Chasidic Insights

CHASIDIC INSIGHTS PARSHAS SHOFTIM 5763 BS"D

Ch. 16, v. 18: "Shoftim v'shotrim ti'ten l'cho" - Before you judge someone else, place judges and officers upon yourself, to assure that you behave properly. Only then is it appropriate to judge others. (Tzror Hamor)

Ch. 16, v. 18: "Shoftim v'shotrim ti'ten l'cho .. asher Hashem Elokecho nosein l'cho" - Appoint judges and enforcers who give you Hashem, who enforce and strengthen your belief in Hashem. (Botzina Dinhora, Rabbi Noson of Makov)

Ch. 17, v. 15: "Mi'kerev achecho tosim o'lecho melech" - Only with the closeness of brothers are you able to properly accept the King upon yourselves. Strife makes Hashem reluctant to be our King. (Rabbi Avrohom of Slonim in Koveitz Sipurei Rabbi Moshe Midner)

Ch. 18, v. 13: "Tomim t'h'yeh im Hashem Elokecho" - People always feel they are lacking one thing or another. Our verse tells us that you should feel complete, "tomim," lacking nothing, by virtue of being "im Hashem Elokecho." (Nirreh li)

Among all the followers of the Holy Chozeh of Lublin, Rabbi Naftoli of Ropschitz was the sharpest and cleverest. One day the Holy Chozeh remarked to Rabbi Naftoli, "The Torah does not mention that a person should be sharp and quick witted. To the contrary, the Torah says "tomim t'h'yeh," that one be complete and simple. Rabbi Naftoli quipped, "To be complete and simple requires a great amount of cunning and sharpness."

Ch. 19, v. 11: "V'chi y'h'yeh ish sonei l'rei'eihu v'orav lo" - One's greatest enemy is his evil inclination. "L'rie'ei'hu," it behaves as if it is his good friend. However, in reality, "v'orav lo," it does this to make the person lower his guard and then it can ambush him, "v'orav lo." Its goal is "v'kom olov," to overpower the person. (Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh)

Ch. 20, v. 8: "Mi ho'ish ha'yo'rei v'rach ha'leivov" - The verse says "leivov," and not "leiv." This teaches us that one who is soft, i.e. lacking firm mastery over both his inclinations, "l'vovlcho bishnei yitzrecho," should head home and not partake in the war effort, as he has plenty to work on in his war with his inclinations. (Sfas Emes)

Ch. 21, v. 9: "V'atoh t'va'eir hadom hanoki mikirbecho ki saa'she ha'yoshor b'einei Hashem" - By doing that which is "yoshor" in Hashem's eyes you will purify and cleanse your blood. This cleansing will bring a spiritual calmness and one will not reach a level of anger that would bring to murder. (Ibn Ezra)

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