Archive for the ‘ Shoftim ’ Category

Dvar Torah Parshat Shoftim 5771 2011 – It’s what’s inside that counts

A strange law prohibits Jews from planting trees by the Bet Hamikdash. LO TITA…KOL ETZ ETZEL MIZBACH HASHEM ELOKECHA…, “You shall not plant…any tree near the Altar of Hashem…” (Deut. 16,21) Why would this be prohibited? When we build a synagogue today it is recognized by Chazal as a Mikdash Me’at, a diminutive of the [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Parshat Shoftim 5770 2010

TAMIM TIHEYEH IM HASHEM ELOKECHA, “You shall be wholehearted with Hashem…” (Deut. 18,13) The meaning is obvious. A person should not do too much worrying about the future but should have trust in the Almighty that everything will work out fine. Rabbi Simcha Bunim adds a little touch to this explanation and asks why the [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Parshat Shoftim 2008 5768 דבר תורה פרשת שופטים

We are commanded by Hashem through MOSHE Rabbenu to heed the teachings of the Chachamim. Moshe says: LO TASUR MIN HADAVAR ASHER YAGIDU LECHA, “…you shall not deviate from the word they shall tell you…”. (Deut. 17,11) We make a Berachah whenever we perform a Mitzvah. The Halacha tells us that even for a Mitzvah [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Shoftim 2007 – 5767 דבר תורה שופטים

We are told that if we have a difficulty in resolving a dispute among litigants, or if we are unsure about a certain law and we cannot resolve the matter within our community, we should go up to the place that Hashem will choose, namely Jerusalem, and bring the matter before the Kohanim. In the [ READ MORE ]

Shoftim 6

We are instructed in this week’s portion to appoint a king, SOM TASIM ALECHA MELACH. (Deut. 17,15) Chazal tell us there were actually three Mitzvot which we were commanded to perform as soon as we came into the Land of Israel. We were to appoint a king; we were to destroy the people of Amalek; [ READ MORE ]

Shoftim 5

The Torah says: … VE’AL HAMISHPAT ASHER YOMRU LECHA TA’ASEH, “ … according to the judgment they shall say to you shall you do …” (Deut. 17,11) This law emphasizes that one must follow the decision of the court even if you think it is wrong. (See Rashi here)The story is told that in the [ READ MORE ]

Shoftim 4

When giving the instructions concerning the Mitzvah of appointing a king the Torah says: MIKEREV ACHECHA TASIM ALECHA MELECH, “…from among your brethren you will appoint a king over you…” (Deut. 17,15) The king had to be from the Jewish people and could not be a stranger from a different nation. This is a very [ READ MORE ]

Shoftim 3

SHOFTIM VESHOTRIM TITTEN LECHA BECHOL SHE’ARECHA. You should appoint judges and officers in all your cities. These are the opening words of today’s Sidra. The proper word order should have been to first appoint officers and then judges. First the officer catches the offender and then the transgressor is brought before the judge.In the Jewish [ READ MORE ]

Shoftim 2

The Torah tells us SOM TASIM ALECHA MELECH (you shall appoint over you a king) Deut. 17:15. The Rabbis in the Talmud go a step further and tell us that it is the first Mitzva the Jews had to perform when they entered Israel. Later we read in the history of the Jewish people in the [ READ MORE ]

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