{"id":2444,"date":"2013-08-04T11:46:05","date_gmt":"2013-08-04T11:46:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matsati.com\/?p=2444"},"modified":"2013-08-04T11:46:05","modified_gmt":"2013-08-04T11:46:05","slug":"bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-shoftim-shoftim-vshotrim-judges-and-officers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-shoftim-shoftim-vshotrim-judges-and-officers\/","title":{"rendered":"Bits of Torah Truths, Parashat Shoftim, Shoftim v\u2019Shotrim (Judges and Officers)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In weeks reading, from Parashat Shoftim (Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9<\/em>), Moshe tells the people they are to appoint judges, officers, from the men who are righteous who will give righteous judgement (16:18<\/em>).\u00a0 It is written that they are not to distort justice, not to be partial, and not to take a bribe, these things pervert the words of the righteous (16:19<\/em>).\u00a0 The scriptures also say that if there is a man or woman who does evil in the eyes of the Lord by transgressing the covenant to serve other gods that these people are to be stoned to death outside of the cities (17:2-5<\/em>).\u00a0 Evidence is to be established by the witness of two or three people on these things (17:6<\/em>).\u00a0 The Scriptures say 17:12 \u2018The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the Lord your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.\u00a0 17:13 \u2018Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again. (NASB)<\/em>\u00a0 There are no details given on what it means to \u201cact presumptuously\u201d<\/em> but it may be related to the passing of judgement that is given to the person who has transgressed the covenant of God by serving and bowing down to other gods.\u00a0 The Scriptures continue describing how a king is to behave himself, he is to make a copy by his own hand and study the words of the Torah and to fear the Lord his God by carefully observing all of these things (17:14-20<\/em>).\u00a0 We are told that when the people enter the Promised Land we are not to imitate the detestable things of those nations, using divination, practice witchcraft, interpret omens, a sorcerer, not to cast spells, or consult a medium or spiritists who calls upon the dead.\u00a0 Whoever does these things the Lord God will set His face against them; these are detestable to the Lord (18:9-12<\/em>).\u00a0 Innocent blood is not to be shed in the land and cities of refuge are spoken of in 19:1-13<\/em>.\u00a0 The people are to be honest with each other and not move the boundary marker of his ancestors (19:14<\/em>).\u00a0 Moshe says that when you go out to battle and see an army that is greater than you, do not be afraid because the Lord is with you (20:1<\/em>).<\/p>\n

\u05db\u05ea\u05d1\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9 \/ The Holy Scriptures<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d3\u05d1\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05d8\u05d6<\/span><\/strong>
\n\u05d9\u05d7\u00a0\u00a0 \u05e9\u05b9\u05c1\u05e4\u05b0\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05b0\u05e9\u05b9\u05c1\u05d8\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05ea\u05b6\u05bc\u05df-\u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05db\u05b8\u05dc-\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e2\u05b8\u05e8\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05b9\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05e0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b5\u05df \u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05d1\u05b8\u05d8\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05e4\u05b0\u05d8\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b8\u05dd \u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b7\u05bc\u05d8-\u05e6\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05e7: \u05d9\u05d8\u00a0\u00a0 \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0-\u05ea\u05b7\u05d8\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4 \u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05d8 \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05ea\u05b7\u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05b0\u05dc\u05b9\u05d0-\u05ea\u05b4\u05e7\u05b7\u05bc\u05d7 \u05e9\u05b9\u05c1\u05d7\u05b7\u05d3 \u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9 \u05d4\u05b7\u05e9\u05b9\u05bc\u05c1\u05d7\u05b7\u05d3 \u05d9\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05d5\u05b5\u05bc\u05e8 \u05e2\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d7\u05b2\u05db\u05b8\u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05b4\u05d9\u05e1\u05b7\u05dc\u05b5\u05bc\u05e3 \u05d3\u05b4\u05bc\u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b5\u05d9 \u05e6\u05b7\u05d3\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05e7\u05b4\u05dd: \u05db\u00a0\u00a0 \u05e6\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05e7 \u05e6\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05e7 \u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05e8\u05b0\u05d3\u05b9\u05bc\u05e3 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05d7\u05b0\u05d9\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d9\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8-\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05b9\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05e0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b5\u05df \u05dc\u05b8\u05da\u05b0:<\/span><\/p>\n

Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 16:18-19<\/em><\/strong>
\n16:18 \u2018You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. 16:19 \u2018You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. (NASB)<\/em><\/p>\n

In this week\u2019s reading, Moshe says that you are to appoint judges and officers in all your towns which the Lord your God is giving you and that you are to not distort justice, not to take a bribe, and not be blind to pervert the words of the righteous.\u00a0 The Hebrew text says \u05e9\u05b9\u05c1\u05e4\u05b0\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05b0\u05e9\u05b9\u05c1\u05d8\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/span> \u201cJudges and officers.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 It is interesting however, while studying the Torah, Elohim \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/span>, the word most often used as a reference to God and to the false gods of the pagan nations, may also be used to refer to human rulers or judges.\u00a0 For example:<\/p>\n

