Parashas Nitzavim just before Rosh HaShanah

Our Parsha this week is Parashas Nitzavim and this Shabbos comes just before Rosh HaShanah . The Haftorah for this Parsha is the last of the Haftorahs of consolation since Tisha B'Av that is from Yeshayahu Isaiah 61:10-63:9.
In this Parsha , Moshe's almost 40 days discourse ends and this Parsha takes place on the last day Moshe was with us then . Moshe starts this Parsha by saying , " Atem Nitzavim Hayom Kulchem Lifnei HaShem Elokeichem , " - " You are standing today all of you before HaShem , your G-D ," to renew the covenant made with our Fore-Fathers, just before we are to enter the land and just before Moshe is about to ascend to HaShem and leave us . Moshe refers to us all standing before HaShem , Heads of the Tribes , Our Elders , Our Officers , Our Small Children , Our Women and the Proselyte , from the Hewer of Wood to the Drawer of Water ( these were the K'na'anim who had requested from Moshe to convert , but Moshe suspected their motives as they claimed to be from a far off people and because Moshe was aware that they were not sincere in coming to Judaism , he allowed them to remain as hewers of stone and water drawers for the Tabernacle ) , were all brought into the renewed covenant with HaShem . Included in this were all Jews past , present and Jews to still be born in future generations - all were standing there that day .
Moshe referred next, to those who may be standing there and not have their heart genuinely with HaShem , but may be considering idol worship . HaShem Here Refers , through Moshe , to a time when we would be exiled and , when that time comes , we must know that HaShem Warned us not to follow idols . Moshe refers to the Blessings and Curses , and when we are being punished , to take it to heart , and if we repent sincerely , HaShem Will Forgive us and bring us back from exile , wherever we have been scattered , and HaShem Will Punish our enemies who mistreated us through those times of Galus , and we will return to HaShem and follow all His Commandments and His Decrees in the Book of the Torah , and HaShem Will Bless us , when we return to Him with all our heart and soul .
HaShem Through Moshe Tells us , that The Torah is always available and reachable . HaShem Foresees that there will be times when some of us will lessen on the Laws and make out they are not to be kept anymore and they will try to change them and lessen on them , so HaShem Prophetically Reminds us , that the Torah is not Distant , but very near us , within our heart and soul , so we must follow it , at all times , through all generations , and never change in any way , never lessen in any way , or reform in any way , all the Laws HaShem Gives . They are to remain the same through all time and must never be lessened or changed in any way . There will be those who might say that the Torah is too hard to keep , so HaShem Says , " It is not in Heaven so we would need to say who will have to ascend to Heaven to take it for us , so we can listen to it and perform it , " for The Torah is very near us and easily accessible , and comes down to us from Shamaim from HaShem , as HaShem Already Brought it down to us on Har Sinai , so we can keep it , though even if it were still only in Heaven , we would be obligated to climb high to reach it and acquire it , just as Moshe had to do , when he went up the Mountain to win against the Angels attempts to prevent him bringing it down to us. HaShem Put The Torah directly in front of us, so we can follow and keep It All .
HaShem Through Moshe Tells us , that it is not across the Sea , that we should say who will go to the other side of the sea to take it for us so that we may listen to it and perform it ," although if it was , it would be our obligation to travel anywhere to attain it and keep it . The Torah is not across the sea , which refers also to that HaShem's Laws are not found in the beliefs of the other nations . HaShem's Laws are only within HaShem's Torah Gift that HaShem Gave to us . And so we must listen to it and perform it . For HaShem Says " Rather , the matter is very near to you - in your mouth and your heart - to perform it . " HaShem's Torah is within us to keep It always . It is interesting that the letters in the words in Hebrew for " in your mouth and your heart ," - " B'ficha U'vilvavcha ," number ten letters , like the Ten Commandments and the Ten Pronouncements that HaShem Uttered to Create Creation . Thus , in keeping HaShem's Word and Commandments in our mouth and heart and fulfilling the Commandments to do them , we are fulfilling the Ten Commandments and most importantly , fulfilling HaShem's Wish for Creation .
The word " La'asoto , " - " To perform it , " ( the Torah and Commandments of HaShem ) that comes after " in your mouth and in your heart , " Teaches us that HaShem Doesn't Just Want us to keep it in our mouth and heart , but It must fulfill It's Purpose , by us " La'asoto , " - " Performing it , " and thus become the Torah , in doing all the Laws .
HaShem Again Reminds us that we have a choice to follow Him and be Blessed , or to stray , Chas Ve Shalom , and be punished. . HaShem Calls Heaven and Earth , as the two witnesses needed for seeing that we keep the Laws , for as we know the witnesses must be the first to punish the perpetrator , and this means that if we disobey , then the Earth will be called upon to punish us , through withholding the goodness that HaShem Has Blessed the Earth to give us , and so we will be brought to account by HaShem , through the Earth , in the form of the physical things on the Earth , that HaShem Gave To the Earth , being withheld , and the Heaven and its host of Malachim and other entities , From HaShem , will be called upon to bring us punishment from HaShem , but if we hearken to The Voice Of HaShem Our G-D , the Earth will be Blessed By HaShem Who Will Bless us abundantly through the Earth from HaShem and the Heaven From HaShem , will open itself to us for a sweet and peaceful holy stay in Shamaim , if we only love HaShem and listen to HaShem's Voice and cleave to HaShem , Who " Is your ( our ) life and the length of your ( our ) days , to dwell upon the land that HaShem Swore To your ( our ) ForeFathers , to Avraham , to Yitzchak and to Yaakov , To Give To them . " So ends the Parsha .
We note how in this Parsha , Moshe refers to us all standing together even as single units together , and so , our Rabbis tell us that this verse is phrased this way , so as to institute a common responsibility from now on , that the actions of one Jew , will now affect the rest of our nation , that if one Jew sins , it will affect the punishment of other Jews , for we are now all standing together as one . Thus , if one Jew lessens on Torah Mitzvos , it will affect other Jews , even far away . All Jews from this point on , now have a common ' Aravus ' - ' Responsibilty , ' for their fellow Jew . Thus a Jew can't say , that he or she will lessen on the Laws and that it won't affect other Jews , because it will . It is like the example of five men on a boat and if one man says that he will drill a hole under his own seat and that it won't affect the other four , how wrong he is , for he will cause his other peers to drown .
