SHOFTIM (Judges) Deut. 16:18–21:9; Isa.51:12–52:12; Jn. 8: 1-11
By Raphael ben Levi
It is interesting that no mention of synagogues, rabbis, Pharisees, Sadducees, or Yeshivas are found in the OT because these systems only developed in the 3rd century BC following the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon. Therefore, it’s no surprise that we find references about these institutions in the NT which by that time were firmly established in Jewish society.
I refer to this because all these systems were developed from a text from our Torah portion this Shabbat from Deut 17:8-13: “If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the Lord your God chooses. And you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgment.”
Following their exile from Babylon the Jews now faced varieties of issues as an established people within a new culture: domestic, judicial, social and religious things that fashioned daily life From this were developed commentary and interpretations of the Torah in areas that needed expansion which the sages expanded that were preserved into the Oral Law and eventually codified into what became known as the Talmud the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law comprising the Mishnah (200CE) and the Gemara (500CE). The word “talmud” means learning, closely related to the word “talmid” , Hebrew for “student.”
To quote from Chabad: “The Talmud is a collection of writings that covers the full gamut of Jewish law and tradition, compiled and edited between the third and sixth centuries CE. Written in a mixture of Hebrew and Aramaic, it records the teachings and discussions of the great academies of the Holy Land and Babylonia. With 2,711 densely packed pages and countless commentaries, learning Talmud is the occupation of a lifetime.” (www.chabad.org)
So in essence the Talmud is a set of discussions by rabbis about how to live a Jewish life, particularly after the destruction of the Second Temple. Points of Torah were now made through discussion and debate among rabbis rather than seeking Divine revelation on every issue. All this evolved based on this one text from our Torah reading in Deut.17,
Yeshua was a popular rabbi who preached in the synagogues throughout Galilee. Luke wrote in ch.4:15, “… He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” This was at least until He began to clash with the religious hierarchy. For example, He used the text from Deut.17:8-13 to instruct His disciples and other followers saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.” Matt.23:1-3 Yeshua clearly made the point that transformation in a fallen world only comes when we put our words into action, implying that the religious hierarchy were not a very good example in that respect.
A bridal identifier of a true believer is someone consumed with an intense desire for nurturing an ever closer walk with God that comes by living in accordance with Torah as reflected in Ps.139: “Search me and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts (not just my actions) and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the everlasting path.” And we are reminded of these words as we enter the month of Elul, the month of Teshuva – returning to the One who awaits us with open arms. This is the yearning we experience when we make Yeshua our Lord. It is only then that we can experience His fullness. How can one explain such a thing? Yeshua described (Matt.13:45-46) the kingdom of heaven like a jeweller on the lookout for the finest pearls. “When he found a pearl more beautiful and valuable than any jewel he had ever seen, the jeweller sold all he had and bought that pearl, his pearl of great price.” Yeshua invites us to come to the water and drink from the ‘river of life’ without money, without price, because salvation is a free gift but to possess it we must be willing to surrender unto Him everything.
It is sad that during the Temple period, the Jewish people sang the psalms as they worshipped in His presence, but following its destruction all the melodies were lost. Although the Jewish people have the Torah they have yet to regain the melody because the substance has been cast aside in the person of Yeshua.
Paul teaches that the law of God is like a tutor who reveals to us our need for salvation, so in a direct sense, Yeshua is that schoolmaster because He is the Word of God and fulfilment of the Law! The Psalmist wrote “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (Ps. 40:8) As a Messianic Psalm we can say that He who delighted in the law of God offers it to those who trust in him, that they might also delight in it. (Ps.19) declares that, “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes. The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.”
Why do I labour my point? Because we need to understand that without His grace we are utterly lost, but without Torah we are doomed – we need both! Obeying His Word is an outflow of our relationship with Him, who searches the minds and the hearts of man, and the fruit it yields which is defined in Gal.5: “unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this.”
Ps.19 begins with a declaration that, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork…” David then shifts from praising God who reveals Himself in creation, to praising Him for revealing Himself in His Torah. Although Creation tells us much about God, His word tells us much more! And later, in the fullness of time, God revealed to the world the One who is THE WORD (“In the beginning was the word…” (Jn.1:1)
Do we yearn for more of Him, or are we satisfied with the status quo? This is an important issue facing us in this month of Elul. May our lives reflect His radiance that chases away the darkness and stench of evil as we occupy our time before His soon return!
The Torah portion from Deuteronomy is called ‘shoftim’ meaning ‘Judges.’ The idea of justice is largely ignored or flaunted in our society today and driven by self-interest. The Hebrew word used frequently in the Scriptures for justice is “mishpat” which means ‘to right the wrong’ – to acquit and restore the innocent and sentence the guilty.