Shemot \/ Exodus 22:8 \u2018If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house shall appear before the judges, to determine whether he laid his hands on his neighbor\u2019s property. 22:9 \u2018For every breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any lost thing about which one says, \u2018This is it,\u2019 the case of both parties shall come before the judges; he whom the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor. (NASB)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u05d6\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b4\u05dd-\u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d9\u05b4\u05de\u05b8\u05bc\u05e6\u05b5\u05d0 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d2\u05b7\u05bc\u05e0\u05b8\u05bc\u05d1 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e0\u05b4\u05e7\u05b0\u05e8\u05b7\u05d1 \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05d4\u05b7\u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d9\u05b4\u05ea \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05b4\u05dd-\u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05dc\u05b7\u05d7 \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d1\u05b4\u05bc\u05de\u05b0\u05dc\u05b6\u05d0\u05db\u05b6\u05ea \u05e8\u05b5\u05e2\u05b5\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc:\u00a0 \u05d7\u00a0\u00a0 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05dc-\u05d3\u05b0\u05bc\u05d1\u05b7\u05e8-\u05e4\u05b6\u05bc\u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05e2 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05d7\u05b2\u05de\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05e9\u05b6\u05b9\u05d4 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05e9\u05b7\u05b9\u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05dc-\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b5\u05d3\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b7\u05e8 \u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9-\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0 \u05d6\u05b6\u05d4 \u05e2\u05b7\u05d3 \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d9\u05b8\u05d1\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d3\u05b0\u05bc\u05d1\u05b7\u05e8-\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e9\u05b4\u05c1\u05d9\u05e2\u05bb\u05df \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d9\u05b0\u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05dc\u05b5\u05bc\u05dd \u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e0\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd \u05dc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b5\u05e2\u05b5\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Both the Gesenius\u2019 Hebrew Lexicon<\/em> and Brown Driver and Briggs Lexicon<\/em> list \u201cangels\u201d<\/em> and \u201cjudges\u201d<\/em> as possible alternative meanings for Elohim with plural verbs and adjectives.\u00a0 The Greek New Testament quotes Tehillim \/ Psalm 8:4-6<\/em> in Hebrews 2:6-8<\/em>, where the author of Hebrews uses \u201c\u1f00\u03b3\u03b3\u03ad\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2\u201d (aggelous) while quoting Tehillim \/ Psalms 8:<\/em>5 providing us with a very early understanding of the word Elohim and \u201cangels\u201d<\/em> or \u201cjudges.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The LXX also translates Elohim as \u201c\u1f00\u03b3\u03b3\u03ad\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2\u201d angels. In the Torah, the word Elohim (\u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/span>) is used as a reference for God, false gods, men and angels.\u00a0 It is never used in the biblical text to refer to creatures (man or angels) as God in the way that YHVH is the Lord God of Israel.\u00a0 Yeshua\u2019s spoke on this topic in John 10:34<\/em> to portray those who he was speaking with as rulers of certain positions in the world, similar to the use of Elohim in Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 22:8-9<\/em>.\u00a0 The Lord God is a ruler and judge over the people and according to the Torah the Lord installed human rulers to do the same according to Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 19:17-18<\/em>.\u00a0 Yeshua, in John 10:34<\/em>, is making a reference to the corrupt judges and leaders who were abusing their authority and he is using it with irony.\u00a0 In John 10,<\/em> Yeshua is saying that God appointed these men to be rulers, but they are unable to recognize his rulership which is supreme over them as the Messiah (Prophet, Priest, and King<\/em>).\u00a0 Yeshua said that the people were called gods to whom the word of God came and that Scripture cannot be broken.\u00a0 That the behavior of those who are the sons of God are those who go about doing the work of their Father in Heaven (John 10:32-38<\/em>).\u00a0 Note the context of appointing judges and not perverting justice and righteousness in this weeks portion.\u00a0 When thinking on these things and who we are in Yeshua to whom the Word of God has come to make His dwelling place in our hearts.\u00a0 Do we too quickly pass judgment in our hearts against others, and are we perverting justice and righteousness before God?\u00a0 Do you pass judgment upon a brother or sister and do the vary thing that they have done, regardless of whether it is in the past or the present?\u00a0 Is passing judgment in our hearts as weighty and equal to doing so in life?\u00a0 BTT_Parashat Shoftim-2013<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In weeks reading, from Parashat Shoftim (Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9), Moshe tells the people they are to appoint judges, officers, from the men who are righteous who will give righteous judgement (16:18).\u00a0 It is written that they are not to distort justice, not to be partial, and not to take a bribe, these things pervert […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2444","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-bits-of-torah-truth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2444"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2444\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}