Shoftim – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

וענו ואמרו ידינו לא שפכה את הדם הזה ועינינו לא ראו

They shall speak up and say, “Our hands have not spilled this blood, and our eyes did not see.” (21:7)

The elders of the city closest to the unknown victim of a homicide declared, “Our hands have not spilled this (innocent) blood, and our eyes did not see.” Rashi explains that this does not mean that the elders are in any way suspected of homicidal intent. They lament that they had not seen the victim; thus, they had not sent him off properly with food and accompaniment, as is the appropriate procedure for sending off a welcome guest. It seems from Rashi’s explanation that had we accompanied the victim, he might not have become a victim. People pick on loners,…

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והאיש אשר יעשה בזדון... ומת האיש ההוא ובערת הרע מישראל. וכל העם ישמעו ויראו ולא יזידון עוד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5774

And the man that will act with willfulness… that man shall die, and if you shall destroy the evil from among Yisrael. The entire nation shall listen and fear, and they shall not act willfully anymore. (17:12,13)

How often – upon confronting a young Jewish boy or girl and inquiring why he or she has suddenly opted for living a life of spiritual risk, or of turning off completely to religious observance – will the response be, “I was turned off by the lack of truth, the dearth of intellectual honesty, the improper behavior such as chillul Hashem and hypocrisy”? Veritably, the response that we receive has a ring of truth to it. The system is perfect; the people, however, are human, and human beings err – some by not thinking, while others are simply dishonest. In…

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מי האיש אשר בנה בית חדש... ומי האיש אשר נטע כרם... ומי האיש אשר ארש אשה... מי האיש הירא ורך הלבב ילך וישב לביתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5774

Who is the man who built a new house… and who is the man who has planted a vineyard… and who is the man who had betrothed a woman… who is the man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house. (20:5,6,7,8)

The Torah’s sensitivity toward all Jews – regardless of background, personal status, or self-imposed emotional baggage – is evidenced in this parsha. Prior to the nation’s leaving for battle, the Kohen Gadol Mashuach Milchamah, High Priest anointed specifically for the purpose of leading the people in battle and serving as their spiritual advisor during this stressful time, made a declaration telling the troops that anyone who was not emotionally fit for fighting in a war should return home from the battlefield. The emotional toll on a person during such a period of adversity is enormous. If a soldier’s mind begins…

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מי האיש אשר בנה בית... מי האיש אשר נטע כרם... ומי האיש אשר ארש אשה... ילך וישב לביתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5774

Who is the man who built a new house… and who is the man who has planted a vineyard… and who is the man who had betrothed a woman… Let him go and return to his house. (20:5,6,7,8)

The Torah exempts the fellow who has recently built a home, planted a vineyard, or betrothed a young woman from going into battle. These people will not be good soldiers, since their minds are preoccupied with what they have left at home. Interestingly, if someone owns a huge estate, has many orchards, or has a wife and seven children – he does not go home. Why? Does one who has great wealth and familial responsibilities have less on his mind than the poor fellow who has one small home, brand new vineyard, or has just become united with a woman?…

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ובאת אל הכהנים הלוים ואל השפט אשר יהיה בימים ההם... והגידו לך את דבר המשפט

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5774

You shall come to the Kohanim, the Leviim, and to the judge who will be in those days… and they will tell you the word of judgment. (17:9)

We believe that the leaders of each and every generation are specifically suited for that generation. Therefore, we do not second guess our gedolim, Torah leadership. They are Hashem’s choice. To impugn the integrity of their leadership is to question Hashem’s decision. The leader of each individual generation is the last word in Torah ruling. We do not compare him to the leaders of earlier generations. He is our leader – not the leader of a previous generation. Horav Shimshon Pincus, zl, relates an amazing story that occurred concerning the Gaon, zl, m’Vilna, which underscores this idea. We must remember…

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לא תסור מן הדבר אשר יגידו לך ימין ושמאל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5774

Do not deviate from the word that they will tell you, right or left. (17:11)

Rashi explains that one may not deviate from the halachah as expounded by the sages, even if they tell you concerning “right,” that it is “left” and, concerning “left” that it is “right.” The question is obvious: if I know that something is definitely “right” or that something is clearly “left,” a thousand sages are unable to change this reality. Does the Torah demand that I commit a falsehood, that I act out a lie? Obviously, this is not what the Torah wants of us. What is the meaning of Lo sassur, “Do not deviate,” and what does Rashi mean…

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Sruly Schnair In Shoftim, 5754

“If there is a matter concealed from you in judgement between blood and blood, between decision and decision, and between plague and plague, (even) matters of controversy within your gates.” (17:8)

