Shoftim, Shof’tim, or Shofetim (שֹׁפְטִים — Hebrew for “judges,” the first word in the parshah) is the 48th weekly Torah portion (parshah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fifth in the book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9. Jews in the Diaspora generally read it in August or September. The parsha provides a constitution — a basic societal structure — for the Israelites. The parshah sets out rules for magistrates, kings, Levites, prophets, cities of refuge, witnesses, war, and an unaccounted corpse.

Note: On the Shabbat the Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person “goes up” to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading. Here are this week`s aliyot:

1st and 2nd Aliyot: Moshe details the most important characteristics of a Judge: the ability to remain objective and the strength to refuse bribery. The singular focus of the Shofet must be to carry out the will of God as detailed in the Halacha. Nothing must deter him in carrying out his mission of justice.

About the judges we are told that they should not pervert justice by doing things like accepting gifts, which the Torah says blinds the eyes of the wise.

Idolatrous practices must be eradicated and punished. Idol worship represents the greatest perversion of justice by replacing divine justice with human failings and desires.

The Sanhedrin is our direct link with divine intent, and as stated in Pasuk 17:11, we view the rulings and interpretations of the Supreme Court as Godly directives.

Our Monarch must be selected for his unyielding commitment to God, Torah, and the people. This is why he must write his own Sefer Torah and carry it with him at all times. He must be first and foremost a Shofet, a Judge.

3rd and 4th Aliyot: Moshe again addressed the place of the tribe of Levi, reemphasizing the care and attention due to them by the rest of the nation. They are our teachers. Without their instruction we will neither understand or be able to properly apply justice.

5th Aliya:For justice to exist, it must be accepted as a divine ruling.Only God’s justice can be trusted to take into account all variables and possibilities. Moshe instructed his nation regarding the true Navi – prophet and the false prophet. No other forms of divination can be used to ascertain God’s justice, and all false prophets and methods of divination must be destroyed. The value of human life is determined by our system of justice, and Moshe reviewed the laws of the unintentional killing in contrast with the intentional murder.

This aliyah establishes the idea of the prophet of Israel. Because at Mt. Sinai the Jewish people claimed they couldn’t hear God’s voice directly, God here says that He will raise up prophets and that God will put words into their mouth (This is Melech HaMashiach). We are commanded to listen to the prophets. Notice that the Navi will simply repeat and confirm the Word that HaShem has spoken, he will reveal the true meaning of what the creator meant in His holy Writs. Teachings of the inner dimension of the Torah.

6th, and 7th Aliyot: The end of Parasha Shofetim discusses both proper and falsewitnesses, as well as the Torah’s approach to warfare. It may be that the judicial quality of a nation can be ultimately assessed by its behavior during war, more so than during times of peace.

The Parsha concludes with the unique mitzvah of the Eglah Arufa and the process through which the community takes responsibility for the unsolved murders. This ceremony, which reflects the priceless value of life, might be the most eloquent expression of God’s judicial system.

May it be HaShem’s will that we all be blessed with a good and sweet year, in all things material and spiritual, culminating in the revelation of Mashiach and the true and ultimate redemption for the whole world. Amen