The first two words in our Parasha, judges and police officers (“שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים”) allude to the simplicity of our earthly legal system and its basic implementation. The word “Shoftim” has another word in it, the word “Peshat” (“פשט” – simple), alluding to basic judgments and assumption of crime and punishment. The “Shotrim” (“שֹׁטְרִים” – police officers), are the ones who must enforce the law and the execution of each judgment. Within the word “Shotrim” we find the “Shetar” (“שטר” – certificate), meaning that each judgment must be written and recorded. This system of judges and police officers must be placed at every city in the land of Israel, the land given to us by HaShem.
The Torah writes that we must place such judges and police officers in “our gates” to maintain Torah law and order. Our sages say that it comes to teach us that, as individuals, we must place guards within us. We must restrain and protect our eyes, mouth and our nose as they are the “gates” to our souls. Our judges and police officers are as follows:
- “שֹׁפְטִים”, judges – they make and follow the laws along with Halachot as they are compared to our eyes as we look and unfortunately judge people without truly knowing them.
- “שֹׁטְרִים”, police officers – they enforce the laws, as they are compared to our mouth as we say things, unfortunately speak ill of people and make Lashon Hara, leading to a great sin.
We must control our “gates”, all our body parts, as they are the gates to righteous life and the life HaShem wants us to live by. Just as the judges and police officers are ordered by HaShem to seek out the true justice, so too we must do the same. We truly have five gates as they represent our five senses. The word “Chamisha” (“חמישה“) also alludes to the five senses and their organs: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. We must use each one of them to worship HaShem properly and perform the Mitzvot with each of these organs. We should guard each and every “gate” of our bodies, from all non-holy and un-kosher items. There are seven gates, 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 nostrils and 1 mouth. The Chida (Rabbi Haim David Azulai) said that the “gates” are the two gates of Torah (written) and Mishan (oral). We learn this from HaShem’s commandment to learn and teach the Torah, as we say in our daily prayers “Vedibarta Bam” (“ודברת בם”), meaning you shall learn and teach them. The word “Bam” (“בם”) is actually the acronym to the first two words of both the written Torah, “Beresheet” (“בראשית”) and the oral Torah “Me’Ematai” (“מאמתי”).
In the first verse there is a hidden prophecy within the word “תִּתֶּן – Teten” (you shall give) which is 850 in numerical value. This is the same number of years Bnei-Yisrael will be in the land of Israel based on the condition of keeping the laws while placing judges and police officers to enforce it. The prophet Yeshyahu (1:23) warned Bnei-Yisrael of an exile, specifically with the sins of bribery among the leadership of Bnei-Yisrael.
HaShem ordered Bnei-Yisrael to place such judges and police officers who truly pursue justice and never dstort justice. Yitro (Parashat Yitro 18:21) advised Moshe to choose such people as he says “You shall seek out from among the people Anshie Chail (“אנשי-חיל”). The word “Chail” (“חיל” – valor) meant to tach us that such people can never be “bought” and never “sway” an outcome based on favoritism, rather they only seek true justice. The numerical value of the word “Chail” is 48 same as the word “Moach” (“מח” – brain), to teach us that a true righteous men possess the 48 attributes of qualities to fulfill the laws of the Torah.
The crown of Torah is greater than the crown of Kehunah and the crown of kingship, for kingship is acquired with 30 qualities, Kehunah is acquired with 24, but the crown of Torah is acquired in 48 ways/gates“. The Mishnah lists the 48 skills or qualities needed to “acquire” the Torah.
King Salomon wrote (Mishley 3:17) “Deracheieha Darchei Noam…” (דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי-נֹעַם; וְכָל-נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם), “its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace”, speaking of how pleasant and sensitive is our Holy Torah. HaShem teaches Bnei-Yisrael that his ways and the ways of the Torah are peaceful, meaning that if we toil with Torah our lives will be peaceful. HaShem prefers us to try peaceful methods first before chosing war. We learn that from Moshe, who offered peaceful conditions to the nation of Iyov before entering the land of Israel. Our Sages says that when one busies himself with Torah studies, HaShem removes bad things from happening to him while studying in order not to bother him and lose time studying Torah.
