it opens up the gates, so to speak, of that attribute Above as well. And we, and all of Klal Yisroel, will have our good points focused on, and the Divine Attribute of kindness and mercy will be shone down upon all of us.
And this is what the verse means to tell us, says Reb Levi Yitzchok: ‘Judges and officers you shall put for yourselves in all your gates’ -- meaning, that we ourselves set up and prepare how our judgement will be, through the “gates” that we open up and awaken up Above. ‘And they shall judge the people with righteous judgement’ -- we must try to judge others favorably and find merits in all Jews, and then we will open up the gates of mercy in Heaven too, and through this, we will emerge innocent from judgement, because, as Chazal (see Sotah 1:7) say, in the way that a person measures others, he is measured.
(Kedushas Levi)
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‘And you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe will blind the eyes of the wise and distort righteous words.’ (Devarim 16:19)
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There are stories told about the terrible “blinding” effects that a bribe can have -- even one that is not known of! (See Maayanah Shel Torah, Sefer Devarim, on this verse, for one.)
But says the third Gerrer Rebbe, the Sfas Emes zt”l, as we know, the positive side of something is greater than the negative side (מידה טובה מרובה). So since one’s ability to see things objectively and truthfully becomes distorted from taking a bribe, all the more so will our eyes be opened to see deeply and truthfully into things if we throw aside all selfish purposes and the like, and pursue righteousness!
(Sfas Emes 5642)
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‘Righteousness, righteousness you shall pursue’ (Devarim 16:20)
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Says Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa zt”l: One must pursue righteousness with righteousness. Righteous things cannot be sought with the wrong means. Both what you are seeking and how you seek it need to be righteous.
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The fact that the Torah says ‘righteousness’ twice teaches us a valuable lesson: So many of us strive for righteousness. But what if, when we try, things get in the way, may Hashem help us? Or perhaps it feels very far away from us? What should we do?
The verse tells us: ‘Righteousness, righteousness’ -- righteousness and holiness may not come right away, but keep trying. Twice, thrice, and many more times. You will get there, with the aid of Hashem.
Parshas Shoftim falls out in the month of Elul: A person might, Chas v’Shalom think that since they have gone through so many Eluls and have tried to change, but have always gone back to their old habits -- how are they going to become better? Will now be any different?1
But we must take to heart the above message and keep trying. Because, as we are taught, if the Torah says it, you can do it.
(Tal U’Matar)
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1 See HaMeoros HaGedolim pages 153-154.
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‘And you shall not set up for yourself a pillar that Hashem your G-d hates.’ (Devarim 16:22)
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We need, says HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, to try to rise and grow in level in Torah and Mitzvos. At no point can one “decide” to stop trying to grow -- even if someone has already lived a long time and are a big Tzaddik until then.
This is the prohibition of a pillar, says Reb Moshe zt”l, which is made from one stone that stands still and does not move forward.
(Darash Moshe)
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‘So that his heart not be elevated (alt. haughty) over his brothers’(Devarim 17:20)
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This verse, even though it speaks of a Jewish king, says that his heart should not become haughty! The Ramban zt”l draws a penetrating comparison: If a king, for whom it is fitting and proper to have some elevation and showing of greatness, is warned to not become haughty, then all the more so should we not be haughty!
In fact, the Meforshim explain that even though a Jewish king was supposed to behave in a somewhat honored and authoritative manner, and in a way which would cause the people to have some fear of him, this was only on the outside. But on the inside -- in ‘his heart’ -- the king should still be humble, and not feel “way above” his fellow brethren.
(Quoted in Maayanah Shel Torah)
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Similarly, the Meforshim expound; why did the king need two Sifrei Torah (see v. 18-19)? Because Torah helps one to be humble. And since he was in such a high and honored position, he needed to subjugate his conduct under the yoke of Torah to even a greater degree.
(Yalkut Dovid)
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‘Hear (שמע), Yisroel, you are approaching today to war against your enemies’ (Devarim 20:3)
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The Seforim bring that the word שמע implies gathering together, and that we therefore learn from this verse, which speaks about when Klal Yisroel came to a battle, that one of the very first conditions to the Jews being victorious over their enemies in battle, is us coming together in unity.
(Brought in Maayanah Shel Torah)
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‘And the officers shall speak to the people, saying: “Who is the person who has built a new house, and has not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house. . . And who is the man who has planted a vineyard and has not redeemed it? Let him go and return to his house. . . And who is the man who has betrothed a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house. . . Who is the man who is fearful and tender-hearted? Let him go and return to his house. . .” ’ (Devarim 20:5-8)
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Rabbi Akiva understood the ‘fearful and tend-hearted’ person in the simple way: That he was not able to stand in battle and see a drawn sword. Rabbi Yose HaGlili, however, interpreted the category differently: That the Torah refers to a person who was fearful because they had committed some transgressions, and they were afraid that this would cause them to not have Divine protection in battle. Therefore, the Torah provided other reasons for people to return from the lines of battle, to cover up for these people who are indeed leaving because of their sins, so that if people saw them returning from battle, they would think that maybe they are returning because of one of the other reasons given. (Gemara Sotah 44a).
