This week's parasha highlights:
- Appoint leaders who are just (no bribes, no partiality)
- Court cases and the laws for death penalty (2 witnesses have to give testimony), homicide, civil law, or assault (too complex, can move up to a higher court)
- Don't practice idolatry. (don't set it up)
- Choose a king who is humble. (choose monarchy as government and the king has requirements)
- Levites are not given land, but instead compensated with gifts (good parts of offerings, first fruits, first shearing of sheep)
- Beware of false prophets
- Innocent blood will not be shed (need to establish refuge cities for those accused of causing accidental death of another -- that way the realtives of the deceased do not try to kill them)
- No stealing property (don't move landmarks)
- Who is to go into battle (exempt: those who built a new home but didn't dedicate it yet, planted a vineyard but haven't harvested it yet, engaged but not married, anxious/afraid)
- Laws of capturing a town (first approach in peace, if not peaceful response then take it and everything -- EXCEPT the trees)
- Laws regarding a dead body. (sacrifice offered for the deceased so that they are absolved of guilt for the murder)
(יח) שֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק׃ (יט) לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם׃
(18) You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. (19) You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just.
"Magistrates and officials"
- שפטים - magistrates/judges --> judges with logic (careful deliberation and cogent appreciation of the entire circumstances)
- שטרים - officials/executive officers/administrators --> executes the judge's decision (no cognitive abilities, just acts)
"A crowd of men does not in itself form an army. Responsible and thoughtful leaders assign each person to his rightful position. Thus, a multitude of men is transformed into a disciplined army in which each man vies to carry out the order of his leader." (Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch)
As the Temple Board of Trustees, we are not following one leader, but a community. Each one of us has to engage with both the שפט and the שטר within us using both understanding and action to make things happen. We have to be thoughtful and responsible in order to accomplish goals and work together. We must work fairly, recognizing that we are speaking on behalf of the entire congregation, not just ourselves. This is our charge to remember our role, why we are here, how we were given this role, and who we are helping in our roles. Let us remember this today and every day that we hold this position.