In this Parasha, HaShem commands us to appoint judges in all the cities of Israel. Judges must be fair and impartial and should never accept any bribe.
Idolatry, in all its forms, is prohibited and must be penalized with capital punishment. Sacrifices offered to God must be free from blemishes.
Jews are required to follow the decisions of the Sanhedrin, which is the Jewish Supreme Court. Rebelling against this rabbinical court is considered a capital offense.
The Tora provides instructions about the laws of the Jewish king. The overarching principle for the Jewish king is that he should act with the knowledge that God is the true King of Israel. The human king has limitations to ensure he remains mindful of his true role. He should not accumulate an excess of horses, have an abundance of women, or amass vast personal wealth. The king is obligated to write his own scroll of Tora – the constitution of the Jewish people – and carry that copy with him at all times (as if, in today’s context, the American president were required to carry a copy of the American Constitution permanently in his pocket). This ensures that the monarch remains humble and is constantly reminded that his primary duty is observing the Tora and enforcing God’s Law in his domain.
God chooses the Cohanim to serve Him in His Sanctuary. “God is their inheritance,” meaning that the Bet haMiqdash will be “their territory” (akin to their second home). Thus, their tribe, the Levites, will not receive a specific territory in the Land of Israel like the other tribes. So, how will the Cohanim and the Levites sustain themselves? The Priests and the descendants of the tribe of Levi will benefit from a series of taxes and tithes (in Hebrew: “priestly gifts”) that the people offer them: certain portions of the meat from specific sacrifices, the tithes of the harvest, fruits of the land, a share of the shearing, etc.
The Tora strictly forbids divination, occult practices, and future’s predictions. Maimonides contends that all these practices are illusory, simply tricks and deception, as paranormal phenomena are fictitious and often manipulated by charlatans to deceive and exploit the common people. In earlier times, these practices were deeply ingrained in idolatry and pagan culture. The Tora instructs us that we should place our faith and trust in the Creator rather than attempting to decipher the future.
We Jews are privileged to be guided by the Tora, and we’re also blessed that God sends His prophets to convey His words to us, as Moshe did. The prophets that God dispatches come with the mission to caution the people when they stray from the path of Tora. Naturally, their words must be heeded. However, the Tora also warns about those who falsely profess to speak in God’s name. These false prophets did not caution the people of their wrongdoings. Instead, much like skilled demagogues, they reassured them and criticized the genuine prophets, accusing them of being alarmist and pessimistic. One can recognize a false prophet when he advocates for suspending or altering any Tora commandment.
The Tora underscores the obligation to establish cities of refuge for unintentional manslaughter (a modern-day equivalent might be if someone inadvertently kills another in a car accident). Moses mandates the designation of six sanctuary cities.
For a civil or criminal trial to lead to a conviction, testimony from at least two witnesses is necessary. Those who bear false witness shall receive the very punishment they sought for the accused.
Toward the end of this Parasha, the Tora outlines some of the laws of warfare and military campaign protocols. For instance, who is exempted from military service? As soldiers approach the battlefield, one of the Cohanim must address them, assuring them not to fear the enemy since God supports the Israeli army in their conflicts. This Cohen also lists individuals who are to return home: someone recently engaged and about to marry; someone who has built a new home and hasn’t occupied it yet; or someone who has planted a vineyard and hasn’t yet enjoyed its fruits. The Cohen further advises anyone suffering from anxiety or panic to depart the battlefield to prevent demoralizing other soldiers. Before engaging the enemy, a peace proposal must be extended. Only if the enemy declines this overture does the conflict ensue. However, in wars against the Canaanite nations, these populations are to be entirely eradicated to prevent assimilation into pagan cultures.
This Parasha concludes with a depiction of the legal procedure to be executed when a body is found in a non-urban setting, and the perpetrator remains unidentified.
