SHOFTIM (Judges) Deut.16:18–21:9; Isa. 51:12–52:12; Jn. 8: 1-11
by Raphael ben Levi
Have you ever wondered why there’s no mention of synagogues, rabbis, Pharisees, Sadducees, or yeshivas in the OT? This is because they only began to be established following the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon around 340BC. Their development originated from a text right here in our parasha from Deut.17:8-10:
“If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the Lord your God chooses. 9 And you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgment. 10 You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place which the Lord chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you.”
From the 3rd century BC onwards, as the Torah became more accessible to people generally, different interpretations began to be formulated (e.g., the schools of Shamai and Hillel – e.g., Matt 5. Regarding divorce). Interpretation of the Torah became plentiful through discussion and debate between the sages and rabbis instead of waiting for Divine revelation on every issue through individual leaders such as in the days of Moses.
Different schools of interpretation were formulated and these became known as the “Oral Law” (a collective body of knowledge, sayings, deliberations and reflections) between the 3rd century BC – 2nd century AD and these were codified in the 5th century AD into a body of spiritual wisdom and knowledge known as the Talmud (Heb: learning). It contains 2,711 densely packed pages and countless commentaries which orthodox Jews make a lifetime study of.
Sadly for the Jewish people Judaism built a fence around the Law as a means of protecting themselves against false interpretations and only those deemed worthy (with “semikhah” – “authority’) were eligible to interpret Scripture themselves rather than quoting from the body of knowledge contained in the Oral Law from the sages.
Interestingly, Yeshua was recognised as one of those people. For example we read in Matt.7:29 that “…When Yeshua had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”
Those recognised with “semikhah” comprised only a tiny handful of people within any generation giving them authority to interpret the Torah without needing to refer to other sages for enlightenment. Scripture speaks how the general Jewish population acknowledged how Yeshua spoke as one with ‘authority’ compared to the religious hierarchy. Although “semikhah” was officially conferred to a person by a court of three judges within the Sanhedrin it is clear that the general population regarded Yeshua as ticking all the boxes.
Of course, it was embarrassing for the religious hierarchy but a delight to the oppressed masses how Yeshua would often speak out in a tirade of criticism and judgement against the custodians of the Law by the hypocritical manner in which they held the people in bondage and condemnation. In fact He used the very same text in this week’s parasha from Deut 17:8-13 to harshly criticise them: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.” Matt.23:1-3.
Yeshua exposed the custodians of the Law who had lost their way and replaced true spirituality with legalistic and meaningless man-made do’s and don’ts. Instead, He emphasised the importance of restorative relationship which is the key to prevent anyone from falling into the same trap.(Matt.22-Deut.6:5;Lev.19:18; Jn.14:6)
Yeshua never taught the disciples to disregard the Law and made it clear that He had not come to abolish the Law but to fulfil it. (Matt.5:17) It only becomes meaningful for those consumed with an intense desire for building an ever closer walk with God such as in Ps.139: “Search me O God and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts (not just my actions) and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the everlasting path.”
This psalm is closely aligned with the 6th month of Elul we have just entered – the month of introspection as the “King in the Field” awaits to embrace us with open arms = “Paneem L’paneem’ – ‘Face to face’). This is the yearning we experience when we make Yeshua our Lord. ‘Just enough’ then becomes an unacceptable term because Adonai Tzva’ot is a God of more than enough, not just enough – the ‘All Sufficient One’ who is all sufficient not barely sufficient! Yeshua compared it to a jeweller on the lookout for the finest pearls. “When he found a pearl more beautiful and valuable than any jewel he had ever seen, the jeweller sold all he had and bought that pearl, his pearl of great price.” (Matt.13:45-46)
Salvation is a free gift but in order to possess it we must surrender our lives to Him as “living sacrifices” which is our reasonable duty. (Rom.12:1) The founder of Chasidic Judaism once said: “I so desire the presence of God that my heart cries out in pain when I cannot feel it but for many their sickness is that they have forgotten they ever had that desire.”
I shared something similar this week in my regular weekly devotion from a true story in the Holocaust. It began as a Nazi camp commander led a group of orthodox Jews to their deaths. One of them spoke a few words of farewell as those who stood by listened and witnessed everything. He didn’t say much but simply joined hands with another from his group and started singing. They were calling to each other: “Kiddush Hashem,” (“Let’s sanctify the Divine Name”). “Come, let us rejoice!” They all began to sing and dance as if a fire had been lit within them. Their sidelocks, which were then hidden under their hats were now pulled out and hung over their faces. They paid no attention to the things around them. They were dancing and singing. And those inmates who witnessed this event thought they would lose their senses; young people going to their death as one goes to a dance, rejoicing! Thus, whilst dancing, they jumped into the pit as a rain of bullets was pouring down on them.” (Eliezer Berkovits, as told by a Kapo in the Plaszow concentration camp)
Their yearning for God was their “sickness” – reserved for those who love not their lives even unto death but choose instead for God to transform them into His likeness, a vessel changed from glory to glory: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek…to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord.” (Ps.27:4) This was King David’s “sickness” and countless others too throughout the ages. And it can also be ours.
It is a dangerous thing to look into the eyes of the Lord even when we wear ‘sunglasses.’ His gaze will pierce the depths of our soul and expose our hearts. Yet, when we love someone so much how can we do less, it’s our ‘sickness!’ At that moment our hearts begin to dance to the rhythm of His heartbeat that sweeps us into His arms of love!
