This week’s Torah Reading is contained within Deuteronomy 16:1–21:9 and is entitled Shofetim. In English, Shofetim means Judges. If one were summarize the content of this reading I guess it could be described as a discussion of Yah’s established civil government for ancient Israel.
Deuteronomy 16:18-20
An accompanying Tanach passage to this passage is found in 2 Chronicles 19:5-11 which chronicles the social reforms King Yahoshaphat’s accomplished in ancient Judah:
5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,
6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment.
7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
8 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.
9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.
11 And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king’s matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the LORD shall be with the good.(2Ch 19:5-20:1 KJV)
But here in our reading in this passage, Yah commands that a local system of civil governance was to be put in place in every city (i.e., tribe) of the nation. Each local jurisdiction was to appointed judges who were called to righteousness.
Yah uses the phrase “justice-justice” in stressing His requirement that these judges be righteous in all their ways. Father states, ” justice, justice shalt thou follow that thou mayest live and inherit the Land.” Abba is essentially saying here that “justice and only justice” will be the judges’ guiding light and way of operating.
Interestingly, the English terms “justice” and “victory” is the same Hebrew word. When taken together, the Hebrew concept of justice means the triumph of right in the world (Isaiah 54:17). And Father says to Israel:
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. (Isa 54:17 KJV)
When we’re talking about justice as a guiding Hebraic principle, these appointed judges were tasked with the humane legislation/administering of Torah. Interestingly, the Greek concept of justice stresses the “inequalities of humanity.” The Hebrew concept of justice, on the other hand, stresses the “equality of humanity.” For under the Hebraic concept of justice, each person is viewed as having been created in Yah’s image. Consequently, every soul possesses a “divine spark” if you will. Thus, each life is viewed as sacred. Therefore, every person is to be treated as a person with a right to life, honor and the fruits of their labor (J. Hertz). This is where Americans got the concept of every person being endowed by their Creator with certain “inalienable rights.”
This is seen clearly demonstrated in Yah’s commandment that even the guilty criminal is to be treated with dignity in the midst of his/her condemnation and execution (Deuteronomy 25:3; 21:23).
Back to the Greek perspective of justice: It serves to bring harmony to society. The Hebrew perspective on justice serves to maintain holiness in society. For we find in Isaiah 5:16 that YHVH is sanctified by the exercising of justice by His people. And this is greatly played out in the mind of the Creator when He reveals his disdain towards those who trample over the orphan and stranger in the Land. Yah sees such as His enemy. And the final dissolution of earthly injustice and oppression will be realized when the Kingdom of Yah comes to this earth.
One must recognize that justice is more than abstention from oppression and harm to others. Justice is also the proliferation of peach in society. The proliferation of peace in society brings forth quietness and confidence as suggested by Isaiah 32:17:
17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. (Isa 32:17 KJV)
Justice and peace are the foundations upon which all charity, philanthropy and social activity designed to uplift the souls of a nation’s citizens rests. Even justice when meted out to the criminals of society must be done so with pity and humanity. When we consider what will happen at the Great White Throne judgment, we see that Abba’s righteous justice will be rendered with pity civility. Those throne in the Lake of Fire will not have to endure eternal torment as is taught by mainstream Christians. The condemned will have a swift and humane end. For justice must always be tempered with mercy.
Furthermore, justice must extends between groups. The poor and the rich (such as in class to class), nation to nation must exist and operate with one another with Godly justice.
Deuteronomy 16:20
Father made these pronouncement to the nation through Moses so that the nation may live. The administration of justice is a non-negotiable condition for Israel’s continued existence. For when justice is perverted in the nation, it portends the decay of that nation. And Abba had a vested interest in Israel’s continued, thriving and blessed existence.
Deuteronomy 16:21, 22–These two verses speak to a prohibition against idolatrous worship. The commandment of the Almighty was for the nation’s armies to completely destroy every asherah and pillar that would be found in the Land during their conquest.
Deuteronomy 17:1–This verse speaks to a prohibition against sacrificing blemished or injured animals.
The intentional sacrificing of unqualified animals (i.e., blemished or injured) was viewed by Father as being a profane act. Such actions actually profaned Yah’s worship (25:21; Leviticus 22:20-22; Malachi 1:8).
Deuteronomy 17:2-7–These six-verses dealt with the detection and punishment of the crime of idolatry and idolatry.
Here we find the famous pronouncement that many in our Faith use as the basis for their establishing many spiritual matters. For according to this passage, at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall one be punished. And of course, convicting the criminal by the words of two to three witnesses was not the end of the witnesses’ work. For Father established that the hand of the witnesses were to be the first to execute punishment upon the guilty.
Deuteronomy 17:8-13–These five verses describe what we would recognize as a Supreme Court
The difficult civil court cases were to be brought to the Levites and the residing judge(s) for a ruling, which then must be abide by. The point Father was getting across to the Hebrews was to exterminate evil from the Land and from the people.
Deuteronomy 17:14-20–These six verses discuss the selection, qualifications and duties of kings or constitutional monarchs that govern in accordance with Torah.
