Parshas Shoftim - a thought on the first Rashi

“Judges and police officers you shall appoint for yourself in all the cities that HaShem, your God, is giving you for all your tribes; they should judge the people (with) righteous judgment.”

~ Devorim 16:18

Judges and police officers. Judges – the magistrates who render legal decisions. Police officers – who compel the people to abide by their (the judges’) instructions by administering punishment, with clubs and whips, until they accept the judge’s decision.

~ Rashi on Devorim 16:18

Rashi’s comment on this verse suggests that, in an ideal situation, wherever there is an institution that adjudicates legal disputes there must also be a group charged with enforcing those decisions. Without such a pairing, judgment is a hollow exercise and justice becomes a mockery.

Adding to our understanding of this verse, the Seforno points out that the Gemara (Makos 7a) notes the use of the phrase “… in all your cities that HaShem, your God, is giving you for all your tribes” and uses it to qualify the command that you have judges and officers ‘in all your cities.” The Gemara instructs us that this imperative only applies in the lands that the Jewish people conquer within the Land of Israel. If the Jewish people go to war and win lands outside the Land of Israel, they only require judges and officers in every district but not in each city.”

Seforno’s comment, and the Gemara’s ruling, instructs us that in an area of greater holiness (the Land of Israel), greater efforts must be made to offer and administer justice while in an area of lesser holiness, efforts to insure justice need not be as comprehensive.

Having just entered the month of Elul, it is worth asking ourselves if we are making the greatest efforts in the areas of the greatest holiness in our own lives. Or perhaps our levels of vigilance and exactitude are not always aligned with our values. Consider these questions - What is the current balance in your bank account? What is the latest standing of your favorite baseball team (or political party)? What Torah idea did you learn or consider anew this week? To which mitzvah are you giving special attention this month?

If you can answer all four questions substantively, great! But if only two or three of these questions are relevant to you, which ones are they? And what does that say about you?