Tuesday
Aug102021
JUDGES: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
August 10, 2021Our experience is forced upon us. It’s what we do with it, our reaction, that makes even the bad, the ugly, into bittersweet good. * The ultimate judge is us, our soul.
Entries in Shoftim (11)
Tuesday
Aug032021
ADVICE OF THE PROPHET: DEFUND THE POLICE
The world is already rectified. * Enforcing rules that we don’t understand becomes a thing of the past. * Good advice speaks to us; it is not imposed. That is the purpose of prophecy.
Thursday
Sep052019
FLEEING TO A SAFE CITY
A deeply religious Jew, who was not a member of the Chassidic community, was walking through the streets of Yerushalayim, gripped by a frenzied state of fear and trembling, as befits the month of Elul… Right past him, a Chassid walked by with a happy and cheerful expression on his face. “Business as usual”…
Friday
Jan252019
NOT SO AHT AHT
So many years have passed since then – even decades. It’s an absolute disgrace that the Rebbe’s prophecy of imminent redemption has been delayed this long!
Thursday
Aug162018
WHEN DOES THE END EVER JUSTIFY THE MEANS!?
The Torah exhorts us to pursue justice. Towards that end, the Torah commands us to appoint judges and officers in all of our cities. That general exhortation is followed by a more specific one: “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof (you shall surely pursue righteousness).”
Monday
Aug212017
THE THREE ROADS TO GEULA
One of the institutions in the Land of Israel mentioned in the Torah several times is the Cities of Refuge. These cities were intended as refuges for one who committed criminally negligent homicide. In such cases, the victim’s relatives had the right to avenge the death by killing the murderer. To prevent these follow-on killings, the murderer was provided with six Cities of Refuge where he would be safe.
Tuesday
Sep062016
DON’T CHANGE THE SUBJECT!
A story is told of a hapless bank robber who approaches the cashier and demands: “Give me $10,000 or else you’ll be geography!”
Tuesday
Aug252015
JOYFUL JUDAISM IS NOT OPTIONAL
One of the most troubling features of modern times is the phenomenon of the wayward child, the child who rebels against his or her parents, their values and way of life.
Wednesday
Aug192015
SYMMETRICAL JUSTICE
The Jewish people were governed by four sources of authority: The monarchy, judiciary (the Sanhedrin), priesthood and prophecy, all of which are discussed in this week’s parsha. Each of these institutions had specific requirements to qualify as a member. Two institutions, the Sanhedrin and the priesthood, had as a peculiar requirement that their physical bodies should not be blemished or defective.
Tuesday
Mar172015
THE REBBE IS THE ETERNAL FOUNDATION STONE
A judge and prophet exist (eternally) in every generation (as a constant sign of the revelation of G-dliness in the world).
Tuesday
Aug062013
THE TWO-TIERED CROWN
“Moses received the Torah from Sinai and handed it over to Joshua, Joshua to the elders and the elders to the prophets.” The Rebbe asks, why does it refer to them as prophets? What role does prophecy play in the transmission of the Torah? Doesn’t the Torah forbid a person from using prophecy to decide matters of Torah?