PARSHAT SHOFTIM (by Yehuda HaKohen) SHOFTIM deals primarily with statutes pertaining to Israel’s leadership. Because leadership is not a position of honor for the individual but rather a burden of responsibility for the welfare of the Jewish people, the Torah sets down specific guidelines in order to guide our leaders towards attaining their full potential.
“If a corpse will be found on the land that HaShem, your G-D, gives you to possess it, fallen in the field, it was not known who smote him, your elders and judges shall go out and measure toward the cities that are around the corpse. It shall be that the city nearest the corpse, the elders of that city shall take a heifer, with which no work has been done, which has not pulled with a yoke. The elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a harsh valley, which cannot be worked and cannot be sown, and they shall axe the back of its neck in the valley. The Kohanim, the offspring of Levi, shall approach, for them has HaShem, your G-D, chosen to minister to Him and to bless with the Name of HaShem, and according to their word shall be every grievance and every plague. All the elders of the city, who are closest to the corpse, shall wash their hands over the heifer that was axed in the valley. They shall speak up and say, `our hands have not spilled this blood, and our eyes did not see. Atone for Your nation Israel that You have redeemed O HaShem: Do not place innocent blood in the midst of Your nation Israel!’ Then the blood shall be atoned for them. But you shall remove the innocent blood from your midst when you do what is upright in the eyes of HaShem.” (DEVARIM 21:1-9)
While it may be difficult to imagine why anyone would suspect a pious city elder of responsibility for a mysterious local murder, Rashi explains that the elders must publicly absolve themselves from guilt in order to clarify that they were not negligent in providing the necessary security that would have prevented the spilling of blood. Sforno adds that such defensive measures include ensuring that no known murderer is permitted to roam the area. An Israeli leader must never be negligent when dealing with the welfare or security of his people.
A great lesson is taught here – a lesson in responsibility, Ahavat Yisrael (love of Israel) and the duty that a leader bears for his nation. It is clearly not enough for a person to refrain from committing murder. He must also do everything in his power to prevent blood from being shed. And in order to save innocent people from danger, it is often necessary to neutralize the threat. The Torah teaches this to be a major responsibility of both local and national leadership.
The Maharal of Prague offers a profound insight on this point. He teaches that these verses imply that the murder could have been avoided had the victim been escorted by someone from the city. While there is no legal requirement to accompany a traveler all the way to his destination, the Maharal explains that when a host takes the trouble to escort a stranger on his journey, he demonstrates solidarity with a fellow Jew and with the entire Hebrew Nation. This is achieved by the mere act of going out of one’s way for another even if not specifically mandated. When one demonstrates such Ahavat Yisrael, HaShem provides extra protection and the possibility of a tragedy occurring is diminished.
True love breeds responsibility. And a Jew cannot exist independent of his people. Israeli leadership demands the attributes of compassion and responsibility in order to succeed in guiding and protecting the Hebrew Nation. Our Sages teach that Jerusalem’s second Temple was destroyed as a result of baseless hatred existing between Jews. With G-D’s help, the third Temple will arise on the shoulders of a limitless love – a love that will breed courage, humility and responsibility, ultimately shining its light to the entire world and engulfing humanity in the blessing of HaShem.
With Love of Israel,
-Yehuda HaKohen