Father instructed that Israel’s kings were:
1. Have no standing cavalry to subjugate the people with.
2. Have no harem to lead the kings’ hearts astray from Torah.
3. To study and obey Torah.
4. To be selected by YHVH.
5. Were not to seek to accumulate wealth.
6. To copy Torah for themselves to read and follow throughout the remainder of their days.
Deuteronomy 18:1-8–These nine verses addressed the priests and Levites not having any land inheritance.
YHVH certified that He would be the Levites’ inheritance.
Deuteronomy 18:9-22–This section dealt with prophets.
Father denounced soothsayers and wizards (cf. Leviticus 19:26 31). In the eyes of YHVH, soothsayers and wizards were an abomination. The people were called to be wholehearted unto YHVH in all their ways. Father acknowledged that the other nations followed after soothsayers and such. But Yah’s people were not to follow suit.
The proof of a false prophet is the non-fulfillment of his prophesies. Indeed, the false prophet may in fact perform signs and miracles. The signs and miracles of a prophet is not proof of his calling as a prophet of Yah (13:2, 56). The ultimate criterion of a prophet of Yah was the moral character of the prophet’s prophesies.
Deuteronomy 19:1-13–This section dealt with the establishing of Cities of Refuge.
Three cities were to be established as cities of refuge or sanctuary cities once we settled into the Land. These cities would provide the manslayer sanctuary (Numbers 35:9-34; Deuteronomy 4:41-43). This was to address the custom of blood revenge that was common among the ANE peoples. The establishment of cities of refuge would also serve to dissuade the practice of providing willful murderers unwarranted sanctuary. The Torah regarding cities of refuge were established for purposes of:
1. Discerning mistaken killing from intentional, purposeful homicide.
2. To create sanctuary for those who committed an unintentional killing. It would serve to protect the killer from the avenger of blood and to prevent the shedding of innocent blood.
3. Once we were well established in the Land, three more cities would be added to the existing three cities of refuge.
For capitol murder, the elders of the murderer’s city were required to turn him/her over to the avenger of blood. This was for purposes of putting away the blood of the innocent from the nation and bring well being to the Land.
Deuteronomy 19:14–This single verse dealt with the altering of boundaries of properties.
In reference to Deuteronomy 27:17, one who would alter their neighbor’s property boundary line to enlarge their own estate was considered cursed by YHVH. At a baseline level, such acts were simply considered acts of thievery by Torah.
Deuteronomy 19:15-21–These verses dealt with testimonies that would be made against criminals.
Testimonies against criminal acts in the court of law required the testimonies of two or more witnesses: “At the mouth of three-witnesses shall a matter be established (verse 15).
And unrighteous witness was to receive the punishment originally intended for the accused. Remember Master Yeshua making mention of “an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot?” This was the passage He was referencing.
Deuteronomy 20:1-9–Here the nation was called to civility even in war times
1. The betrothed soldiers would be exempted from serving in battle.
2. Offers of peace would be extended to the cities that were targeted for attack.
3. Fruit trees were off-limits for destruction in an enemy’s land.
4. Reason and mercy would guide the nation’s fighting.
The Levitical Priests and officers would encourage the men before battle. The officers would ensure that the above provisions were followed and would remind the troops that Yah was with them and not to fear.
Deuteronomy 20:10-18–This section discussed the proper dispensing of the spoils of war
Women, children and cattle were considered viable spoils of war for the troops. The men of the enemy nation were to be executed.
This applied to future, far nation. This did not, however, apply to the Canaanite cities that were marked for destruction. Those Canaanite nations that were marked for destruction would receive no mercy. All those nations’ people (regardless who and what they were) were to be killed. Rabbinic sages have over the centuries struggled with the brutality associated with this decree. But these fail to recognize the extent of abomination that the nations marked for destruction had wrought (cf. Book of Enoch). The depravity and sins of the Canaanite nations brought Yah to a place where He determined those nation’s depravities and paganistic ways threatened or were outside the realm of redemption and salvation. These had to be destroyed with extreme prejudice.
Deuteronomy 20:19-20–Regarding prohibition against devastating enemy lands during war time.
Father established a prohibition against the wanton destruction of that which may be of use to the Hebrew nation such as trees.
Only those non-fruit trees could be used for material to besiege the enemy.
Deuteronomy 21:1-9–The Unsolved Murder Mysteries of a City
When one was murdered in a Hebrew city where the murderer was not known, that city was held responsible for the murder by Yah. Despite there being no criminal in custody or identified, that sin still had to be atoned for.
The elders and judges of the city where the murder occurred were required to kill a heifer. The sacrificed heifer had to have never been yoked and the sacrifice had to take place in a rough valley in that city. With a priest present, the elders and judges were to wash their hands over the carcass of the heifer. These were to disavow having any role in the murder and ask Yah to forgive and expiate the sin. This act would serve to put away the shedding of innocent blood from that city’s midst.
Shabbat Shalom.