The same works the other way , that if Jews Daven together in Minyonim , we thus stand as a collective and so HaShem Judges us all as a whole and the merits of our fellow Jews can also lift us up and help us .This is one of the reasons why we should Daven in a Minyan , for HaShem Scrutinizes more closely , the sins of the individual , unlike would be , if the individual , would stand together with his or her peers . The same is with the four Species in the Lulav and Etrog on Succos , where each represents a different level of Jews , but when brought together , become one and they uplift each other . This is a good thing to remember at this time of year , as we are about to celebrate Rosh HaShanah , the day , in Creation, that HaShem Created Adam Ve Chavah , and so , it is at this particular time , that HaShem Feels Especialy Close to us and Comes Down Closer To us, at this period of time . This is a very specific time , where we all " Nitzavim " - " Stand ," as a collective and individual , before HaShem For Judgement . So it is so important , to go to Shul on this day and every day , for if we stand with our peers , HaShem Looks at us as a collective and Sees our love and Wish collectively , to be close to Him . I am not saying that this period of time should be the only time that Jews should go to Shul , as that is not right . Jews should go to Shul every Shabbos and Jewish males every day three times a day in Shul ( where Jewish Males are Halachically obligated to time bound Mitzvos Kiddushin 29a ' Mitzvos Aseh Shehazeman Gerama ' - ' All Positive Time Bound Mitzvos , ' where women are not obligated to Time Bound Positive Mitzvos ) . A Jew " Nitzavim " " Stands " at all times before HaShem , in the light and in the dark , at Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur and also at every moment and day during the rest of the year . But this is a special time where HaShem Scrutinizes His Creation more fervently . But we , must make an effort at all times to attend Holy full Torah Following Shuls and at all times , must we " Niztavim " - " Stand " up and follow HaShem's Torah Laws . We must Stand up as a nation of Torah and take hold of HaShem's Link ( Torah ) to lead us to Him .
We note that in this Parsha the word " Nitzavim , " for " Standing " is used . Standing is usually ' Omeid ' in Hebrew , though the word ' Natzeiv ' also means ' Standing ,' but the word " Natzeiv " suggests a more upright kind of Erect " Standing . " So why the need for this more erect kind of " Standing " in this context . Taking the word " Niztavim , " and looking within it , one comes to two separate words ,' Natziv ,' and Tzava , which according to the Shimon Silberman Milon Dictionary , ' Natziv ' means ' to Stand erect and one commissoned and ' Tzava ' means ' Assemble , ' thus how must we stand before HaShem . Straight and Erect with respect , ready to be commissioned by HaShem as His Representative , to do His Holy Laws and Bidding and Bring HaShem's Essence into every moment .But how can we possibly Stand before HaShem in an Erect way , and still respect and Honor Him . This erect way to stand before HaShem , is not in reference to a physical arrogant way of standing , Chas Ve Shalom . It is to be a Spiritually Holy and Righteous Erect way of presenting ourselves , before our Creator , as commissioned and representing HaShem within Creation , always standing before HaShem with humility . We are at every moment , " Nitzavim " - " Standing " before HaShem and so , must at all times Follow His Mitzvos and His Holy Ways Thus must we emulate HaShem's Ways and so , by doing that within Creation , we will make Creation a place where HaShem Will Dwell Among us .So how can we " Nitzavim , " - " Stand " before HaShem ? By scrutinizing our every action and making all we do , holy , so we can make ourselves Worthy to Stand before HaShem in love . And how do we bring this World to its intended result in Creation . By " Niztavim , " - " Standing " as the Parsha says " Kulchem " - " All of us , " together , all serving HaShem Together as one in Peace and Harmony . And when must we stand before HaShem . The Parsha says , " Hayom " - " Today " And when is " Hayom " - " Today . " Every day , every minute of every hour , for every moment is within the day and every day is , at that present moment " Hayom " - " Today . "
At all times , we are " Nitzavim " - " Standing , " before HaShem .
And so must we make ourselves always ready to Stand Before HaShem , by being Holy and Faithful to HaShem and His Torah Mitzvos . And if we do and are totally Faithful to HaShem , and follow All His Commandments , HaShem Will Come and Stand Before us For Closeness and Love and Creation will then be filled with the Light and Love of HaShem .
I wish HaShem With Sweet Love Always , A Beautiful Sweet Shabbos Kodesh and Shanah Tovah With Deepest Love Always , and to all my fellow Jews and Creation , a Beautiful Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love and a Kesiva Ve Chasima Tova , Shanah Tovah and a Sweet New Year with love .

Ki Savo

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Ki Savo . The Haftorah for this week is from Yeshayahu Isaiah 60:1-22 and is the next Haftorah from Isaiah of consolation that comes in the row of Parsha Haftorahs after Tisha B' Av .
This Parsha starts by telling us of the Bikkurim First Fruits that we are to bring to Yerushalaim to the Beis Ha Mikdash and give them to the Kohein . Our Rabbis refer to these fruits being of the Seven Species that Israel is Blessed with , being wheat , barley,pomegranates,grapes , figs , dates , and olives . These were to be brought in a beautiful procession with others from the same city at a time , to be brought to the Kohanim and the verses stated in Torah in this Parsha Devarim 26:3-10 ( Mishna Bikkurim 3:6 ) to be recited in the original Hebrew in front of the Kohein . The one's bringing the Bikkurim would also stay overnight in Yerushalaim , taking in the Holiness of Yerushalaim , the Temple and the Avodah of the Kohanim in and around the Temple . This Mitzvah of taking the First Fruits , was given as we were about to enter the Land , so we could be reminded that The Land and All Things , do not belong to us , but that HaShem Who Created All things , is the World's and Creation's True Owner . As soon as the First Fruits ripened , the farmer was to tie a red band around it and declare it Bikkurim . How beautiful is the love for HaShem , by our people , who , having waited so long to come home , keep HaShem's Commandment to give Him the First Fruits before partaking of it themselves . From the moment we were to enter the Land , we were to acknowledge HaShem , Whose Gift this Land and Creation was and is .
The Jews and Israel are like one . HaShem Commanded us to Keep His Laws in Eretz Yisroel and that this Land is a Land where HaShem's Laws must be kept .
Also from the moment we entered the Land of Israel , from travelling in the Wilderness , we were to make a new commitment to HaShem that we would Keep His Torah . HaShem Commanded that as soon as we go over the Jordan River , we were to set up twelve huge stones on which HaShem's Torah would be inscribed . It was to be plastered and thus could be visible to all , entering The Land , that this is to be a Land of HaShem and His Torah and that anyone who doesn't respect that , is not to be there . Thus even the Gentiles were to be able to glean truth from Torah and know that it is to be a Land where HaShem is to be respected , and followed completely , not denying that HaShem is to be followed everywhere . Thus like in Mashiach's time , all are to abide by the Laws of HaShem .
On entering the Land of Israel , the Children of Israel , were also to perform a certain Mitzvah . They , by Tribes , were to stand , six on each of two Mountains , on Mount Gerizim were to stand Simeon , Levi , Yehudah , Yissaschar and Yosef and Binyamin and on Mount Eival , Reuvein , Gad , Asher , Zevulun , Dan and Naphtali opposite them on the other mountain ( divided to a large extent by each Tribe's Fore Mother , wives of Yaakov ) , with the Kohanim and elders in between , down in the valley , and the Kohanim were to call out the words mentioned here in this Parsha , first as a Blessing with each one and then as a curse with each one and an answer of Amein would be given , for the blessings , toward Mount Gerizim and for the curses , toward Mount Eival . So from the moment that we were to enter Eretz Yisroel, we were to renew our covenant with HaShem .Gemorrah Sotah goes into great detail of how the Ceremony was performed . We notice as Chazal say that each of these stated here to be said , ' Amein ' to , were all Aveirahs , that one generally commits in private . HaShem Knows All .
