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Justice In America
Rabbi Reuven Mann
This week’s Parsha, Shoftim, takes up the rules of engagement pertaining to warfare. It should be noted that some religions are entirely pacifistic, believing that their exclusive vocation is to be dedicated to matters of peace. War, they believe, entails destruction of human lives and the uprooting of societies not to mention the harmful effects on the environment.
However, what troubles the Christian conscience the most is the notion of killing, which they regard as murder. For they ask, what right do we have to take anyone’s life in order to preserve our own interests?
Judaism takes a different view of these matters. The Torah makes it clear that there are times when it is man’s moral responsibility to take up arms. In Bereishit it depicts the heroic midnight “commando” raid launched by Avraham and his 318 men to rescue his nephew Lot from captivity. Subsequently we read in Shemot that Moshe slew the Egyptian taskmaster who was beating a “Jew from his brothers.” He was operating on the principle that innocent life must be protected even at the cost of the existence of the aggressor.
Judaism takes a very practical stand on issues of self defense and the protection of innocent life. Our religion is also very committed to the importance of maintaining societal order as our Parsha proclaims, “Shoftim v’Shotrim teeten lecha bechal shearecha…” (“Judges and police officers shall you appoint for yourselves in all your gates so that they can judge the nation righteously.”)
Civilized society is under constant threat by external enemies but also by internal forces that seek to undo the social balance that preserves freedom while maintaining security. The principle of societal order has been gravely tested recently in America. Tragedies have occurred which unleashed powerful forces of resentment among certain sectors of the population. This group saw no other way to proceed than to take to the streets. Peaceful protest and civil disobedience have come to be accepted in America as a legitimate mechanism to generate necessary social change. But there has to be a limit.
It is important to be able to address injustices that prevail in America and protest movements can be helpful in galvanizing the necessary public opinion to achieve that goal. However there is a very subtle and delicate line between constructive activism and harmful lawlessness. The fabric of society is very fragile and can be seriously damaged by those who seek to nullify the authorities whose job it is to enforce the statutes and protect the law abiding citizenry.
The Rabbis were very wary of ideologies that tended to diminish the effectiveness of the legitimate law enforcement agencies. They famously said, “One should pray for the welfare of the government for without it each person would swallow his brother alive.”
The warning of the Rabbis has been confirmed by the outbreak of crime and violence that has surged in the wake of the “Defund the Police” and other movements. Street violence and social chaos are not the way to achieve necessary and desirable social change.
At present we desperately need courageous leaders who can organize “Shoftim and Shotrim” who can protect the rights of citizens to peace and quiet while providing non-violent channels for legitimate grievances to be expressed and dealt with.
Over the course of its long history America has shown itself to be a country in which injustices can be ameliorated while the bonds that keep us together can be maintained. The message of Parshat Shoftim is very relevant to our situation. We need judges and police officers who are firm, resolute and who provide righteous judgement. May we merit to attain it.
Shabbat Shalom
(h/t Anne)
