Shoftim שֹׁפְטִים - Judges
Torah Portion:
Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
Deuteronomy 18:14–19:13
18:14 For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, Hashem your Elohim has not allowed you so to do. 15 Hashem your Elohim will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him. 16 This is according to all that you desired of Hashem your Elohim in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again Hashem my Elohim’s voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.”
17 Hashem said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19 It shall happen that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”
21 You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which Hashem has not spoken?” 22 When a prophet speaks in Hashem’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Hashem has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him.
19:1 When Hashem your Elohim cuts off the nations whose land Hashem your Elohim gives you, and you succeed them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, 2 you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, which Hashem your Elohim gives you to possess. 3 You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land, which Hashem your Elohim causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there. 4 This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past— 5 as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live. 6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally, even though he was not worthy of death, because he didn’t hate him in time past. 7 Therefore, I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves. 8 If Hashem enlarges your border, as He has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which He promised to give to your fathers; 9 and if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love Hashem your Elohim, and to walk ever in His ways, then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, in addition to these three. 10 This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which Hashem your Elohim gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you. 11 But if any man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, strikes him mortally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities; 12 then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13 Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you.
Today’s Meditation:
In verses 18 and 19, we read about Hashem telling Moses there will be another prophet like him: “I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. It shall happen that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I will require it of him.” Who is this prophet? Has he arrived? Christianity believes Jesus is this prophet, and Islam believes Mohammed to be him. Others believe in their prophets, such as Joseph Smith. Hashem tests the prophets. See if the prophets' words have come to pass. If not, they are false prophets. Who do you believe is the prophet that Hashem is speaking about?
Today’s Challenge:
In verse 10, we read, “This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which Hashem your Elohim gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you.” Killing innocent people brings blood on the land and blood guilt. You may think you support abortion in your community, but you may want to look at it more seriously. Abortion literally takes the life of an innocent preborn child. Aborted babies are either flushed down toilets, ground up in garbage disposals, or buried in landfills (except for those who are sold for experimentation or to pharmaceutical companies). Does that mean our land has bloodguilt for this? My challenge to you today is to spend some time contemplating this. If you believe as I do, I suggest you look into helping to end abortion in your community and assisting young women who are in an unplanned pregnancy.
