Parshat Shofetim: Pursuing Justice

Devarim 16:20: Justice, Justice you shall pursue, for you should live and inherit the land… Rashi explains that “It is worthwhile for you to appoint reliable judges that will keep the nation alive and lead them to live in their land.” As we’ve spoken in a previous paper, in Shemona Esrei we say Teka Be’Shofar, which is the prayer for the Shofar of Mashiach to sound, and after that we pray for Hashiva Shofateinu, which is for the placement of righteous judges. The question is simple, shouldn’t the judges be appointed first so that we can start acting properly and once we do, let the Shofar start sounding off?

In the current climate in the world we can find an answer. Brazil has a judge who has taken the rule of law and thrown it out the window. He imposed harsh rules just a few months before the upcoming election and is threatening its citizens and many others alike with fines, penalties and imprisonment if they disobey his anarchy and censorship. It is clear to every righteous person on earth that such leadership is called a dictatorship and there cannot be justice with such a Justice.

The pursuit of righteousness and justice is when a nation allows rules and laws upon them in order to keep their land prosperous. They choose certain inhibitions and create an order that they themselves have ratified into law for the sake of their very own future. They write a constitution and as time goes by and a majority feels that some things should be amended, they vote on it and pass new ideas into law also for the sake of the nation’s future. If not for justice they see no way forward.

As the verse continues, “So that you can live.” The sake of the pursuit of justice is not only for their land to remain strong for a thousand years, it also has a component that keeps the peace in the land today. People understand that there are consequences to their actions and will work honestly to remain loyal to the country that gives them a safe haven from crime, lies and death. The future depends on today’s actions, and if today will be secured by the fist of justice, the future will surely follow accordingly.

“It is worthwhile that you appoint Kosher judges.” Being on top and claiming that throne at the helm of the nation, comes with a huge responsibility. The people whom we appoint to run these sacred offices must remember what they were selected for, they should understand the weight their position requires of them and the lifestyle they are expected to live. People with conflicting interests cannot be anywhere close to this life, corrupt individuals with low moral standards must be kept away from donning the robe. Those with impeccable moral values with righteousness flowing through their veins, those are the ones we can appoint.

They are noticed from afar, their demeanor is recognized by all, in and out of their country. Honesty is their key word and humility usually follows their essence. Their families are loving and their communities pride themselves with this person in their midst. When one chooses a lifestyle of true justice they find contentment in their ways, everyone around them wishes for their children to grow up to be like them. They become examples of what it means to be good and they teach the coming generations to emulate the path of the righteous. Entire civilizations are built on the back of these brave and courageous people. Those who stand up to the face of temptation and choose the law over earthly, physical and momentary desires.

Now, let’s not forget, this is the idea of a man who has submitted himself to laws and rules of the people. Yes, these values are rooted in true religious beliefs, but the sake of his actions is for the nation to live in this pious way for many generations to come. He is the hero of the people and it is this kind of personality that everyone in the country wants to have. Like the businessman on wall-street and the diamond dealer on Schupstraat, when we look at their desire to be successful we try to be like them, the same is with the icon of our country, the symbol of justice, they become the hero’s we all want to be like.

But we are different. Their goal is simply a result of ours. We did not implement these rules in order for us to be prosperous, these laws were instructed to us by the One Above, the God of heaven and earth. Yes, we will live at peace in our days and the future holds an even brighter light for us. Yes, the superheroes of our nation are the ones with impeccable righteousness and true piety and we strive to educate our children to follow their lead and learn from their example. Yes, with this constitution we will end up living freely and calmly in the land He promised us, but this is not the goal. We aim even higher.

As Rashi points out, “It is worthwhile.” The purpose of our existence is for us to live completely connected to Hashem. We follow all the rules and laws in order for our souls to reach higher and rise to levels unseen by human eyes. Our lifestyle of calm and serenity is not what we aim for, we choose to constantly battle our inclinations even far beyond the rule of law. The sages have put up safeguards around the Torah, they have implemented so many more Halakhot surrounding each Mitzvah so that we can purify ourselves and have us prepared for the day of judgment. 

We will all have our personal day of judgment and the world will have one as a whole. When we pursue justice throughout our lives we show up to the stand with our hand held up high, vowing to speak nothing but the truth. We have lived a life of complete surrender to the goal of being one with the One, that when we finally come to that day we look back and see how much goodness we achieved all throughout our lives as a result of our dedicated service. And the same will be when time comes to an end and Hashem will take His seat at the helm, the Greatest Judge donning the most eloquent robe as He comes to bring judgment upon earth (See Tehillim 96:13).

Our belief does not start with us writing a constitution and appointing judges. We are a people who live with the sound of the Shofar all year round. We listen for the sounds of the Shofar that was blown at the time of Matan Torah 3,336 years ago. That Shofar has been sounding off in the background of the world for millennia and our work here on earth brings us closer to us hearing it once more with its full power and glory. Teka Be’Shofar, we pray that we hear it once more, we do all we can throughout our lives to achieve that goal, and as a result of that goal we appoint judges who will keep us faithful to our mission. We look forward to Et Tzemach David, when we will return to our home with the sound of the Shofar of Mashiach, with Hashem on His throne.

David Lemmer is an Orthodox Jewish Author and Hypnotherapist. Watch his videos on YouTube @LemmerNetwork and find his books on Amazon. He can be reached at LemmerHypno@gmail.com