Torah Tidbits

9 February 2012 / 16 Shevat 5772
Issue 919
Parshat Sho-f'tim 5770
August 12, 2010

Parsha Points to Ponder

Parsha Points to Ponder for Parshat Sho-f'tim

By Rabbi Dov Lipman

1) Why does the first verse command that there should be judges FOR YOU (LECHA) but then shift and say AND THEY WILL JUDGE THE NATION RIGHT- EOUSLY (V’SHAFTU ET HA’AM) instead of AND THEY WILL JUDGE YOU RIGHTEOUSLY (V’SHAFTU OTCHA)?
2)Why does the Torah say that based on two witnesses we KILL THE DEAD (17:6)? The murderer is not dead when we take him to court to kill him?
3) Why does the Torah say AND IT WILL BE GOOD FOR YOU (V’TOV LACH) specifically regarding the mitzva to kill a murderer (19:13)? Isn’t every mitzva in the Torah GOOD FOR YOU?


Answers - Ponder the questions first and then look here

1) The Kli Yakar explains that the command to appoint judges FOR YOU (LECHA) means that the people who have the power to appoint the judges should make sure that the judges also have power over them and not bend judgements in their favor. The Torah then teaches that once that is in place, the judges will certainly judge the rest of the nation with honesty as well.
2) The Ohr HaChayim answers that the person is symbolically dead since, even if there were no witnesses to his murder, he would be liable to death from heaven. So, we take this person who is destined to death from heaven and kill him.
3) The Ramban teaches that a person can easily justify not killing a murderer by saying that it is good to spare his life and bad to kill anyone. Thus, the Torah specifically states that it is GOOD to kill him because sparing the lives of murderers out of compassion will lead to more killing and death.

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