HaShem Then Through Moshe Tells of the Blessings and Curses that will come to us or befall us if we stray from HaShem and His Commandments . First is mentioned the Brochas , the Blessings if we are obedient to HaShem , and then , with full force , HaShem Has Mention Made , of the Tochachah , the Admonition and the Curses that will come upon us for disobedience , getting stronger and stronger , the less we obey and the more we turn away , Chas Ve Shalom , from HaShem and His Commandments . These Tochachah are very strong , how sad that we need them to be so strong , for HaShem Gives us a World and all we need to do is Keep It as HaShem Tells us to . The Tochachah here , was said by Moshe , and Ramban says these Admonitions refer to the sad period of the Second Beis Ha Mikdash and its destruction and our present Galus Exile , while the first Admonition in Leviticus 26 , Ramban tells us , referred to the period up to the destruction of the First Beis Ha Mikdash and our entry into Bavel . No matter how harsh these Curses sound , if only we keep HaShem's Commandments , these Curses will turn around and become Blessings , the opposite of what is said as a curse . The same is with the acknowledgements made on Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival . But even punishment fom HaShem , is for our benefit and improvement and a way for us to enter Gan Eiden purified and changed into a more Holy and Torah Following person .
Moshe ends the Parsha reminding us of HaShem's Miracles in egypt , our passage in the Wilderness for forty years and how our garments didn't wear out nor our shoes . How HaShem Fed us on His Sweet Tray of Dew , the Mannah and how HaShem Helped us smite powerful enemies like Sichon and Og and How HaShem Gave us their land , which was given to the Tribes of Reuvein , Gad and half the Tribe of Manasseh . Moshe ends the Parsha telling us that we " shall observe the words of this covenant , so that we will succeed in all that we do . " So ends the Parsha .
This Parsha is called " Ki Savo , " - " which means " When you Enter ( when you go in ) . " Last week's Parsha was " Ki Seitzei , " which means " When you go out . " So these two Parshas are related , as the whole of the Torah relates to every other part . We notice that when we " Ki Seitzei " - " Go out " from HaShem's Commandments and Protection , we face War and Strife and Curses . But when we " Ki Savo , " - " Come in or enter into " HaShem's Commandments and Torah , we receive beautiful reward and a Land Flowing with Milk and Honey which also refers to Torah in the Land . We receive abundant Brochas Blessings . The whole Parsha of " Ki Savo " that we read this Shabbos has this one continuing theme , of there being two choices always presented to us , of following and keeping HaShem's Torah and Commandments and receiving Blessing , or turning away from HaShem's Commandments and Torah , and being Punished and Cursed . We see this in the past Sedra too and in this one .
We see it in the Ceremony of the two Mountains of Gerizim and Eival and we see it also in the Brochas and Tochachas - the Blessings and Admonitions . So the message is all too clear . HaShem , Since the beginning of time , Has Presented us with two choices . Listen to Him and be Blessed . Or disobey Him , Chas Ve Shalom and the opposite will occur . So the solution to all things , is to Listen to HaShem - Pure and Simple . We have this choice in every day that we live . As we approach Rosh HaShanah , which is the day HaShem Created Man , now is a very good time to look toward Heaven and make the positive right choices and choose HaShem and His Torah . Our Rabbis teach us of the sounds and shape of the Shofar that we blow on Rosh HaShanah and also during the month of Elul , just before Tishrei . Our Shofarim that sound the Tekiah , Teruah and Shevarim sounds , are meant to sound like crying and pleading for HaShem's Love and Mercy . How can we possibly ignore that . Rosh Ha Shanah is a Beautiful time , when HaShem Is Closest to us ( on the day When HaShem Created man ) , to Appeal to Him and Make the Decision from that moment on , to follow Him wholeheartedly . As the Shofar is to be bent and not straight , so must we be bent and humble and conciliatory in pleading for HaShem's Forgiveness and Closeness , and thus make the decision here and now that from now on , we will follow HaShem and His Torah and Commandments Only . Every day , we can come close to HaShem and follow His Torah . We should at all times choose the right way . In fact , in every moment that we breathe , this choice is presented to us . HaShem Doesn't Want us to stray . It is us that does stray , when we go against HaShem . Deep down , no one really logically wants to stray from HaShem . It is irrational and not at all logical . We know there is no future in going our own wrong way . We know that HaShem Created all things . So it is so logical for us to choose correctly to follow HaShem . So why do we sometimes get tempted to go the wrong way , Chas Ve Shalom . Because we forget HaShem and His Commandments in those moment and think only of what we want . How sad , that we wouldn't even have those moments . HaShem Gives us every moment that exists . so we should give HaShem every moment we have . So how do we overcome this problem of putting ourselves first . We keep always HaShem before us . We must bring HaShem into everything we do . The life of the Religious Jew does exactly that . Keeping The Torah , does exactly that . The Laws are there to help us , giving us a helping hand through this World .
To accommplish our task , let us take lesson from the last Parsha and this one . To overcome the negative , make sure not to " Ki Seitzei , " - " Go out from and away from HaShem , " Chas Ve Shalom , by choosing for HaShem's Sake , not for our own . How do we always stay on the right path . By " Ki Savo , " Entering into , " HaShem's Commandments and Torah , and not letting ourselves follow our own wants , which are completely illogical and have no future , and only a temporary momentary pull that dies before it really starts . If we find ourselves faced with a choice , we mustn't sit and think , because thinking what to do , is an opportunity for the Yetzer Horah to pull us away . We must , straight away , " Ki Savo , " Enter into , " and walk toward HaShem 's Choice , without any thought necessary . So how do we know what is HaShem's Choice ? We go and learn . We go and study HaShem's Torah , Where the Truth is , by becoming more of a Torah Follower every day and learning more Torah every day . So when the negative pull comes , we will know without thought , what to do and it will be the right Torah Choice , for our learning of Torah , our Guide to Life From HaShem , will lead us . Thus Torah , is not just for the sake of learning It's Holiness , but HaShem Gave it to us , so that we can become It . It Starts with learning but must never end there , for the sweet purpose of learning is to practice , as Pirkei Avos teaches .
The more we walk away from " Ki Seitzei , " HaShem , the colder it gets and the further we lose ourselves and the True Truth . The more we come close to and enter and come to HaShem's Closeness , " Ki Savo , " the warmer we get and the closer to the true Truth we get , and are surrounded by .
Truth is not found elsewhere away from the Truth of HaShem , for HaShem Is The Truth and the True Truth . Thus Truth is only to be found with HaShem The True Truth and the Guide to Him That He Gave us , the Lighthouse to guide us back to shore , His Torah Of True Truth .
