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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5756

“Our hands have not spilled this blood.” (21:7)

Chazal question how anyone could imagine that the elders of Klal Yisrael could be murderers. When they say, “Our hands have not spilled this blood,” they disclaim responsibility for not addressing the needs of the victim as he was leaving town. The Torah demands that leadership respond to the needs of every Jew. How far does this responsibility extend? At what point are the elders not held culpable for their lack of “sensitivity”? The Yerushalmi in the Talmud Sotah makes an interpretation of this pasuk which carries with it remarkable ramifications. They posit that “this blood” is a reference to…

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Home -> 5756 -> Shoftim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5756

“He (the unintentional murderer) shall flee to one of these cities (of refuge) and live.” (19:5)

The importance of hju, “he shall live,” is underscored by the Rambam in Hilchos Rotze’ach 7:1 where he states, “A student who is exiled to the cities of refuge, his Torah teacher is exiled with him, as it says in the Torah, “He shall live; make it for him that he shall live.” For those who are wise and who seek wisdom (of Torah), the inability to learn Torah properly (without their rebbe) would be like death. This same halachah is applicable in the event a Torah teacher is exiled; his students are exiled with him. Conversely, when addressing the…

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Home -> 5756 -> Shoftim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5756

“You shall be wholehearted with Hashem your G-d.” (18:15)

Rashi interprets the pasuk as an admonishment against going to the pagans to discover the future. One should follow Hashem with simplicity, accepting His decree without question. The Piazesner Rebbe, zl, offers two approaches towards understanding this pasuk. Every individual accepts upon himself the resolution to do the right thing and live the proper way – in the future. “Tomorrow we will be good” is a popular aphorism among those who choose to defer their responsibility for the moment or simply to gloss over their current errors. The yetzer hora, evil inclination, attempts to persuade us to disregard the present,…

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Home -> 5756 -> Shoftim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5756

“Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue.” (16:20)

The only virtue which the Torah demands that we pursue is righteousness – the equivalent of emes, truth. On the other hand, sheker, falsehood, is the only negative quality from which the Torah admonishes us to distance ourselves. The Torah in Shemos 23:7 says, ejr, rea rcsn, “From a false word you shall distance yourselves.” The Chidushei Ha’Rim infers a profound lesson regarding the compelling importance in our lives of turning away from falsehood and turning toward truth. The signature of Hashem is emes. Thus, every Jew should strive to be like G-d – by shirking away from any endeavor…

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