Parashat Shoftim: Deut 16:18-20 Plaut p. 1294
Source Sheet by Yair Robinson
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(18) You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that your God יהוה 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.(20) Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that your God יהוה is giving you. |
(יח) שֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכׇל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יהוה 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׃(כ) צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ {ס} |
Two young children from the village of Chelm wander into the dense forest surrounding the town and quickly realize they are completely lost. Panic sets in, and they begin to cry.
As the sun sets, a search party of town elders sets out from Chelm to find them. After hours of looking, the elders spot the children huddled shivering under a large tree.
The elders rush over, scooping them up in relief. One of the elders looks at the sobbing children and tries to comfort them using the finest “Chelm logic” available. He pats them on the head and says: “Do not cry, little ones! Think of how lucky you are. Imagine if you had been separated! One of you would be lost over here, and the other would be lost way over there. You wouldn’t know where each other were! But look at you now—you are lost together, so you are right with each other! Since you know exactly where the other one is, you aren’t really lost at all!”
Comforted by this flawless, foolish reasoning, the children stop crying, and the elders proudly march them back home, celebrating another victory for the profound wisdom of Chelm.
We are commanded to pursue justice, but what is it? Especially now, when it feels like we are endlessly lost in the woods. Justice is, fundamentally, about being there and looking out for each other. Yes, we may be lost, but let us be lost together.
Source Sheet created on Sefaria by Yair Robinson