BS"D

Parshat Shoftim

We read in the first pasuk in this week's parsha Shoftim V'Shotrim Titen Lecha Bechal She'arecha. You shall place judges and shotrim, those who enforce the judgments, in all of your gates. Rashi explains how the system works; first we have judges, the shoftim, who use their understanding and reason to determine the proper judgment. Then there are those who ensure that these decisions are carried out and accepted by the people. And at times even physical force is necessary to ensure that the judgments of the courts are enforced. This is the job of the shoftim.

The pasuk concludes by saying that this system must be established in all your gates. Rashi explains that "all of your gates" means "all of your cities". This system of shoftim and shotrim must set up in every city. The Rambam brings in Hilchos Sanhedrin (Chapter 1, Halacha 2) that this mitzvah applies specifically to Eretz Yisrael. Only in Eretz Yisrael must there be courts in every single city, but not in Chutz L'Aretz.    

The Sfas Emes learns this command as applying to each individual. Each individual has his spiritual, intellectual part in addition to his physical component. First every person must decide what he wants to do, this is the mitzvah of shoftim, and then he must decide how to carry it out. This notion is expressed in the mitzvah of Keriyas Shema. The Mishnah in Berachos 13A teaches that the first parsha is the parsha of Kaballas Ohl Malchus Shamayim, accepting the yolk of heaven, while the second parsha is the section of Kaballas Ohl Mitzvos. First a person must make a decision to accept the will of Hashem. This is an intellectual act of acceptance and willingness. And then, secondly, he must carry it out by fulfilling the mitzvos which Hashem commands us.

This dual process is carried out on a weekly basis. Every week we have Shabbos which is a day of introspection and reflection. It is a day during which we decide what type of a life we would like to live. And during the week, the "Sheshes Yemei Ha'Ma'aseh", we work on carrying out these decisions. We attempt to ensure that our actions are consistent with our thought process. It is not enough for us to make our personal decisions and judgments; we need our inner shotrim to force ourselves to carry out and enforce our decisions.

This is the meaning of the pasuk we say in Mizmor Shir Leyom HaShabbos. The pasuk says (Tehillim, Chapter 92, Pasuk 6), Mah Gadlu Ma'asecha Hashem, Meod Amku Machshavosecha. How great are your deeds, Hashem, how deep are your thoughts. The greatness of Your deeds is a reflection of the depth of Your thoughts. All deeds are preceded by the thought and decision to act. And when ultimately the action takes place it indicates the depth of the decision which was made. And on Shabbos, a day of reflection, we can contemplate the greatness of Hashem and the beautiful world He created during the Sheshes Yemei Ha'Ma'aseh.

This dual system is meant to take place Bechol She'arecha, in all of your gates. The Sfas Emes learns this is a reference to the gates of our hearts. Both shotrim and shoftim are necessary to open up our hearts. When we've made a decision to do Teshuva and get closer to Hashem, this is not sufficient to open up our hearts. We must also enforce our decisions. A Jew needs to act and be involved in mitzvos in order to open up the gates of our heart. First we exercise our inner shoftim and make the decision to act and then we exercise our inner shoftim and carry it out. Only when we have both components working together are we able to open up the gates of our heart.