Shoftim Slides (pdf)
Shoftim Notes (pdf)
The 40 day period from Elul 1 to Tishri 10 (Yom Kippur) is traditionally considered a time of personal introspection and repentance. It ushers in the 10 Days of Awe starting with Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) and ending with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). These same traditions say the Book of Life is opened on Yom Teruah and closed again on Yom Kippur, when Yehovah judges His people. To insure that your name is inscribed in the Book of Life, you prepare during Elul with soul-searching and personal introspection leading to repentance and seeking forgiveness from those whom you have wronged – your fellow man and God.
Tradition says that Yehovah facilitates this process through the concept of “the King is in the Field”. To the average subject in a kingdom, the king is unapproachable, far removed and distant in his palace, ensconced behind tall walls and secure iron gates. Imagine his surprise when, as he is harvesting the last crops of the summer, he turns to see the King standing before him. The King inquires of his wellbeing and asks if there is anything he could do for him! Likewise, tradition says the King of Kings makes Himself available to those who are seeking Him during the month of Elul…King Yeshua is in the Field!
With that in mind, let us begin our study of this week’s Torah Portion. Please read this Portion and review the notes & Power Point slides: https://torahnotes.org/torah-portions/deuteronomy/shoftim/
Overview of Shoftim (“Judges”) Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9
As the name of this Portion implies (“Judgments”), this is an extensive list of “laws.”
Chapter 16 – Appointing Judges
In this Portion Moses instructs Israel to appoint judges and law enforcement officers in every city to administer Torah without corruption or favoritism. Crimes must be carefully investigated and evidence thoroughly examined. No less than two credible witnesses are required for conviction and punishment.
Chapter 17 Judges & Kings
No coincidence here that the laws concerning the choosing of a king are found in this Portion that kicks off the season when “the King is in the Field”!
Cases that are too difficult for the judges to decide are to be sent to the Priests for their final decision … and there were no appeals. By Yeshua’s time this two-tier system had been turned upside down. In the Gospel accounts of His “trial” we see that the Levitical Priesthood was the lower tier of Israel’s judicial system, and the Roman government (Pilate) made the final decisions. Historically, this judicial system (the Sanhedrin) was dissolved in 425 AD due to extreme Roman persecution. There were several attempts to reinstitute it over the centuries, but in 2004 it re-convened in Tiberius; it is trying to re-establish itself as the definitive ruling council of Israel (Rabbinic Judaism).
Choosing a King – Yehovah knew that Israel would desire a king “like all the nations around” them … even though Yehovah is their King! The King is prohibited to have standing armies, multiple wives & accumulation of gold & silver. It is required that the new king write a copy of Torah for his personal use. It should be noted that Solomon disregarded all of the royal prohibitions – see the notes for the specific references in I Kings).
The chapter ends with prohibitions against idolatry and sorcery.
Chapter18
The Portion for the Priests – The Levites would receive no land inheritance once Israel had conquered the Land, therefore, they had no means of providing for themselves and their families. So Yehovah established the sacrificial system to accomplish two things. The Spiritual Component of the sacrifices was to provide a means of atonement for the sins of Israel and other offerings which would allow them to draw near (korban) to Yehovah. The Natural Component was to provide the Levites and Priests with food. This section of the Portion reviews how the unburnt portions of the sacrifices would be shared among the Levites to be eaten in the Holy Place; and also how the Firstfruits offerings would be given to them for the same purpose.
Forbidden Pagan Practices: No child sacrifice: no society should sacrifice their children…and yet America has aborted nearly 60 million babies since Roe v Wade “legalized” abortion in 1973. And we are just beginning to see the extent of worldwide “child sacrifice” that is wrapped up in pedophilia and ritual abuse. May Yehovah bring these evil practices to light and punish those who are guilty of these evil practices, and free those who have been entrapped in it.
Likewise, divination, soothsaying and wizardry are also forbidden. Yehovah speaks “the end from the beginning” through His prophets, thus rendering useless (and demonic) those who “hear” from the darker side. We have the most perfect word of prophecy from Yehovah …why would we seek out psychics and mystics?
