This week's section is called Shoftim, Judges. The verse (Deuteronomy 16:18) says: "You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you." The Torah indicates with these words and those that follow that there must be a justice system based on biblical law.<\/p>\n
The word for "cities" in the original Hebrew is sheareja, literally "your gates." Originally, courts were located at the entrances to cities, making them accessible to everyone. However, we can certainly glean some additional insight from the fact that cities are referred to as "gates.".<\/p>\n
As we have explained several times, each Torah precept, as well as each Torah concept, has a simple application\u2014that is, the fulfillment of its literal words\u2014and, in addition, an infinite number (literally!) of almost figurative meanings, as teachings applicable anywhere, at any time, and by anyone, regardless of whether the conditions for observing the precept are met. The same applies in our case. Even those who are not in a position to appoint judges and police officers can apply the teachings of this precept to their personal lives.<\/p>\n
Our sages say that each human being is a whole world. In that "world" there are many cities, different parts where life unfolds, which, in human beings, are thought, word, and deed. These cities have "gates" through which one can enter. In turn, the gates can be closed, preventing entry.<\/p>\n
Thus, each one has the duty that, in thought, word, and deed, when it comes to something good, such as studying Torah or helping a neighbor, to open the doors wide, and when it comes to something negative, to close the gates so as not to let it in.<\/p>\n
Similarly, on another level, a person must control the gates of their eyes, to see good things, the gates of their ears, to only hear good things, the gates of their mouth, to eat what is appropriate and say good things, their nose, and each of their body parts.<\/p>\n
In all aspects of life, one must put "judges and police" at their "gates" so that, when something improper arises, they can close them and not let that matter into their life.<\/p>\n
This behavior is especially appropriate in the month of Elul, which we have just entered, a month of introspection and meditation on what has happened during the current year and a month of setting goals to be achieved in the coming year.<\/p>\n
Through the use of these spiritual "Judges and Police," may we quickly fulfill the precept of true "Judges and Police," just as the Torah commands, with the coming of our Righteous Messiah, swiftly in our days.<\/p>\n
Ktiv\u00e1 veHatim\u00e1 tov\u00e1, leShan\u00e1 tov\u00e1 uMetuk\u00e1,<\/p>\n
\""May they be registered and sealed for good, for a good and sweet year.".<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"La secci\u00f3n de esta semana se llama Shoft\u00edm, jueces. El vers\u00edculo (Devar\u00edm 16:18) dice: \"Jueces y polic\u00edas pondr\u00e1s en todas tus ciudades que Di-s, tu Se\u00f1or, te da\". La Tor\u00e1 indica con estas palabras y las sucesivas, que debe haber un sistema de justicia basado en las leyes b\u00edblicas. La palabra \"ciudades\" en el original… Read More \u00bbPolice at the gates<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3544,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,86],"tags":[950,1037,962,993,942],"series":[],"class_list":["post-2308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editoriales","category-shoftim","tag-di-s","tag-jueces","tag-ley","tag-precepto","tag-tora"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/police.png","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/avatar1400.jpeg","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"castbox":{"key":"castbox","url":"","label":"CastBox","class":"castbox","icon":"castbox.png"},"rss":{"key":"rss","url":"","label":"RSS","class":"rss","icon":"rss.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/en\/feed\/podcast\/rabino-tuvia-serber","embedCode":"Polic\u00edas en los portones<\/a><\/blockquote>