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This parashah Shoftim is very special to our sages as it introduces the various functions of the Messiah: as a judge, a king, a priest, and a prophet and especially as God’s special envoy. We have been waiting for the Mashiach and our understanding of him depends upon which group we belong to. It is […]
Can we Change the World? In 1789 France, the conflict between the French Revolution and the Catholic Church resulted in the separation of church and state and the supremacy of the state prevailed. In 1863 USA, democracy was described by President Abraham Lincoln as a “Government of the people, by the people and for the […]
7 Elul 5782 Listen to the recorded message: https://youtu.be/tyO0x18zhsA Am I headed in the right direction? This parashah, Shoftim is the most significant portion in the Torah for me because it represents the beginning of my Teshuva, “turning” to the Bore Olam where He restored the years that the locust had eaten. I know that I have […]
Justice, Justice we must Pursue When I was in high school back in 1961, we read the Bible. I went to a protestant school, and I remember being fascinated by the stories that I heard about Jesus, but Jewish girls do not bring Jesus home; besides he was the god of the gentiles. Years later in 1989, […]
Act, Speak Up against Injustice! Elul 2 5780 בלוג שֹׁפְטִים, ב’ אלול תש”פ Act, Speak Up against Injustice! Parashat Shoftim שֹׁפְטִים begins with the appointing of judges, shoftim שֹׁפְטִים and officers, shotrim ְשֹׁטְרִים (also policeman or leaders) entreating us to always pursue justice… “צֶדֶק צֶדֶק, תִּרְדֹּף Justice, justice, you must pursue”. This sense of justice […]
Are we responsible for our actions? 7 Elul 5776 The prophet Isaiah tells us that one day Israel will return and settle in the Promised Land and peace will come to the entire world. Whenever Israel is at peace, the world is at peace; whereas when Israel is at war, there is war all over […]
7 Elul 5776 פרשת שֹׁפְטִים, ז” אלול, תשע”ו In this portion a beautiful picture unfolds as Moshe speaks to the second generation of those who left Egypt on the way to the Promised Land. The only two people from that first generation to enter the land were Joshua and Caleb. Joshua was a Hebrew from […]