The pasuk encourages one to seek judgement by the higher courts in the event of doubt in various areas of Jewish law. Horav Meir Shapiro z.l. as well as many others have interpreted this pasuk homiletically in the following manner: If you are shocked and exasperated by the bein dam l’dam questions between the blood of nations, (i.e., when nations malign us with blood libels) even though our abhorrence of blood is apparent. If a Jew wishes to eat a piece of meat, he must soak and salt it to the point that no drop of blood remains. Why then are we so…

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Sruly Schnair In Shoftim, 5754

“You shall prepare the way and divide the border of your land into three parts… that every murderer may flee there.” (19:3)

In Makos 10b the Talmud states that each crossroads bore the sign “miklat,” refuge, in order to guide the murderer toward the right direction to reach the arai miklat, cities of refuge. The Ponevezer Rav z.l. expounded on this Chazal. Why were directional signs provided only for the rotzeach b’shogeg, unintentional murderer? Why weren’t signs likewise provided for the oleh regel, pilgrims who went up to Yerushalayim for Yom Tov? There should have been signs at the crossroads directing all Jew to the Bais Ha’Mikdash. He responded in the following manner: Man, by nature, detests a murderer. One who has…

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Sruly Schnair In Shoftim, 5754

“And the officers shall speak unto the people saying what man (is there) that has built a new house and has not dedicated it yet… and what man (is there) that has planted a vineyard and has not used the fruit thereof… and what man (is there) who has betrothed a lady and has not taken her…. what man (is there) that is fearful and fainthearted let him go and return to his house.” (20:5,6,7,8)

In these pasukim, the Torah describes Klal Yisrael’s procedure for entering into a milchemes reshus, voluntary war, a war for which the king needed the authorization of the Sanhedrin. We note here an interesting set of laws that were implemented as the men prepared to go into battle. The Kohen Mashuach Milchamah, specially anointed for war, would address the assemblage of would-be soldiers and exhort them regarding the cruelties and dangers they could expect to face. Three groups of people were encouraged to leave, lest their concern regarding affairs unfinished at home pre-disposed them to be excluded from active participation…

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ולא תקים לך מצבה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5773

And you shall not erect for yourselves a pillar. (16:22)

The Torah addresses various forms of idolatrous worship which were common practice among the pagans. Horav Levi Yitzchak Berditchev, zl, interprets the pasuk homiletically, adding a practical twist. Chazal teach that This World, Olam Hazeh, is compared to a vestibule before Olam Habba, the World to Come. Everything which we do in this world is but a preparation for the World to Come. We eat and drink, so that we are nourished and healthy enough to perform the mitzvos which will be our access to Olam Habba. Our entire lives revolve around Olam Habba, with life on this world nothing…

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וענו ואמרו ידינו לא שפכה את הדם הזה ועינינו לא ראו

They shall speak up and say, “Our hands have not spilled this blood, and our eyes did not see.” (21:7)

והאיש אשר יעשה בזדון... ומת האיש ההוא ובערת הרע מישראל. וכל העם ישמעו ויראו ולא יזידון עוד

And the man that will act with willfulness… that man shall die, and if you shall destroy the evil from among Yisrael. The entire nation shall listen and fear, and they shall not act willfully anymore. (17:12,13)

מי האיש אשר בנה בית חדש... ומי האיש אשר נטע כרם... ומי האיש אשר ארש אשה... מי האיש הירא ורך הלבב ילך וישב לביתו

Who is the man who built a new house… and who is the man who has planted a vineyard… and who is the man who had betrothed a woman… who is the man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house. (20:5,6,7,8)

מי האיש אשר בנה בית... מי האיש אשר נטע כרם... ומי האיש אשר ארש אשה... ילך וישב לביתו

Who is the man who built a new house… and who is the man who has planted a vineyard… and who is the man who had betrothed a woman… Let him go and return to his house. (20:5,6,7,8)

ובאת אל הכהנים הלוים ואל השפט אשר יהיה בימים ההם... והגידו לך את דבר המשפט

You shall come to the Kohanim, the Leviim, and to the judge who will be in those days… and they will tell you the word of judgment. (17:9)

לא תסור מן הדבר אשר יגידו לך ימין ושמאל

Do not deviate from the word that they will tell you, right or left. (17:11)

“If there is a matter concealed from you in judgement between blood and blood, between decision and decision, and between plague and plague, (even) matters of controversy within your gates.” (17:8)

“You shall prepare the way and divide the border of your land into three parts… that every murderer may flee there.” (19:3)

ולא תקים לך מצבה

And you shall not erect for yourselves a pillar. (16:22)

YEARS

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