It’s our ‘sickness’ bearing the fruit of the Spirit that’s identified in Gal.5:22-23. Not man-made religious traditions and obligations but love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. His love reaches out to others even our enemies; His joy brings hope and a sense of meaning and purpose: His peace destroys the authority that binds us to chaos and restores order amid the insanity and lawlessness within this world: His patience is a sweet aroma for “in quietness and confidence is our strength” (Isa.30:15) when all else has evaporated: His kindness is the balm of Gilead which brings healing to those tormented and forsaken by others: His goodness is the breeze casting out the world’s pollution: His faithfulness never fails even though others may betray us so we will not be dismayed: His gentleness is the Balm of Gilead for those wounded by the cruelty of others (Prov.15:1): and self control is the hallmark of true wisdom.
There are many without the church today who say that the Torah holds no relevance because it has been superseded by God’s grace through Yeshua. However, Scripture portrays something very different. For example In Ps.40:8 we read: “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” He who delighted in the Law of God declares together with the psalmist (Ps.19:7-11)“The Torah of Adonai is perfect, restoring the inner person. The instruction of Adonai is sure, making wise the thoughtless. The precepts of Adonai are right, rejoicing the heart. The mitzvah of Adonai is pure, enlightening the eyes.The fear of Adonai is clean, enduring forever. The rulings of Adonai are true, they are righteous altogether, more desirable than gold, than much fine gold, also sweeter than honey or drippings from the honeycomb. Through them your servant is warned; in obeying them there is great reward.”
The point is that without His grace we are indeed utterly lost but without Torah we are also doomed because we need both!
In Deut.32:3-4 the Israelites were commanded to “…Ascribe greatness to our God the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice…!” and here is something described by Yeshua as a weightier matter in the Torah. He rebuked the religious custodians due to their lopsided perceptions and lack of spiritual understanding, “You scribes and Pharisees tithe to the nth degree, but you leave behind the weightier matters of Torah, being love, justice and mercy.” Matt. 23:32 How interesting when we look at the order and see that justice is placed in the centre between love and mercy!
Yeshua is our ‘Minister of Justice’, our defending attorney, because none of us keep the law perfectly – all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, in desperate need of His forgiveness. Although Satan is the accuser of the brethren, God the Father is our Judge and Yeshua acknowledges that we are guilty. We deserve judgement because justice always requires a penalty but Yeshua has accepted that penalty on our behalf, paid in full through His blood. “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves but if we confess our sins…”
Satan is constantly seeking to keep us in court tied up in knots with lawsuits. He knows that justice not only calls for wrongs to be righted, but it calls for a settlement. The problem is that if we neglect to show up in court, the accuser wins and we are defeated. (“If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves… 1Jn.1:8)
Ex. 22 states that “If you catch a thief he shall repay you.” If Satan has stolen your health, he has to pay it back seven-fold, but one has to bring him before the Judge. If he has stolen your life, your future, your family, your ministry, he has to bring restitution… but we have to bring him before the Judge.
A man named Reuben was riding a bus whereupon he met a woman, Shpritzele, who he immediately fell in love with. If you do not believe in ‘love at first sight,’ just talk with Reuben! He knew at first glance that this was his soul mate, the woman he had been looking for all his life. His short trip on the bus was completely life changing.
As they departed from the bus, he wrote down her phone number so that he could call her later. After returning home, he reached into his pocket to get the paper with the phone number and to his horror discovered that the paper was torn and he only had the first three of the seven numbers! He was heartbroken, but undeterred he began to call: 679-0000; 679-0001. He methodically went through all the permutations without success. Whenever he had a minute to spare he called a few
more numbers in the hope that he would eventually reach his beloved Shpritzele. He always inquired with hope. “Wrong number,” was the continual response.
Reuben became totally absorbed with his pursuit to the expense of everything else. Whenever he was driving his car and passed a phone booth, he would park it wherever it was to make some more calls. By so doing he became careless and consequently collected countless tickets for parking in unauthorised places.
Eventually, he received a court summons because of all the unpaid tickets he had collected. When he arrived at court, he was astounded to see that the judge was none other than his beloved Shpritzele!
How would you feel? Worried about the parking tickets or would you rather be delighted to be with your beloved, irrespective that she’s a judge?
As judge, God’s presence is something He invites us to seek after rather than to avoid. Although He is entirely holy, He is also a God of unfathomable love, mercy and tender compassion, and cares deeply for each one of us. His love is worth seeking out rather than avoiding. He is indeed our ‘Shpritzele’ who will gladly pay for our parking tickets when we come unto Him in response to His summons!
There is a parable told by the sages of someone standing in darkness. When he starts walking, he meets with a stone and stumbles over it; he meets with a drain and falls into it, striking his face against the ground. He gets up and after dusting himself down continues and proceeds to fall into a sinkhole newly formed in Pennington! The reason for this is because he has no lamp in his hand. But those living in close relationship with God may also be surrounded by darkness but have a lamp in their hands to avoid the obstacles strewn along their path.
The level playing field is that all of us are fully dependant upon Yeshua who is “…a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” (Ps.119:105) This not only keeps us humble but ensures we are travelling in the right direction against the many deceptions bombarding us in these times (…”Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, …” (Jude 24)
So, if ever you should find ourselves in a sinkhole examining your bruises, make certain to allow Yeshua to rekindle your lamps. He never overlooks the gravity of our sins even as with the woman caught in adultery in Jn.8, because love not only forgives but holds us accountable. He set her free even as He does us, yet also warned her to ‘sin’ no more. We thank God for covering our imperfections when we walk the path of holiness. He is the one true Judge over all the earth who is worthy of all praise and honour, power and dominion, glory and majesty!