How interesting that last week's Parsha " Ki Seitzei , " ends with the words " Lo Tishkach , " - " You shall not forget , " and this Parsha ends with the words " Ush'martem Et Divrei Ha'Bris Hazos Va'asitem Otam Le Ma'an Taskilu Eit Kol - Asher Ta'asun , " - " You shall observe the words of this covenant , so that you will succeed in all that you do . " So if we put this together as we interrelated the first words of these two Parshas , we get , ' And you shall not forget HaShem , or His Covenant , but observe the words of this covenant , so that you will succeed in all that you do . " It couldn't be more clear than that .
So , if you walk away from HaShem and His Commandments , Chas Ve Shalom , you will lose your way . But if you follow HaShem and His Commandments , HaShem Will Take you to Heaven .
I wish HaShem With Deepest Love , a Very Sweet and Special Shabbos Kodesh With Love and to all my fellow Jews and to all of Creation , a very Sweet and Special Shabbos Kodesh with Love .

Parashas Ki Seitzei

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Ki Seitzei and the Hafotrah continues with the sections from Isaiah offering consolations , started on the Shabbos after Tisha B'Av , and this weeks's Haftorah is from Yeshayahu Isaiah 54:1-10 .
This week's Parsha starts by talking of the Yefas -Toar , the foreign woman that a soldier desires from the enemy they are at war with , then HaShem , Understanding the needs and desires of physicality , Gives certain Laws that one must abide by , in order for this woman to become a wife of that man . HaShem Instructs that she is to be brought to the midst of his house , her head shaved and her nails to be left to grow and she is to remove the fancy clothes the enemy put on her and she is to sit in clothes of mourning , weeping for her parents for a full month and only after that may a marriage take place . It was the way of the enemy's women in times of war in those days , to be set to dress in the finest garments so as to entice the male army attacking them . The object of this set of Laws in this Torah Portion , was to give the captured , an opportunity to mourn for those lost and also , for the Jewish man , who desired her , to hopefully lose interest in her once he saw her in a more dishevelled way with her head shaved and nails long . It was a marriage that did not fully come from true motives of conversion , for it was not purely being done for the sake of HaShem which is what it should have been .
The Torah then talks of not passing over the firstborn's right of inheritance , just because the Father may prefer the new wife of the younger child .
Torah continues with the Laws of the " Bein Sorer Umoreh , " - " the Wayward and Rebellious son . " This son is one who does not listen to his parents and even after disciplining him , then he still doesn't listen so it is their task to bring him for judgement , saying that he is a " glutton and a drunkard , " and he is judged with stoning . A person who is a glutton and a drunkard , shows no self respect and no control over his physical desires and such a person does not deserve to be part of the Jewish nation , who follow HaShem in Holiness . This is a person usually of the ages of 13 to 13 and 3 months ( for he must be of age after Bar Mitzvah , but not so long as he is to be still under the authority of his parents ) , to be judged by the court that he is a glutton and a drunkard , one who disobeys his parents . This is a case , where Torah forewarns us and punishes this boy , before his sins take on a much worse punishment , thus the judgement actually saves the boy's soul before he commits worse Aveiras that he becomes accountable for. Our Sages say there never was and never will be a case like this . Torah Tells us then that a body hanged for a sin is not to be left over night hanging but buried on that same day .
The Parsha Teaches about the concern for another's property and then Tells us that a man may not wear the garments of a woman and nor may a woman wear the garments of a man as this is an abomination of HaShem . These Laws go very deep , where even articles used by men , women cannot use for the same reason. HaShem made separation for holiness and in His Wisdom , HaShem Knows what is best and that there are to be two distinct human genders and these two genders are not to overlap . HaShem Knows Best how this World is to Continue and that within Creation , Creation continues from generation to generation , with men and women having their separate roles and needs in bringing forth the next generation for Creation . HaShem Talks of the Law of Sending away the Mother Bird and then Teaches about ensuring safety for others , even in one's own home to ensure others don't get hurt Chas Ve Shalom . We are not only to worry about ourselves in this World but be concerned that nothing we do can harm another , Chas Ve Shalom .
The Laws of Kilayim are then discussed , where " Kilayim , " refers to the Laws of " Mixtures , " where we may not sow our vineyards with a mixture . There is holiness in separation and control , like Kashrus , where HaShem Gave each part of His Creation , its place and He Knows best what is needed in Creation and thus we are not to mix different species to make a new species , for this is like telling HaShem that we know better that this new species must be . HaShem Created Creation with all that is needed within it and we are not to think we know better by adding to it . We do not Know Anything and thus we are to rely on HaShem and trust Him that He Knows what is needed and what is not .
We are cautioned not to plow with an ox and a donkey together , again a warning against mixing two different species . This is also meant as a kindness to both animals , for each animal has its different eating habits and times and power and strength and capacity of endurance and so , with such different habits , each one could affect the other adversely , while both are tied together . Very important as I mentioned , is mixing species which is forbidden . The Laws of not mixing continue to Shatnez , the Laws forbidding the mixing of wool and linen . Thse Laws of Kilayim and Shatnez are linked to Chukkim , Laws that are not openly explainable , as also tests for our faithfulness and love to HaShem , with also deeper reasons and meaning then what is openly apparent . One explanation our Rabbis give for the possibility to not mix wool and linen , may go back to Kayin and Hevel ( Cain and Abel ), where Kayin brought flax , like linen and Hevel brought an offering of sheep representative of wool . We know what happened to Hevel by Kayin and so possibly we don't mix these two . Only in a garment of Tzitzis , a most holy Garment , can these two fabrics be brought together in a holy setting such as Tzitzis for its Holiness brings Shalom Peace to Kayin and Hevel and Linen and wool . No wonder , Tzitzis are mentioned next in Torah after Shatnez , and isn't it also interesting that Shatnez is thought to be an egyptian word , where anything unholy and negative was permitted there in days of old . How Holy a Garment is Tzitzis where its name as a Gematrical value comes to 600 and added to this the 5 knots and 8 strings , comes to remind us of the 613 Mitzvos of a Jew . Even the windings of each corner and the number of windings have a very holy significance , where the first 3 sections have 7,8 and 11 windings which total 26 , which is the same Gematrical value as HaShem's Tetragrammaton " Yud Kei Vav Kei ," and the last part has 13 windings , which relate also to the 13 Principles of Faith by the Rambam of what is a Jew , mentioned as tenets in the Gemorrah, as well as the 13 Attributes of Mercy , to attain HaShem's Forgiveness . The age of 13 is also the age of attaining maturity in Yiddishkeit at Barmitzvah and is the time when a boy attains adulthood and becomes accountable for himself and he can become part of a Minyan .
