03 Sep PARASHAT SHOFTIM: JUDGING OURSELVES

The Torah
commands in
Parashat Shoftim
(16:20), “Sedek
Sedek Tirdof” – that
we must “pursue” justice. The verse
continues, “in order that you live and
take possession of the land…”
The Ramban brings an interpretation to
this verse from the Midrash of Rabbi
Nehunya Ben Ha’kaneh, which he says
conveys a “Sod” (“secret”). According
to this interpretation, the Torah here
refers to “Midat Dino Shel Olam” –
the judgment of the world, meaning,
the judgment to which each and every
person will be subject. We are urged to
“pursue” “Sedek,” judgment, instead
of waiting to be judged. Before we
stand trial, we should do the work of
judging ourselves, identifying our
faults and the improvements that
need to be made, and then working
to correct our behavior. The Torah
urges us to take this initiative “in order
that your live” – so that we earn long

life. The best advice for securing a
favorable judgment, for earning a
happy, peaceful life, is to “pursue” our
own judgment, to judge ourselves and
work to improve our conduct, so that
Hashem will not need to judge us.
Another source for this concept is a
passage in the Tur (Orah Haim 581)
citing the comment of the Midrash
(Pirkeh De’Rabbi Eliezer) that Moshe
went up Har Sinai to receive the
second set of tablets on Rosh Hodesh
Elul, and on that day, the Shofar was
sounded in Beneh Yisrael’s camp.
The Shofar was sounded, the Midrash
explains, as a warning to Beneh
Yisrael that they should not sin during
Moshe’s absence, as they had done
previously, when they worshipped the
golden calf while Moshe was atop
Har Sinai. The Tur writes that this
is the source of the custom among
Ashkenazic communities to sound the
Shofar each day throughout the month
of Elul. This is done, the Tur explains,
in order to warn the congregation to

repent in preparation
for the judgment of
Rosh Hashanah, and to
“confound the Satan.”
Beneh Yisrael took the
initiative by sounding
the Shofar when Moshe
ascended the mountain
as part of their effort to
improve. They made
a point of protecting
themselves, of ensuring
they would not repeat
their previous mistake. This is an
example of “Sedek Sedek Tirdof,” of
judging oneself and identifying flaws
which needs to be corrected. When
we take this initiative, we “confound
the Satan”; he cannot bring any claims
against us, because we preempted the
judgment by judging ourselves and
working to correct our mistakes.
This might be the meaning of the
opening words of this Parasha:
“Shofetim Ve’shoterim Toten Lecha”
– “Place for yourself judges and

law-enforcers.” Several different
interpretations have been given for the
word “Lekha” (“for yourself”) in this
verse. In light of what we have seen,
we might suggest that the Torah here
tells us to make “judges” for ourselves
so that we won’t need G-d to judge
us. If we take the initiative to judge
ourselves, seeing what we need to
improve and then striving to improve,
then we will not need to be judged
by G-d, and we will then be worthy
of a year filled with joy, success and
happiness, Amen.