A Prophet Like Moses: Moses announced another “Prophet like me” to lead Israel. The Rabbis interpret this to mean that Yehovah will provide Israel with a leader in every generation. This “Prophet Like Moses” was identified by Yeshua as John the Immerser, who announced His First Coming. The next “Prophet Like Moses” to announce His Second Coming: will it be Elijah (as the Prophet Malachi predicted?
Chapter 19 — Cities of Refuge
This concept was first presented to us back in Numbers 35, and here more detail added. If a person accidentally killed another person, then it was the duty of the deceased’s next-of-kin to (legally) avenge that death. Remember…there was no police force in Israel and no prisons; this was Yehovah’s way of dispensing justice. If the killer could successfully flee to the closest City of Refuge, he would be safe from the Avenger of Blood. But he must convince the elders at the city gate that it was in fact an accidental killing. If he could not convince the elders that it was unintentional, then he would be cast back outside into the waiting arms of the Avenger to face immediate death. However, if he was successful, then he was allowed into the city where the Avenger could not enter to avenge his relative’s death. He was protected from the Avenger’s revenge as long as he stayed within the walls of the City of Refuge. When the High Priest died, he was free to leave and return to his home without fear of the Avenger.
Yeshua is found all over this seemingly strange law. He is our City of Refuge – if we are “in Him” we are safe from HaSatan who wants to kill us. And when Yeshua shed His blood and died for us we are now free from the reach of Satan. Hallelu-Ya!!
Property Boundaries: It is unlawful to move the boundary marker for your property; that is equivalent to theft. This was originally established when Joshua conquered Canaan and laid out the boundaries for each of the 12 Tribes; and it was especially important at the Jubilee Year, when all the land returned to each Tribe according to those original boundaries established by Joshua.
Laws Concerning Witnesses: One person cannot condemn another person; only though the testimony of two or more witnesses may a person be condemned. We see in Matthew 5:17 that the Torah and the Prophets (first witness) established Yeshua as the Messiah; and Moses and Elijah (second witnesses) established Him as Messiah in Matthew 17.
Chapter 20 – Laws Concerning Warfare
Moses presented a list of exemptions from battle for any soldier who has just built a home, planted a vineyard, married, or is “afraid and soft-hearted”; it is better that those who are preoccupied with their personal situations stay out of warfare. The procedures for warfare include offering terms of surrender before attacking a city; and the prohibition of needlessly destroying something of value.
Chapter 21 – The Sanctity of Life
The Portion concludes with the procedure to be followed when a person is killed by an unknown murderer and his body is found in a field. It is the duty of the town closest to the body to properly bury it. This underscores the responsibility of the community and its leaders not only for what they do, but also for what they might have prevented from being done.
Haftarah Reading (Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12)
This week’s Haftorah (the fourth of seven “haftorot of Consolation”) is from the Book of Isaiah, as were the last three weeks’ Haftarah readings. These readings all opened with Israel’s complaint that they had been abandoned by Yehovah. Israel didn’t want consolations offered by the prophets – they wanted Yehovah Himself to comfort them. So in this week’s Haftorah, Yehovah responded by saying: “I, indeed I, will comfort you.” Yehovah reprimanded them for forgetting Him & for fearing their human oppressors more than they fear Him. Isaiah described the tribulation which Israel had endured and then announced that the time has come for the suffering to end. We read the concluding verses of the Haftarah from Isaiah 52:7-12, where the Prophet described the messenger who will announce the good news of Israel’s redemption, and he compared it with her deliverance from Egypt:
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the LORD brings back Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord. For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”
Brit Chadashah
The Torah Portion began by outlining the requirements and duties of Israel’s judges and how their judicial system is to work. In this week’s two Brit Chadashah readings, we look at Yeshua’s role as judge from two different Books of the Brit Chadashah. We read first Yeshua’s words as He addresses a group of uncommitted followers; we read from John 12:47:
“And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.”
Now we read John’s prophetic vision of Yeshua’s Second Coming from Revelation 19:11-16:
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
So Yeshua’s ministry at His First Coming as Moshiach Ben Yosef (Messiah Son of Joseph) was not to judge, but to seek and to save, and to re-establish His Kingdom here on Earth! His Second Coming as Moshiach Ben David (Messiah Son of David) will be to gather His People into our respective roles in His Kingdom, and to judge all those Earth-dwellers who reject His Lordship.