Ilustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
In This Week’s Parashah: מָה בַּפָּרָשָׁה
Full Parashah Reading: Devarim 16:18-21:9
- The parashah focuses on leadership and justice. Benei Yisrael must appoint שֹׁפְטִים (shoftim, judges) and שֹׁטְרִים (shotrim, officers). We are told: צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף (tzedek tzedek tirdof), which means to run after justice like we’re chasing it.
- There is a mitzvah to listen to the kohanim and shoftim.
- In the future, a king of Benei Yisrael may not own too much gold or silver, own too many horses, or marry too many wives. A king needs to fear God, follow the Torah, and not “raise his heart” above everyone else.
- Benei Yisrael must stay away from magic and sorcery and beware of false prophets.
- If a person kills someone by accident, they have to go to one of the עָרֵי מִקְלָט (arei miklat, cities of refuge).
- Courts need to rule based on honest testimony from more than one witness.
- When it’s time for war, not everyone has to fight. Before battle, Benei Yisrael should propose peace. They must be careful to only destroy enemies who pose a threat, but not innocent people or natural resources.
- If someone is mysteriously killed in the middle of nowhere, the leaders of the nearest town perform a special ritual called עֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה (eglah arufah).