God commanded Moses to instruct the people of Israel to appoint “shoftim” (judges) and ‘shotrim’ (officials) who would rule at the gates of the cities and implement the law as interpreted by them. These appointed leaders (or shepherds) were expected to judge with fairness, equality and wisdom, without partiality or falsehood. Transparency and integrity were to be the hallmark of both the judges (the custodians of the law) and the officials who implemented them.
A judge in biblical times was someone who knew and understood Torah (rightly dividing the Word of God) Moses set up judges over tens and twenties and fifties and hundreds and thousands.
Paul wrote in Phil.4:8 that justice is an important thing in the day-to-day outworking of our lives: “whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].”
The wonderful thing for every true believer is that we have Yeshua as our defending attorney because none of us keep the law perfectly. Although Satan is the accuser of the brethren, God the Father is our judge and Yeshua acknowledges that we are guilty. We deserve judgement because justice always requires a penalty for sin and Yeshua has accepted that penalty on our behalf, paid in full through His blood.
The enemy seeks to ‘steal, kill and destroy’ (Jn.10:10) because he is the accuser of the brethren, who attempts to keep us in court with lawsuits and false charges. He strives to keep us away from our settlement because he knows that justice not only calls for wrongs to be righted, but it calls for a settlement.
Ex. 22 tells us that “If you catch a thief he shall repay you.” If Satan has stolen your health, he has to pay it back seven-fold, but one has to bring him before the judge. If he has stolen your future, your life, your future, your family, your ministry, he has to bring restitution, but one has to bring him before the judge. When we understand the principle of the Divine judicial system it clarifies what mishpat really is.
Our greatest delight is to walk in harmony with His revealed will in accordance with His Word. This is highlighted in the month of Elul. The empty shell of performance-oriented religion is seen and exposed for the worthlessness it represents. And so, we echo the words of our Messiah in Ps.40: “I delight to do Your will, O my God. Yes, Your Torah is within my being!”
We thank God for His amazing grace that covers all our imperfections as the one true Judge over the entire earth and universe He created!
Allow me to close by referring briefly to this week’s reading in the NT from Jn 8:1-11 concerning the woman accused of adultery that connects directly with our Torah portion from Deut.16: “If there is found among you, within any of your gates which the Lord your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing His covenant…, then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing and shall stone to death that man or woman with stones. Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness. The hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people.” In verse 20, it states,“You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”
Joseph Shulam commented that, “The Hebrew text is much more interesting than the English. The English text says: “follow what is altogether just.” The Hebrew texts repeats the word “just” (justice) twice, “justice justice you will chase, pursue!” Any time that in the Hebrew text of the Bible you have the same word repeated it indicates for perpetuity. Always, forever!”
The text in Jn.8 about the woman caught in adultery focuses upon a point of Torah rather than the woman who was merely a pawn. Yeshua was confronted with a carefully conceived trap that appeared foolproof. Had He sanctioned death by stoning according to Torah, He would have technically been in breach of the civil (Roman) law. In the time of Yeshua, it allowed only the Sanhedrin to pronounce sentence of death, but it had to be approved by the Roman governor before any sentence could be carried out. However, by supporting the civil law, Yeshua could have been accused of transgressing Torah.
Yeshua, as always, out-maneuvered His opponents responding to their question by writing in the dust, maybe from Lev. 5:1, “If someone is privy to a ‘crime’ yet does not speak out against all concerned (thereby diluting the evidence) he must confess his guilt and bring an offering to the Temple as compensation” and off course Deut. ch.16 which we earlier referred to.
Yeshua’s answer made immediate sense to those who questioned Him: “He who is without sin should cast the first stone.”
It simply addressed the issue, exposing the hypocrisy of the woman’s accusers that recalled the laws in Lev. and Deut. for adultery requiring death by stoning for both the adulterer and the adulteress. Only one guilty party had been brought to Yeshua. The adulterer was conspicuously absent, and this therefore tainted their witness. According to Torah, by condemning the woman they would also be accusing themselves. When confronted by this, their true motives were exposed and they melted away in shame.
Yeshua’s conversation with the adulteress revealed His heart. Her accusers (witnesses) had disappeared, and since in Torah two or more witnesses were needed to uphold any accusation, Yeshua could not legally condemn her had He even chosen to do so. Neither could He overlook the gravity of her sin, because love not only forgives but holds us accountable. He set her free, yet also warned her to ‘sin’ no more.
The level playing field is that all of us are fully dependant upon Yeshua who is “…a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” (Ps.119:105) This not only keeps us humble but ensures we are travelling in the right direction against the many deceptions bombarding us in these times (…”Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, …” (Jude 24)
So, if ever you should find ourselves in a sinkhole examining your bruises, make certain to allow Yeshua to rekindle your lamps. He never overlooks the gravity of our sins even as with the woman caught in adultery in Jn.8, because love not only forgives but holds us accountable. He set her free even as He does us, yet also warned her to ‘sin’ no more.
