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Shalom. This week the Torah parasha is Shoftim.it is really the middle of the book of Deuteronomy. Now the whole book of Deuteronomy is based on the idea that Moses is giving his final speeches to the Jewish people. And they are all fundamentally important. This week Shoftim means Judges. It begins by talking about the importance of appointing Judges shoftim. And it has one of the most important three-word phrases in all of literature, tzedak, tzedak 0.29, usually translated as justice, justice is pursued. The word tzedak is the root word for justice or righteousness. It forms the root of the word tzedakah which is giving money to help people who are needy or a tzaddik, a righteous person. but it really means justice and it is the root of any civilization.
As I mentioned in my video on how Non-Jews achieve salvation, a justice system has considered to be indispensable, the first rule of any civilized society. And the great prophet Amos in the Hebrew Bible makes justice the cornerstone of any civilization. But justice rolls down like the water’s righteousness like a mighty strength.
One of the questions though is why does it say tzedak, tzedak? When did you get it the first time if you just said justice pursue, why justice, justice? That is the subject of a lot of discussion on modern ages as to why it repeats the word. Some people say that one tzedak is for the ends of justice and other tzedak is for the means. Other people say it is just for emphasis, but certainly a very important phrase.
There is many things in the Torah parasha that are of fundamental importance but the one other thing I wanted to mention on this brief video was Chapter 17 verse 9 and following where basically it says, “If you have a problem that is too complicated, if you and your generation, go to the judges in your generation and present the problem and I will give you the answer and follow it.” 1.52 basic amendment processes in Judaism, that is why the Judaism today is clearly organically linked to the Judaism of the Torah, but it is different because with the many centuries, new situations arise and the rabbis and judges of the time have to apply the principles and laws and rules of the Torah to the modern situation. And that is a very important passage upon which to reflect. So, that is a little bit about the importance of justice, importance of having fair-minded judges and of the idea everything you vows, nothing stays the same, but we hope that having organically linked in the most powerful way to be legitimate interpretations and understandings of God’s will.
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