By: Brandon Rattiner
Senior Director, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)
This week’s Torah portion, Shoftim, begins with one of the most important lines in Jewish tradition: “Justice, justice shall you pursue.” From the start, the parsha makes clear that justice is not just one value among many; it is the central purpose of Jewish law and governance. Judges must be impartial, leaders must be humble, and those in power must act with integrity.
But Shoftim also turns to some of the hardest realities a society can face — moments of war. Here too, the Torah insists that justice must remain our guide. Before battle, we are commanded to offer peace. Only if that peace is rejected are we told to go forward with strength. And when we do, the instruction is clear: do not be afraid, and be prepared to win.
This can feel like a contradiction. How can we be commanded to pursue justice and, at the same time, to go out to war? This week’s parsha suggests that strength and justice are not opposites. We need both. There will be times when our people are under threat, and in those times, strength is required to protect them. Yet even then, the Torah sets limits. We are told, “Do not cut down the fruit trees.” In other words: fight to win, but not in a way that destroys the possibility of future life.
That is the challenge of Shoftim. Justice is always the goal. Strength is often necessary. And even in our strongest moments, we are called to act in ways that preserve life, dignity, and hope for the future.
As we welcome Shabbat, may we hold fast to this balance: to put justice at the center of our lives, to find the courage to defend it when it is threatened, and to remember that real strength never loses sight of what makes life worth protecting.
Shabbat shalom.
Please email Brandon Rattiner at brattiner@jewishcolorado.org with questions or comments.