HaShem Tells us next of the ' Get ' the Bill of Divorce and the Laws around it and all things related and also about forbidden and restricted marriages . Also , about who may and may not enter the congregation of HaShem into the Jewish people . A Mamzer , from a forbidden relationship may not enter the congregation of Hashem . Also well an Ammonite , for they did not show kindness to us when we were coming out of Egypt and a lack of kindness is against the depths of Jewishness . Also a Moabite may not enter into the congregation of HaShem , for they tried to get Bilaam to curse us and their people , filled with a complete lack of purity , tried and succeeded in enticing some of our Jewish men to Avodah Zorah Idol Worship . An Edomite and an Egyptian may enter into the Congregation of HaShem , for the Egytpians at the beginning , did let us stay in Goshen ( the place originally given by Pharaoh to Sarai ) in Yosef and Yaakov's time and offered us then , kindness . See how far a little bit of kindness can go . Edom being our brother may , but the Edomite and Egyptian may only marry a Jew , after the third generation .
We are also taught the sanctity of the Jewish Camp and how it is to be , even its soldiers , who are to be holy and Torah following .
Should an escaped slave come to us for shelter and should they have escaped their terrible master , we are to give them sanctuary and are to keep the Holy Land pure .The Jewish Nation , its men and women are to be holy and not promiscuous and keep family holiness and purity . Interest and vows are discussed as well as the Laws of Workers being allowed to eat while they work if they work with that specific food .
Laws of Divorce and Remarriage are mentioned as well as if , when lending to a fellow Jew , not to take that which he works with for living as a pledge , or enter into his home to get the pledge but to rather wait outside. Laws of punishing for Kidnapping are Explained as well as Slander and its punishment of Tzaraas , timeous payment of workers and that each is punished for their own sin , where one person cannot take on another person' s sin , the consideration for orphans and widows and the many Laws of gifts to the poor are then given in this beautiful Parsha . Laws of allowing the corner of one's field to be kept aside , not picking up stalks dropped and leaving certain ones for the poor all come into these Laws . We saw how Ruth , who came to glean in the fields of Boaz , knew these Laws and that was why Boaz noted how Ruth was so special for she kept these Laws to the most minute degree , as our Midrash Devarim ( Rabbi Weissman ) tells us . The Parsha Teaches about the Laws of giving Lashes , to be given by the count , and were an extra lash given more than the amount allotted to be given , then this was beyon=d the punishment and had its repercussions . Forty to the Count and the Gemorrah talks of that just in case that extra lash was given that would extend beyond the 40 , usually 39 and less were administered depending on how many the person could stand , usually a division of the closest 3 , as a sign of mercy , for even HaShem in Punishment , is merciful for one's own good .
The ox was instruted not to be muzzled as a sign of compassion , so that the ox could graze while working . The Torah then Teaches of the Laws of Yibum , where a man dies childless and it was the obligation of his survivng brother , to marry her and bring up children in his name . Should he not wish to marry her , a ceremony was held where his shoe was removed , where she would read words of Torah allied to this and would spit in front of him . Again , the true meaning of the details of this , is hidden in Chukkim , but the action of spitting was a representation of the liquid sperm that he was refusing in order to bring up children in his dead brother's name . This ceremony of removing of the shoe , was called Chalitzah . We saw a case of this in Bereishis Genesis , with regards to Yehudah's sons Er and Onan and Sheilah . In days of old before the Torah was given on Har Sinai , Yibum was to be performed by the closest relative , but afterwards , became the obligation of the brother of the deceased childless man .
Laws of embarrasing another are mentioned with regards to a wife who , in defending her husband , touches another man where she shouldn't . Here , a person's inner purity is called into play . HaShem Teaches then that we are to have honest weights and measures . The Law includes not only using dishonest weights and measures , but also to not keeping them in one's possession , Chas Ve Shalom .
The Parsha ends with a reminder to never forget what Amalek did to us as we left Egypt . We are to wipe them out . Unlike the other nations that had or felt some awe at the time , about the Miracles Performed by HaShem for us When Taking us out of Egypt , Amalek on the other hand did not even acknowledge Hashem in any way and HaShem's Miracles , and put them down to ordinary happenings that this is naturally what HaShem Can Do ' so why should it be special . ' HaShem , Maintains a war with Amalek till Moshiach comes . Amalek , knowing full well , our state and condition as we left Egypt and what we had suffered , going as far as having meetings with Bilaam at the time and with Pharaoh , persuaded Bilaam to curse the borders of Egypt so that us Jews would be locked in and not be able to leave . This is Amalek . When we finally did leave , they attacked those of us who were weaker and hindmost , and also those of us who were not traveling within the Clouds Of Glory , at the rear of our Camp . This is Amalek . Yehoshuah was given order to attack them . Within Amalek , is the very essense of those who fight G-D and try destroy the ideals and even thoughts of G-D in society . The idea of a world of atheism , is a type akin to amalek , who go out of the way to try and take G-D Away from Creation , Chas Ve Shalom . Impossible as it is , for HaShem Created Creation , but their mind set is one that tries to remove the idea of G-D . I am not saying that atheists are amalek . I am just saying that such an ideal , is the mindset of an amalekite . We usually read this part just before Purim on Shabbos Parashas Zachor to remember Amalek at a time when their descendant Haman tried to destroy us . If only Shaul Hamelech would have obeyed instead of thinking to be more merciful than HaShem , when HaShem Warned us to wipe them out , men, women and children , for seeing that Shaul didn't listen , Amalek grew from their king agag and ended up with Haman , later on down the generations . The true way to fight Amalek , is with Torah and Learning Torah as Yaakov learnt by his Father Yitzchak . Amalek will only be wiped out in Moshiach's time and not before , for their Sar - their protecting angel Samael , the angel that tempted Chava in Gan Eiden and the angel that fought Yaakov , will be removed only then , when the World follows HaShem Only and overcomes its Yetzer Horah . So ends the Parsha .
This Parsha Ki Seitzei as I mentioned starts out with the Laws of the Yefas Toar , the woman of beautiful form , whom a soldier desires from the enemy in a war and is given a way he can be with her . I also mentioned that this is not the desired way to be a convert to Yiddishkeit . A true Gair Tzeddek is one who comes to HaShem for HaShem .
Such a convert to Judaism , has only come due to physicality and its desires . Such a relationship , tends to lead to consequences , and this is why HaShem Instructs on how she must be for the month after she is brought . So that his desire for her will abate . The way the Torah Writes this , has its reason for its order , for a Yefas Toar and then the first born's right of the hated wife , leading to a rebellious son , to hanging the one who sinned . Our Rabbis teach us that HaShem Specifically Put it all in this order To Teach us strongly , the result of marrying such a foreign woman for physical wants and desires. For such a relationship and marriage , leads to hatred between family and spouse , which leads to problems of and jealousy of inheritance and the child of such an untrue convert , bares a rebellious and wayward son who ends up possibly sinning and facing judgement . We saw this in the case of Dovid Ha Melech who married a Yefas Toar called Maacah , daughter of Talmai King of Geshur and so was born to David and Maacah , Absalom , who tried to take over David's Kingdom , and Tamar , who had the physical incident with her half brother Amnon . Both Absalom and Tamar prided themselves on their looks . In the case of Tamar , it was her looks that enticed Amnon , and with regards to Absalom , Dovid's general Yoav caught up with Absalom as he was riding away and Absalom's hair that he prided himself in , got tangled in a tree ( thus he was hanged - where this Parhsa talks of the one who sins getting hanged as a result ) and Yoav plunged three spears into him , for the three concubines of his Father Dovid that he took from his Father . Such is the result of a Yefas Toar .
