By Rabbi Yisroel Shusterman
This
week’s Parsha Perspective is dedicated in memory of Elka bas Zisel OBM
Dedicated
in memory of Leah bas Rochel OBM
Dear
friend,
We
are currently in the Hebrew month of Elul, just a few weeks away from Rosh
Hashanah and the High Holidays – a time of reflection, introspection and taking
on new resolutions with which to enhance our lives, spiritually and
meaningfully.
Cheder
Chabad of Monsey hopes that these weekly Torah thoughts will help inspire to
achieve those goals. All the students, staff and administration of Cheder
Chabad of Monsey wish you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
May this year be the year of the full and complete redemption with the coming
of our righteous Moshiach - NOW!
This
week’s Torah portion, Shoftim (Devorim [Deuteronomy] 16:18-21:9), is
always read on the first Shabbat of the month of Elul. As
nothing is accidental, this Torah portion must contain important
lessons for us to implement during this auspicious month.
Shoftim means “judges.” The Torah commands us to
appoint a hierarchy of righteous judges in every city and province. On a
literal level, this commandment refers to judges who adjudicate civil, criminal
and religious issues. On a deeper level, however, this commandment, as well as
its details, has great meaning for every one of us in our personal lives. Let
us examine one of this law’s details:
“You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show
favoritism, and you shall not take a bribe.” (Devorim [Deuteronomy] 16:19)
A person is “bribed” by a sense of self-love, and is
incapable of rendering a completely fair self-evaluation. Once the Torah
prohibits the perversion of justice, is it necessary to ban bribery? Can there
be a greater miscarriage of justice than bribery?
Rashi, the preeminent 11th century Bible
commentator, explains that the Torah forbids bribery even in an instance where
the giver stipulates that the money is being given on condition that the judge
issues a fair verdict! For as soon as the judge is thus “bribed,” he will be
biased in favor of that particular party, and will be unable to issue an
objective ruling.
As the verse continues: “for bribery blinds the eyes of the
wise.” As soon as a kinship exists between a judge and one of the litigants,
that judge is unfit to preside over that case.
During the month of Elul, every person is expected to
judge his or her actions and accomplishments of the previous year. However,
every person is “bribed” by a sense of self-love, and is incapable of rendering
a completely fair evaluation. Therefore, every person must appoint a “judge,”
an impartial spiritual mentor who can issue an objective opinion.
Furthermore, the very knowledge that at the end of every
week or month one will have to discuss one’s spiritual accomplishments with
another is oftentimes enough to impel an individual onto the path of
improvement. As RabbiYochanan ben Zakkai said to his disciples, “If only
you would fear G‑d as much as you fear your fellow man.”
(Excerpts
from Chabad.org - by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg)
May you
have a meaningful and uplifting Shabbos!
If you would like to dedicate the weekly Parsha
Perspective in honor or memory of a person or occasion, please contact
Rabbi Shusterman at yshusterman@chedermonsey.org
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