Friday, August 21, 2009

Deuteronomy Shofetim Verses16:18 -21:9

Parsha Shofetim has three basic parts. The first part God sets up the Judicial system and how it will be run justly. The second part God talks about punishment for breaking the laws he has set out for the Jewish people. The third part is God telling the Jewish people how to defend and attack to keep their culture alive. I will be talking about a part I found particularly interesting in the first section of this trilogy of commandments.

Once God explains the Jewish Judicial System, He says that the Promised Land will have a king chosen by the Lord. Modern Jews and the modern American world do not even think twice about having a king. Was the author who wrote this a Medieval man? Was it changed by someone from the Dark Ages? The world will never know who wrote each Torah parsha and how it has changed from generation.


Traditionally, we think of three Israeli kings. Saul, David, and Solomon. (Ahasuerus near Purim time, but he was not Israeli). Well to quote the children, "first is the worst, second is the best, third is one with the treasure chest". Saul was blessed by the Lord as long as he obeyed Him. Saul's time of royalty was out shined by David one of Israel's great generals. Jealously loomed Saul to try kill to David. The jig was up and David was king. David led Israel's armies with pride and started the book of Psalms. Solomon had the treasure chest of knowledge, wisest of the kings, and built the First Great Temple of Jerusalem. There were many other kings, but these are the names we remember.

Getting back to the parsha, God wanted his people to have a king. God does everything for a purpose. Maybe God wanted the people to discover democracy. My theory is God just wanted the Temple of Jerusalem built and could not force his people into slavery to build it. The purpose of Saul was to appoint David general, the purpose of David was to have Solomon as a son in Israel's golden age, the purpose of wise Solomon was to build the Temple. God does everything for a reason.

1 comment:

  1. Adam - I think sometimes you are wise well beyond your years!! Great blog and I enjoy this more and more every week as this bonds our family.


    love,
    Dad

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