But what is the start of the pathway to wrong here . It is in the very word " Yefas Toar " in referring to a Woman of Beautiful form . In other words the physical . Those who get caught up in outer exterior trappings and ignore the G-Dliness within where the true value is , fall very short . They basically forget to seek holiness and purity and step out and away as it were from HaShem . We see this in this Parsha , for it is in the very word that names this Parsha - " Ki Seiztei , " which means , " When you go out , " which can also be taken , as when you go out from holiness and holy ways , thus stepping away from HaShem , all the misfortunes of such a path come about . Our road is meant to be toward HaShem . A road away , as this Parsha within the words show , leads to " Lamilchamah " - " War . " Traveling away from Torah Ways , away from HaShem , leads to a life of " war " and troubles , a life of little value . Such a life traveling out of and away from Torah leads ( as this Parsha leads in the end ) to Amalek and destruction .
Within the words " Yefas Toar , " are depths that so explain this . Taking for example the word " Yefas or Yefat , " the word ' Fa't " means stalemate and not getting anywhere , thus traveling away from HaShem , and the word ' Fatai , ' refers to a 'seducer ' also , such actions of negativity that take one away from HaShem , represented by the Yud letter before it for a few of HaShem's Names start with Yud . The word " Toar , " also has within it depths of meaning that relate to this idea . The word ' Ta' eiv , ' refers to lust and passion , ' and ' Aror ' from Ar in Toar , ' refer to being cursed , where such a physical and only lustful life , leads away from the ' Ohr , ' Light '( Hebrew Words from The Compact up to date Dictionary by Shimon Zilberman ) . So chasing after physicality and impure debauchery , only leads on a way from the Light of HaShem , where one loses Blessings and gains curses , such is the result of a life purely focused on passion and physicality , for the seducing Yetzer Horah will pull a person in further and further if one just gives it an opening . Such are the dangers of " Ki Seitzei , " - " Going out from " HaShem's Torah and Laws and Love and Light and Care . The Yetzer Horah comes first as an unwanted guest , and if one lets it in , it moves in lock stock and barrel and doesn't want to move out and thus is then harder to get rid of . Better to not let it in in the first place , before it gets a foothold .
So the solution is simple . Remain within HaShem's Mitzvos and stay in His Light and Love . Don't look out toward foreign ways that may appear to lead someone somewhere , but won't actually lead one anywhere and seeing as such ways are against HaShem's Commandments , even though those ways may profess to lead to G-D , they won't lead you to HaShem , for only HaShem's Commandments and Laws can lead you to HaShem . Stepping away and going out from the Presence of HaShem and His Torah , leads one away to negativity that doesn't lead one home at all to HaShem , but rather further away . Stepping toward HaShem and His Mitzvos , leads you to the Beauty ( Yofi ) of the True Light ( Ohr ) of HaShem . And when we do the right thing for HaShem , HaShem Will Deliver our enemies ( Amalek ) " Netano HaShem Elokeicha Beyadecha , " - " HaShem Your G-D Will Deliver them Into your hand . "
The Torah and Miztvos of HaShem , Are our Guide and Path to Life in the Now and Life Hereafter . HaShem's Torah and Mitzvos are our path to HaShem and HaShem's Gift of Eternity in the Originally Created Gan Eiden , where we will sit and basque in the True Love and Beauty of HaShem Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu .
I wish HaShem With Love A Beautiful and Special Shabbos Kodesh with Deep Love , and to all my fellow Yidden and to all of Creation , a Blessed and Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love .

Parashas Shoftim

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Shoftim and the Haftorah , again as part of the series of Parshas from Isaiah as hope after Tisha B'Av a few weeks ago, is from Yeshayahu Isaiah 51:12-52:12 talking of hope in the Messianic times and that HaShem Is our Savior , The One and Only, an important Truth to remember , when Israel Wants a king, as the other nations have , seeing as in this Parsha of Shoftim , the tenets of a Jewish King are mentioned .
This Parsha of Shoftim starts out with the Commandment to appoint " Shoftim Ve Shotrim , " - " Judges and Officers , " in all our cities which HaShem our G-D Gives us , in order to judge the people with righteous judgement and the Officers to ensure the Law is carried out and to act as Law Keepers to bring those breaking the Law to Judgement Court.
HaShem Teaches here how a Judge is to conduct himself and what kind of a person he is to be .
Torah Tells us that the Judge is to Judge with Righteous Judgement . This refers to Judging by HaShem's Law, not man made Laws . The Judge is not to pervert Judgement , changing it to suit himself or in favor of the wrong .The Judgement must be straight and honest according to HaShem's Torah . Torah Tells us the Judge " shall not respect someone's presence , " which means that the Judge shall not give favor to a litigant who may be of a higher position or status or change Judgement feeling sorry for a person who is poor . The Judge is to treat both litigants with equality and the same , not showing any favor bias to one or the other , whether they be rich or poor , higher position person or lower position person . They are to be treated the same , where the Judge is not to show more respect to one or the other but rather to treat them as equals . And also very importantly , the Judge is not in any way , whether financially or even in a form of a favor , ever to accept a bribe , for as The Torah so beautifully puts it , " for the bribe will blind the eyes of the wise and make just words crooked . "
So a Jewish Judge is to be a person who follows Torah with their heart and soul , a person of high intelligence and one who will not be afraid to pass judgement on a person , no matter if that person would threaten them . The Judge is to be a person who will not accept bribes and judge totally fairly for they are a representative of HaShem on Earth . Our Sages say that when a Judge Judges , he is to picture a sword hanging above his head , ready to come down on him should he not judge properly , and Gehinnom below him , to fall into , should he not judge properly . Thus Judging others is as a matter of life and death , for when judging one's fellow , one may have to judge another , and they may have to pay with their livelihood . Dovid Ha Melech was a great and holy Tzaddik , and he would do a very special thing . He would judge litigants with strict fairness and if it came to judging one who couldn't afford the judgement rendered , he would still judge fairly , even if it meant having to judge a poor man who is to pay and if the person was a good and moral person who was Torah Observant , or even really down and out financially , Dovid Ha Melech , after the Judgement was passed , would see to it that this man or litigant would be given the funds to pay in an honorable and charitable way , via Dovid's own personal money . But the litigant was judged first and would not know that Dovid may help him out afterwards . The Torah Portion here also repeats the word " Righteousness where it is written here , " Righteousness Righteousness shall you pursue , " where our Sages explain that this means that even when pursuing righteousness , the actions we are to take in the pursuit of righteousness , must also be in a righteous way . So we must never think in the way that it is okay to do something wrong morally in order ' for the end to justify the means . ' That is not what Torah Teaches . Only through Righteous methods , are we to pursue Righteousness .