HaShem provides us with Chesed and Peace daily, and even the world was created in peace. We know that HaShem created the world with water and fire; he ordered both elements to comply with peace and tolerate each other, even though these two elements are conflicting and could cancel each other. We learn that from the verse we say daily in our prayers: “Ose Shalom Bimeromav, Hu Ya’ase Shalom Alienu Ve’Al Kol Israel” (עושה שלום במרומיו, הוא ברחמיו יעשה שלום על כל ישראל); HaShem who makes peace in the heavens grant peace for all of us and for all of Israel. We know that in our prayers we say “and bringing peace among each other” (“וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ”) is one of the principals of HaShem.
HaShem makes peace available to the one who deserves it, as he called Bnei-Yisrael Shalom (peace), “Vayikrah Lo Shalom” (“ויקרא-לו יהוה שלום”). The midrash says that when we study Torah we heal our bodies as the verse says “Lechol Besari Marpea” (“לכל בשרי מרפא”), my body shell heal, as the Torah called “Temima” innocence to her students. The Torah provides the ultimate protection and profound state of purity; integrity, morality, and decency.
The Torah writes “Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof” (“צדק צדק תרדוף”) “Justice, Justice you shall purse” to teach us that we must literally “chase” after the truth and the true justice. This term was written twice in the Torah (verse 17:20) to make sure our legal system clearly understood the power of justice and its outcome. Only if we keep such commandment of true justice, we shall merit the reward of our Holy Land, as the Torah writes: “צדק צדק, תרדוף–למען תחיה וירשת את-הארץ, אשר-יהוה אלוהיך נותן לך”. Our Sages add and say that “Tzedek, Tzedek” also means that we should first do a Mitzvah for its merit and then another for others.
It is very interesting to mention here that the word “Tzdek” in Gematria is 194 and it is written twice which equal 388, alluding to the word “Chapes” (“חפש” – seek out the truth) which has the same numerical value. We know that King Solomon was granted any wish by HaShem; he asked to be able to judge the people of Israel correctly. He too understood the huge implications of true justice and its outcome. Our Sages says that a Jewish person who chooses to practice law, should only deal with business and real-estate laws. All other types of laws can cause one to lose a portion in Olam Habah, in the next world. When a lawyer tries to protect his client, he may cause another person to wrongly be found guilty. Only HaShem can judge people and not any other human can take on such a role. The only exception is having the Sanhedrin as they were the only entity to understand the laws of the Torah completely. The word “צדק” “Tzdek” comes from the term being right and correct, by searching for the truth we make things right.
Moshe taught Bnei-Yisrael the rules with regards to appointing judges:
- In a city of 120 citizens there must be three “שֹׁפְטִים”, judges (Lesser Sanhedrin בית דין הקטן) to judge the people with all cases accept for cases of murder and capital punishment.
- In a city of 120 citizens there must be twenty-three “שֹׁפְטִים”, judges as a Sanhedrin (Great Sanhedrin (בית דין הגדול) to judge the people with cases of murder and capital punishment.
In the Beit-HaMikdash they were three groups of judges and police officers to judge and enforce the laws in Jerusalem.
- Twenty-three “שֹׁפְטִים”, judges – were placed at the entrance.
- Twenty-three “שֹׁפְטִים”, judges – were placed at the “Azarah” the court-yard.
- Seventy-one “שֹׁפְטִים”, judges – as the high Sanhedrin were placed at the Mikdash (temple) who included the president of the Sanhedrin.
The entire court system was designed by HaShem in order to provide Bnei-Yisrael with the highest quality of morals and justice to live and be protected by. By utilizing HaShem’s laws and Torah we can achieve the highest standards and Divine justice both in this world and the next. Moshe taught Bnei-Yisrael about the harmful and despicable crime of bribery. Bribery is an act of giving money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by law as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in charge of a public or legal duty. The Torah says that such act will “blind” law officials, even the most righteous people; “blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous”.
As the Torah states that a bribe blinds (“yeaver” – “יעוור”), the eyes of the wise”; the word “blind” is “Iver” (“עור” ), as it has the word skin (“Orr” – “עור”) in it. This comes to teach us that when one accept or give bribes they “change their skin” and become different in HaShem’s eyes. When Adam and Eve sinned HaShem changed the appearance of their skin, as originally they were one combined light and skin who illuminated the world. After their sin HaShem separated the light from the skin and diminished both their physical and spiritual appearances and capabilities. They had no need for wearing clothes or covering their bodies, but as a result of the sin they had to cover themselves and their shame. Their divine skin changed from light to “snake” like skin that constantly changes dies and renewed.