The Power of the Police

Editor’s Note:  David has been writing weekly articles for Breslev Israel for quite a while. This week we are blessed to have an article by David and his daughter, Samahti. She came up with the insights in this article as they learned Shoftim with Rashi.  

Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities which Hashem, your God, gives you. (Shoftim 16:18) 

The beauty of our holy Torah is in every word. When Hashem uses an unexpected word, He is giving us a buried treasure of deep meaning.  

Elul begins with the Torah portion called Shoftim (Judges). The portion begins with the words “Shoftim v’Shotrim”, judges and officers.  

I can understand the word “judges”, but “officers”? 

Didn’t that tall handsome Israeli with three stripes on his uniform just remind us that he is a Katzin, an officer? Why are we using the word “Shotrim” instead of “Katzinim”? Isn’t there an Israeli show called HaShoter HaTov. That show is about a cop, not a Colonel!  

Let’s dig a little and discover some of the treasure Hashem is giving us. 

Law & Order: Israel 

An army officer (katzin) protects the country. A police officer (shoter) enforces the law.  

Two litigants stand before the judge. He interrogates both of them. After questioning, the judge decides which law applies, and based on this law, which side is in compliance. The judge then makes his judgment.  

What happens when a judge rules in a case that a powerful man with powerful friends must give a sizeable amount of money to a helpless pauper? How can a judge force this powerful man to fork over a sizeable portion of his wealth to a helpless plaintiff?

He uses the police to enforce his judgment. This ensures that justice reigns over the weak and strong alike.  

This is the commandment Hashem gives to the Jewish People: Establish righteous judges to decide the law and a police force to execute these decisions.  

Law & Order: Elul

Every Jew can set up judges and police within himself.  

Tishrei is when the True Judge makes His decision. We are all facing the death penalty in a capital trial where we are the defendant. The True Judge will make His decision. He will send His officers to carry out His verdict.  

Elul is when we are our own judge. Now is the time for us to pass all sorts of judgments against our words, our deeds, and our thoughts. It’s up to us to judge ourselves.  

Did we speak too much lashon hara? Did we avert our eyes from some of the things the internet forces upon us? Are we lax in some of our daily duties, like praying on time, or waking up on time? 

The King is in the field. He is listening to our pre-trial arguments.  

What if we pass judgments against ourselves? Will that help – is it enough? 

No. 

That’s only the first part. We must also activate our own internal police to carry out our decisions.  

• We can reward ourselves when we live up to our personal judgments.  
• We can self-punish when we don’t.  
• We can use our personal prayers to confess to Hashem where we met our own standards of conduct and where we failed.  
• We can recite each day the main judgments we passed upon ourselves and use them as guides for how we will act in the next 24 hours.  

Our internal police can transform our personal judgments from empty statements to real repentance.  

Hashem willing, our own set of judges and officers can transform His judgments from bitter justice to sweet mercy.  

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David Ben Horin lives in the Jezreel Valley with his family, Afula’s famous sunflowers, and the local camel, Matilda. David loves to write about Judaism, Torah, Israel, and personal happiness.