HaShem then Commanded that we are not to ever plant idolatrous trees near the Altar of HaShem our G-D or erect a pillar . This was also the case when building the Temple . No Trees were allowed near the Temple , for this was a practice of the idolators and pagans , that would put asheirah , trees for worship . Jeremiah the Prophet was also Commanded and thus related to us in Jeremiah 10 : 2-5 that we are forbidden to even decorate trees as the heathens do , for this is and was a practice of idolworship , being a part of many idol worshiping beliefs and totally pagan , as was erecting a pillar ( single pillar ) , for this too was a part of idol worshiping ways .
HaShem Commands us not to offer to Him a blemished offering .
HaShem Instructs us that should we find in our cities that HaShem our G-D Gave us , one who commits evil , violating the Covenant , going and serving the idols and beliefs of others that are not Jewish , thus breaking this Torah Law of following Avodah Zorah by serving other idol worshiping beliefs and bowing down to their idols , or to the sun or moon , then the matter shall be investigated , and if it be found that they did such a thing , then HaShem Commands us to sentence that person to death with S'kila Stoning , but by the testimony of two or three witnesses only can a person be condemned to death , but never by the testimony of a single witness . It is to be the hands of the witnesses , who are to be the first to put that person to death and then the entire people afterwards , for we are to destroy the evil from our midst .
The Great Sanhedrin has final say and their Judgement is to be abided by , even by elders .
HaShem Then Discusses the Laws of the Jewish King . HaShem In His Torah here Foretells how we as Jews will in the future ask for a king as other nations have . This we did , in Shmuel the Prophet's time , where our first Jewish king was Shaul Saul son of Kish the Benjaminite . This angered HaShem and Shmuel the Prophet , for we should not have asked for a king , as HaShem Is our True King . How sad in our Jewish History how many of the kings of Israel and Judah led us to exile by the behavior of so many of our kings , disobeying HaShem and following the ways of idol worship and the pagan ways of the other nations . How sad that HaShem Had to meet the Kohanim that remained , on the roof of the Temple and Put His Hand Down from Heaven and those Kohanim had to hand HaShem the Keys to the Temple , before the Temple was destroyed . How HaShem Loves His people for He Rather destroyed His House The Temple , rather than His People Israel , before HaShem Sent us into exile . HaShem Here , in this Parsha Teaches us who and how a Jewish king is to be . A Jewish king is not to be a foreign man , but only one of our brethren Jews . The Jewish king must be a man that HaShem Chooses , where a Prophet is sent to anoint him , and the anointing must take place by a holy Torah following Jewish prophet , and the holy anointment oil must be only from the ingredients stated directly in the Torah . So will Moshiach ( whose root is ' Limshicho ' - ' To Anoint ' ) need to be anointed with the holy anointment oil described in The Torah , and the anointing must and can only be done by a Jewish Torah following Prophet . We may not place over us as a king , one who is not Jewish .
The chosen Jewish king must not have too many horses for himself so that he will not return to Egypt to increase horses ( for that is where alot of the beautiful horses came from at that time ) , for HaShem Warned us Jews never to return that way again , after leaving Mitzrayim . The Jewish King must not have too many wives , that will lead his heart astray to foreign ways Chas Ve Shalom . The Jewish king must not greatly increase his silver and gold for himself . The Jewish king is to write himself two copies of The Torah , one copy that was the norm for every Jewish religious male to have done at the time and the second , to be a smaller physical size Torah that the Jewish king is to carry with him always and he is to read from it all the days of his life so that he will learn to fear HaShem our G-D , to observe HaShem's Torah and Commandments and Decrees and do them . The sight of a Jewish king was to be very different one , from the other nation's kings , where the Jewish king represented HaShem , not himself , riding out with Tefillin , which was worn all day long then on his left arm , and carrying the small copy of the Torah he had written , on his right arm , a man totally to be immersed in HaShem and HaShem's Will Only . The Jewish king was to always remember that he is just a messenger worker for HaShem , to carry out HaShem's Will , not his own .
Sadly , as great and wise as Shlomo Ha Melech was , he thought his power of resolve would overcome the Yetzer Horah and he mistakenly felt that he could amass horses and wealth , and still be strong enough to withstand the negativity . Sadly , he was mistaken , for the 700 wives he had and 300 concubines , that he had , for the sake of making peace with his neighbors , brought idol worship into the Holy Land and the Horses he amassed , the most beautiful arabians ( horses ) , caused some Jews to have to return to Egypt in order to be a part of and assist with the business of horses coming from there and so , the wisest of the wise Shlomo Ha Melech found how wrong he was , for HaShem Only Is Wise and Knows all and must always be obeyed . We know that it was Shlomo Ha Melech who worked so hard building the Temple , and on the night of The Temple's Inauguration , was it also arranged for it to be the marriage of him to his first egyptian wife . His egyptian wife , lying to him and still being involved in idol worship , wanted to do everything possible not to let the Temple Inauguration take place , so she plied him with wine , the first time he partook of wine throughout all the years the Temple was being built , and while he was asleep , had hung , a black very large material above his bed and put glittering pieces so he would think in his state , that the stars were still out and so it was still night , and so , on the day he so awaited , to Inaugurate the Holy Temple , he continued to sleep . The Kohanim and elders , waited for his arrival , for they couldn't themselves open the doors to the new Temple , for Shlomo Ha Melech so loved the Temple and It's work , that he carried the keys for It with him , and while sleeping always kept it under his pillow , to be close while he slept , to HaShem's Commanding of him to build the Temple , and so all waited for the king . It was only when Shlomo's Ima , the holy Batsheva ( for whom Shlomo wrote the beautiful words of Eishes Chayil that we say at the Kiddush of the evening Shabbos Meal in honor of the Holy Jewish woman ) was asked where her son is , that she , wise as she will always be , knew what was going on and so she personally came in to the king , her son , woke him from his purposely organized sleep , and so could Shlomo then attend the Inauguration of the Holy Temple . HaShem Always Knows Best and Is Always to be listened to and obeyed .
The Parsha then explains about the Priestly gifts .
