Parshat Shoftim; Deuteronomy 16:18 –21:9 by Rabbi Denise L. Eger

This week’s portion begins to set up the judicial and governance systems that the Children of Israel will need when they settle the land. No longer will they have Moses to turn to since he will depart the Israelites before they cross the Jordan. And although there are already elders who help, it is clear that the Israelites will need a more permanent system of administration in the day-to-day life of the people once they settle Eretz Yisrael.

The portion begins to shape the legal system by codifying the laws. It makes it difficult to prove murder in that there must be two witnesses. It describes what happens when a case can’t be decided. It sets up a supreme court of law. And later on the portion outlines the city of refuge that will be needed for those accused of manslaughter. It emphasizes that the legal system must be observed and carried out. Thus teaching this new people the essentials of good governance. Society must have common threads and ideals to function. For a society to hold together there must be civic order and a judicial system helps to create that order. The portion even addresses governance through a monarchy. It describes the conditions for electing a king (only with Godly approval). While this won’t come into play until long after the land is conquered and settled with the crowning of Saul, we already understand that the nomadic society of the desert dwelling Israelites must change dramatically when they become a permanent society.

Thus an entire system is outlined. Perhaps not in great enough detail but enough so that there is a centralized system for adjudicating cases and helping the people build a solid life in the Promised Land.

We have learned that in path of destruction of Hurricane Katrina how important the infrastructure of our day-to-day life really is. Without proper police protection, electric power grids, food and water, courts and transportation how easy it is for normal life to devolve into fear and chaos, gunfire and death. We have seen how a few angry and scared people can quickly turn into a mob. We have felt the helplessness brought on when there is no leader of the people.

And so it good to be reminded by our Torah this week of the importance we must pay to how our lives are governed and how law is applied and justice carried out. The stakes are too grave to have it be treated cavalierly.

As we continue to pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, we also pray that our local, state and federal government steps up to its responsibilities in helping rebuild a bright future for the Gulf States region. And we fellow American, Jew and Non-Jew alike must reach out in compassion and kindness to help this rebuilding take place.

The hurricane was a force of nature. It was not punishment by God for sins. It was not because there were casinos in Gulfport or gay people in New Orleans. Hurricanes happen. But the sin of the situation was in the lack of preparedness of our government agencies. We as citizens must demand better accountability from our officials and from their policies.

These are tough lessons to learn in this way. Let us pray that we can heal the hurts and help rebuild lives quickly and speedily. May God comfort those who mourn and may God bring hope to the suffering and displaced. May God protect the rescue workers and bless the work of their hands and hearts.

Posted by Lee at September 6, 2005 03:14 PM