Friday 21 August 2020 - 1 Elul 5780 Sedra Shofetim TAKING REFUGE IN REALITY
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IFE PRESENTS A CONTINUAL QUEST FOR FREEDOM AND SECURITY. WE OFTEN SEEM to be beset by snares and traps of various kinds. The Sedra1 presents an idea which might help us in our own personal search for wellbeing and security. This is the theme of the “Cities of Refuge”. These cities were an important feature of life in the Land of Israel in Temple times. If a person accidentally killed someone he could not just go on living the same way as before. Due to the tragic effect of his action, despite the fact that it was unintentional, he was banished from his home town. His own life was under threat, due to the anger of the relatives of the person he had killed. The only way he could find safety was by fleeing to one of the Cities of Refuge. There he was fully protected, and in this special environment he and his family could live safely. This concept is described in our Sedra2 and also near the end of the Book of Numbers3. These cities were only in the Land of Israel (including Transjordan), and the practical application of this idea was only in Temple times. However, the teachings of the Torah apply on many different levels. According to the Sages, the theme of the Cities of In loving Memory of הרה"ח וו"ח עוסק בצ"צ ר' ארון דוב בן ארי' זצ"ל Rabbi Aron Dov Sufrin זצ"ל- Yahrzeit 6 Elul Dedicated by his Family 'שי JUDAISM FOR TOMORROW’S WORLD www.chabadresearch.net - cru@LubavitchUK.com
Refuge has also a more general meaning, relating to the lives of people living in any epoch, and anywhere in the world. As we read at the beginning of the Torah, we are all in a state of “banishment”. Adam and Eve began life in the Garden of Eden, but committed a serious error with grave spiritual consequences. This resulted in their being driven out of Eden. We, their descendants, find ourselves in a state of banishment due to error: we are in Exile. In this sense we are like the individual described in the Sedra, who has committed a serious error and therefore is banished from his home town. Like him, we too have to seek the City of Refuge. It is only there that we will be able to live a truly fulfilled life. Otherwise we will be living in an illusory state, in a world which is not really our home. If we do not go to the City of Refuge we risk spending our lives like perpetual tourists, possibly enjoying the food and the sun, but not really living... The Sages tell us that study of Torah constitutes the City of Refuge in the life of each individual 4. There were six Cities of Refuge: three in Transjordan, and three in the Land of Israel proper5. These correspond to the Six Orders of The Mishnah, the basic statement of Torah Law: Laws of Agriculture (and Blessings), Shabbat and Festivals, Women, Civil Law, The Temple, Purity. When we study Torah, called the Tree of Life, and keep its laws, we become part of a Divine realm of wholesome reality. Our goal is to bring this level of reality to all humanity and all existence: then the error of eating from the Tree of Knowledge will be atoned. Further, the Sedra tells us that with the coming of the Messiah, three extra Cities of Refuge will be added, making nine in all6. These represent the extra dimensions of Torah study which will be revealed in the time of the ultimate Redemption. We were banished from Eden after eating from the Tree of Knowledge. By striving to reach the City of Refuge, the Torah, we attain a yet higher level: “the Tree of Life, in the Middle of the Garden...”7 1. Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9. 2. Deut. 19:1-10. 3. See Num.ch.35. 4. See Talmud Makkot 10a. 5. See Num.35:14. 6. See Deut.19:8-9, and Rashi. 7. Gen.2:9. Based freely on R. Menachem Mendel, the Tzemach Tzedek’s Or HaTorah, Mas’ei, p.1414; the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Sefer HaSichot 5751 vol.2, p.575 ff.
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SEDRA SHOFETIM THE NIGHT-OWL The moon shone brightly as Mrs Simon typed away at her computer. It was late at night and she was finishing some work. Glancing at the clock and noticing the time, she thought to herself, ‘oh my, it’s 11.45 pm!’ Shutting the computer with a yawn, she made her way upstairs, and suddenly stopped. The light in eleven year old Isaac’s room was still on, which meant he was still awake! She had sent him to bed hours ago! Mrs Simon entered the room to find Isaac concentrating intensely on the game he was playing on his Game Boy. “Isaac, do you realise the time?” Mrs Simon asked softly. Isaac looked up startled. “Mom you scared me! Uh, it’s late?” He offered sheepishly. “Isaac it’s 11.45 pm, and I sent you to bed hours ago! Why are you still up?” She asked upset. Isaac looked down, “Sorry, I just got caught up in my Game Boy and I didn’t want to go to sleep. Why do I have to go sleep, Mom?” he complained. “Oh Isaac, Isaac. Do you know what this week’s Sedra is?” Mrs Simon suddenly asked. “Yeah, Sedra Shofetim, Why?” Isaac asked curiously.
“Well this situation is kind of reminding me a-bit of Shofetim,” she said thoughtfully. “Why? How is it like Shofetim?” “It’s late, so I’m going to tell you this, and then you promise you’ll go to sleep?” asked Mrs Simon firmly. Isaac nodded his head waiting to hear why his not going to sleep had anything in the world to do with this week’s Sedra. “Okay. So in Sedra Shofetim, G-d says to appoint judges and police officers to keep order and have a court of law. But every day, when we say the Amidah, we ask G-d to bring the Messiah and to bring back our judges but it doesn’t mention police officers. Instead it asks G-d to bring back our advisors!” said Mrs Simon. “Hey! Why is that?” asked Isaac. “Because in Exile, the time we live in now, we have a bad inclination inside of us that convinces us to do the wrong things sometimes, like stay up and play on our Game Boy the whole night,” Mrs Simon said to her son with a wink. “Oh and I learnt in class, that when the Messiah comes we won’t have any evil inclination! So then we won’t need police officers anymore!” Isaac said triumphantly. “That’s why it does mention them in our prayer in the Amidah.” “Exactly. But we’ll have judges to explain what the law is, and also advisors in case someone needs advice,” added Mrs Simon. “Until then, I guess you’re my bedtime police officer,” Isaac said, with a mischievous grin. Mrs Simon laughed. “You bet I am! Now run to bed and have sweet dreams of times when we won’t need police officers, because everyone will be completely good!” Torah teachings are holy – please treat this page with care