The Sedra then teaches us of the false prophet , where HaShem Instructs us that when we come to the Land of Israel , we are not to follow the abominations of those nations . We are not to put our children through the fire as sacrifices . HaShem Abhors human sacrifice in any way for atonement of sin . We are not to practice divinations , be an astrologer following the stars and lucky times , following omens , sorcery , being an animal charmer or the evil practice of inquiring of the ov and yidoni or consulting the dead and bringing them up to answer things or tell of future happenings like mediums do , for these things are a total abomination to HaShem . HaShem Will Establish for us Prophets , true Torah following Prophets. And only these are True Prophets .Should one claiming to be a prophet , come and speak in the name of HaShem , that which HaShem Has Not Commanded , or who will speak in the name of foreign ways or deities of others , in other words , one who comes and speaks words that HaShem Did Not Command , thus making up his own Laws , so trying to abrogate and remove even a single Law of HaShem , from the Torah or Tanach ,that person is a false prophet and must die . One way to tell , Says HaShem here in this Sedra is if that person speaks in the name of HaShem that an event will occur and it doesn't occur exactly when and how that person said it would , then this person is false and it is assured that HaShem Has not spoken such things through that person . For HaShem Is Never wrong and Knows all things and what will come to pass .
The Sedra then Teaches of the Cities of Refuge and also speaks of not changing another's land boundaries . This was an action that people in Noach's time did not abide by . They would keep changing their land boundary so as to increase their own , and would even go as far as increasing it , only in increments that would not be enough at once done , to be considered as theft . Even cheating by pretending to be legal , is still cheating . Theft is a destroyer of society .
HaShem Speaks of Witnesses and that they must always be honest and never conspire against anyone , for the false witness , will get the punishment that they were trying to put on their fellow who they were trying to talk against .
Torah then teaches the Laws of when Israel is to go to war and How HaShem Will Fight For us . That there will be a ' Kohein Meshuach Milchama , ' a Kohein anointed for War , who will speak to the people and remind them just before the battle , for Whom they are fighting and how HaShem Will Be There At their side .We are not to be afraid of the enemy , or their large horses armored for battle or their chariots and war cries , or their numbers or the trumpets they blow , for HaShem our G-D Who Brought us up from the land of Egypt , Will Save us . Just before the battle , those men who have just built a new house and not yet inaugurated it , those men who have planted a vineyard and not yet redeemed it , those men who have just betrothed a woman , and not yet married her , and the man who is fearful and faint-hearted , all these , must return home and not partake in the battle . First , before going to war against another , we are to first offer them overtures of peace and that they live according to HaShem's Laws given to Noach . If they do not accept , then we are to smite them . They cannot remain idol worshipers in the Land . HaShem Gives us a special Instruction , that when we besiege a city , we are not to destroy its fruit trees .
The Parsha ends with the Laws of the " Eglah Arufah , " - " The axed heifer , " where , if a corpse is found on the land that HaShem our G-D has given us to possess it , fallen in the field and it wasn't known who killed this person , then the Elders and Judges are to go out and measure towards the cities which is the closest city to the corpse and the elders of that city are to come out and perform the Eglah Arufah , and they are to also wash their hands over the heifer that was axed in the valley and say , " Our hands have not spilled this blood and our eyes did not see . Atone for your people Israel that You Have Redeemed , O HaShem : Do not place innocent blood in the midst of Your people Israel . " The true meaning of this Eglah Arufah is a Chok , a Law where its deep meaning is actually hidden , but we do understand that the closest city needs to atone , for seeing as this person was murdered , nearest their city , this person wasn't given proper accompaniment safely out of their city and so , hold a responsibility to what happened to this person . Our Forefather Avraham always kept up the tenet of escorting a guest . Also , the city closest , also holds a responsibility for this murder , in that had they been more holy , the essence of that holiness , would have prevented such a sad occurence coming about . The Laws of HaShem Are Most Deep and totally beyond our level of understanding . So ends the Parsha .
We note that at the beginning of this Parsha of " Shoftim , " which means " Judges , " HaShem Asks us to Appoint " Shoftim Ve Shotrim Bechol Sh'arecha Asher HaShem Elokecha Notein Lecha , " - " Judges and Officers shall you appoint in all your cities which HaShem , your G-D Gives you . "
So HaShem Wants us to appoint Judges and Officers " Bechol She'arecha , " - " in all our cities , " , thus each city has to have its own court of Justice , and depending on how many members in each city , either less than or more than 120 people in the city , so will be the size of the amount of Judges , always an odd number , to make sure there will never be a tied verdict .
But there is also a deeper meaning here in the first words of this Parsha . When HaShem is asking us to appoint Judges and Officers ' in our cities , ' where should we start our judging and overseeing and controlling ? Within us . Within our own personal ' city ,' - our own personal ' body . ' Before we look to others and judge and be official over them , we must first look at ourselves . Many a time , the faults we see in others , are the faults we ourselves possess . This is often what causes us to see those very faults in others .
So where does HaShem Want us to start ? By first looking to ourselves and correcting ourselves , before we Judge others and come down on them . I am not saying we shouldn't help others grow spiritually by correcting them and this should be our holy motive . Of course we must . But we need to also look to ourselves and correct ourselves . The best teacher of holiness is the one who practices it themselves and teaches by example . It is far easier to come down on others , then to humbly come down on ourselves . So we must be " Shoftim Ve Shotrim , " - " Judges and Officers " on ourselves too . We are now in the Month of Elul , working up to Rosh HaShanah , where we need to really look at ourselves and correct ourselves , doing Teshuvah for our wrongs . It is around this time that HaShem Takes note of what happened at and around this time in history when HaShem Created Creation near the end of Elul ( the First Day of Creation was on the 25th of Elul ) and on the first of Tishrei Rosh HaShanah , Did HaShem Create Adam Ve Chava , so HaShem , around this time , Yearns so much for our closeness and so , He Comes Down Closer to us . This is a perfect time , though we should do it always at all times , that we take stock of ourselves and truly be " Shoftim and Shotrim , " for ourselves , Judging ourselves honestly and humbly , so we can take note of our wrongs like a good Judge does and correct what we need to correct on ourselves like a good Officer would do and so , become a true worker for HaShem . At the end of the day , only we can correct ourselves . This is a choice HaShem Has Given us . Only we can choose to climb higher in holiness and spirituality . HaShem Gave us a Caring task to work on , and that is ourselves , as HaShem Says in the first verse of this Parsha , " Asher HaShem Elokecha Notein Lecha , " - " That HaShem our G-D Has Given you , " a physicality that needs to be made holy , with the life soul that HaShem Has Given each and every one of us , to assist in bringing ourselves higher , to HaShem . So let us all , in this holy month of Elul , with honest introspection , really and honestly look within and take HaShem's Gift , of this time of year , to work ourselves up to Heaven . HaShem Desires our closeness . Let us give HaShem our closeness and correct ourselves purely and honestly and make ourselves into the greatest gift we can give HaShem , and that is our total choice of holiness to be close to HaShem , in total love , and to emulate HaShem's Ways and keep HaShem's Holy Torah so we can be at one with HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu .
I wish HaShem With Sweet Love , a Very Beautiful and Special Shabbos Kodesh With Deep Love and to all of my fellow Yidden and to all of Creation , a Very Beautiful and Special Shabbos Kodesh with Love .