Parashat Shofetim

Overview

Justice, justice shall you pursue! Deut. 16:20

Will the judge of all the earth not act with justice? Gen.18:25

Let justice well up as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Amos 5:24

What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

... the Holy God is sanctified by justice... Is. 5:16

By three things is the world preserved - by truth, justice and peace. Avot 1:18

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. Deut. 16:19

Justice, whether to your profit or loss, whether in word or in action, whether to Jew or non-Jew. Bachya ben Asher

Questions for Discussion:

Tzedekah in its root means righteousness, a social obligation, it is to do the right thing. Charity comes from the Greek karitas, meaning love. A Christian gives out of love, gives as an option. If a person feels no love how can they give? A Jew gives because it is the right thing to do.

Why is this lesson in justice set at the beginning of the campaign to conquer the Promised Land?

1. Is it really that important, is it here by chance, just because the portions were divided arbitrarily?

What is it about justice that makes it a good base on which to build a society?

Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

1. Is this just another place where God is making threats to the people? Is God saying, "Be good or else?" or does this have a practical side?

   Practical. If there is no justice in the land how will the people hold it? If a society has no justice it will through the unrest of its people become unstable.

   
   

2. The word justice is repeated, why?

   Some modern scholars say it is simple emphasis.

   It is saying that the ends and the means must both be just

   Some say it is to convey the idae that the pursuit of justice is not only the responsibility of government, judges within society, but a mitzvah - an imperative - for each individual to follow also.

   
   

3. In Plato's Republic, justice implies a society of harmony where everyone knows his or her place, and is content with that place. Also implied in this vision of justice is a tolerance of a layered society. How does the Jewish version differ?

   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. Deut. 16:19. In the Jewish version everyone is to be judged by his or her own merits, not by their station in life.

   
   

4. In different translations of the Torah we find slightly different treatments of this verse:
   • Justice, justice shall you pursue (This is the translation most of us are familiar with)
   • Justice, justice shall you follow (JPS)
   • Equity, equity you are to pursue (The Five Books of Moses, Everett Fox)
     1. How are these translations different?
        
     2. How are they alike?
        
     3. What do we learn different things from each?

        Pursue vs follow - Following is passive, pursue is active. If you are to pursue it is implied that you are to overtake. A follower just stays behind. Equity or equality is implied in the overall treatment of what justice is.

Editor's note: While this guide isn't one of our longer in terms of actual text we found that it does generate a lot of discussion. Leave room for people to talk, or to struggle. After all the name Israel means "one who struggles with God". Also, remember the italics are not always answers. And when they are they are rarely the only ones.