Parashat Shoftim — Building a Society of Justice
Rabbi Ari Kahn
This week’s parasha opens with a foundational directive for national life:
“שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֵּן לְךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ”
“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates”
(Deuteronomy 16:18)
On the surface, this verse speaks to the infrastructure of a just society—courts and enforcement. But over the centuries, it has also been interpreted on a deeply personal level.
The Individual Gates: Rav Chaim Vital’s Interpretation
Rav Chaim Vital, the principal disciple of the Arizal, offers a spiritualized reading:
“בכל שעריך” refers not only to city gates, but to the gates of the human body—our senses.¹
According to this view, each person must appoint internal “judges and officers” to guard their eyes, ears, and mouth. It’s a call for spiritual vigilance, a reminder to protect ourselves from harmful influences.
This interpretation resonated especially in the Diaspora, where Jews lacked national sovereignty. Rav Chaim Vital’s insight transformed a civic command into a personal ethic, making Torah relevant to every individual.
The Peshat: Building a Nation
Yet the peshat—the plain meaning—remains powerful. The Torah is speaking about society. In ancient Israel, judges sat at the city gates, the public square, where justice was visible and accessible.²
Moshe Rabbeinu, nearing the end of his life, is preparing the people to enter the Land. They are about to transition from a tribal wilderness existence to a national society. And that society must be built on law, order, and justice.
This is not just a metaphor. It’s a blueprint.
From Diaspora to Sovereignty
For centuries, Jews lived as communities within other nations. We built shuls, schools, and mikvaot—but we didn’t build armies or police forces. We lived Judaism privately, not publicly.
Living in Israel changes that. It’s not just about planting trees or observing Shemitah. It’s about creating a society—a reshut harabim—that reflects Jewish values.³
Yes, the modern State of Israel is not a halachic state. But neither were many of the ancient Israelite kingdoms. Some were led by idolaters.⁴ The challenge today is to build a society that aspires toward justice, compassion, and holiness—even if imperfectly.
Justice as a Universal Value
The command to appoint judges is not just a Jewish value—it’s a universal one. One of the Sheva Mitzvot Bnei Noach is dinim—establishing courts of law.⁵ Justice is the foundation of civilization.
So while Rav Chaim Vital’s interpretation remains beautiful and relevant, perhaps the time has come to reclaim the peshat. The Torah is calling on us—not just as individuals, but as a people—to build a society rooted in justice.
Conclusion
Parashat Shoftim is not just about personal growth. It’s about national responsibility. As we live in a time when Jewish sovereignty has returned, we must ask: Are we building the kind of society Moshe envisioned?
We need judges. We need police. We need an army. We need justice.
And we need to remember that Torah is not only for the soul—it’s for the street.
Shabbat Shalom.
Footnotes
- Rav Chaim Vital, Shaarei Kedusha, Part 1, Shaar 2 — interprets “gates” as the sensory openings of the human body.
- See Rashi on Deuteronomy 16:18 — explains that judges sat at the entrance of each city to adjudicate cases.
- Ramban on Leviticus 18:4 — emphasizes the Torah’s vision of a society governed by divine law.
- See II Kings 17 — describes the idolatrous practices of the kings of Israel.
- Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 56a — outlines the Seven Noahide Laws, including the obligation to establish courts.
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