Let’s think about this, says HaRav Chaim Ephraim Zaitchik zt”l: Isn’t it possible that a great deal of people built a new house, betrothed a woman, or planted a vineyard, that year, and would fit into one of the categories of someone who would return from the lines of battle? And so wouldn’t this end up diminishing the man-power of the Jews, and perhaps putting the people in danger of losing the battle? For perhaps this one person, to spare them the embarrassment of others knowing that they sinned, is it really worth it to give other reasons why one would return home from battle, and thus decrease the amount of soldiers significantly, and possibly put the other Jews in battle in danger?!
But here the Torah teaches us, says Rav Zaitchik, how paramountly important it is, and how far we must go to not hurt or shame a fellow Jew -- even someone who has committed some transgressions. We have to be sensitive and caring towards everyone’s feelings, and be extremely careful not to, Chas v’Shalom, cause them hurt.
And as for the possible danger of war with less soldiers, this is no problem -- in fact, in this case, it even is beneficial! Because Klal Yisroel winning the battle isn’t contingent on man-power -- ‘for Hashem your G-d, He is the One Who goes with you. . . to save you’ (v. 4) -- it is from Hashem! We only come into danger if, Chas v’Shalom, we let go of what Hashem commanded us to do! And if we follow this correct path that the Torah prescribes, of protecting people from embarrassment, Hashem will surely protect us and aid us even more!
(Toras HaNefesh)
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‘And all the elders of that city, who are nearest to the corpse. . . shall say, “Our hands did not spill this blood”’ (Devarim 21:6-7)
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These verses refer to part of the case of Eglah Arufah. See 21:1-9 and commentary there.
Would we have thought, though, that the elders of the Beis Din (court) would be murderers, and have shed the blood in question?! Rather, what they are saying is: We did not see this person and let him leave without any food or escort. (Rashi zt”l from Sifri and Gemara Sotah).
But the Meforshim ask; if the elders of the Beis Din had seen this person and nevertheless let him leave without food or escort, they would be called murderers? The Alter of Kelm, HaRav Simcha Zissel Ziv zt”l, explains beautifully that if they would have seen the person and let him leave town without showing him any kind of hospitality, etc. then he would have been upset, and because of this, he wouldn’t have had the strength to fight off the killer. Whereas if they had given him food and escorted him, then he would have felt encouraged, and therefore, had the strength to fight someone off.
(Darkei Mussar)
HaRav Yaakov Neiman zt”l (Ibid.) explains a different possible explanation: What we do affects others -- even if they can’t see it or hear it! If the elders of the Beis Din of that town would have done kindness to that stranger, showing how important each person is, and also had the proper love for him, as we must for all Jews, then this would have had some effect on the killer, and he would have also a little bit of love for his fellows, and would not have come to murder this person.
We have to contemplate this: Our actions affect others, whether we know it or not. And sometimes, maybe if we were a little better ourselves, some of our fellow Jews would be a little better also. . .
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|~Maasim Tovim~| One time, when HaRav Yisroel Salanter zt”l was with his students, one of the important baalei batim (pl. of baal habayis; head of household) entered to ask him a question. Around the beginning of the conversation, Rav Yisroel sighed a very, very deep sigh, and those near him did not know the reason why.
Afterwards, Rav Yisroel explained: “At the moment that the respected baal habayis came before me, I saw and I was very embarrassed, for the sleeve of my garment at that time was torn. But afterwards, I raised a kal vachomer (a fortiori) in myself: If before flesh and blood [i.e. a human being], the shame covered my face because of a light tear in the sleeve of my garment, how great and bitter will be the shame in the World to Come, if all the tears and stains that are in the Soul are not fixed while there is still time!”
(HaMeoros HaGedolim)
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In his old age, HaRav Chaim Kapusi zt”l’s eyesight began to fail him until he became totally blind.
When this became known, some people began talking behind his back. They accused him of having taken bribes when he served as judge, for the Torah says that bribery blinds the eyes of the wise.
Rav Chaim saw that he must put an end to it all and he summoned the entire congregation to the shul. When he reached the end of his drosha, he addressed the insinuations against him, and beseeched Hashem that if they were true, “Let my bones dry up so that I fall down right before you. However, if I am innocent, let it be the Divine Will that my eyes be opened once more, so that I can again behold the sun. And may this entire congregation see that there is a Judge of Truth and of Justice!”
The moment Rav Chaim finished his words, a great miracle occurred: He was suddenly able to see again! Hashem had answered his prayers and proved to all that he was innocent of all charges against him.
The Chida {HaRav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai zt”l}, in his work Shem HaGedolim, testifies that he saw Rav Kapusi’s signature when he was blind and it was hardly legible; but he saw another one after the great miracle and it was firm and clear!
(Tales of Tzaddikim; Shemos)
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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!
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