This morning we blew the Shofar heralding the new month of Elul representing the start of the High Holiday season. The Shofar is a reminder that Rosh Hashanah the Day of Judgment is approaching and we should prepare ourselves.
Parshat Shoftim begins with the laws of judges and courts. The Torah tells us:
צדק צדק תרדוף — “Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue.”
Rashi, quoting the Talmud in Sanhedrin 32b, explains that this means we should make every effort to find the best possible court, with the most knowledgeable judges.
But who is the Torah speaking to? If it is speaking to someone who is dishonest, why would he want the best judges? That would only increase his chances of losing the case.
It must be speaking to an honest person—someone who genuinely wants to do what is right. Even when you are a litigant and believe you are correct, the Torah tells you that you have a responsibility to seek out the best judge possible because we can be convinced that we are right and still be mistaken.
A court case requires preparation. Before walking into a courtroom, you review your claims and examine the evidence to make sure that everything you are relying on will stand up to scrutiny.
Now imagine the following scenario: You are an honest person who wants to do the right thing. You want to win your case—but only if you are truly right. That is why you have made sure to find the best judge possible and have carefully examined your evidence.
Rosh Hashanah is our Day of Judgment. And Hashem is the best judge possible. We can be certain that His judgment is perfect. So we should want to make sure that the “evidence” we bring before Him can withstand the closest scrutiny.
Fortunately for us, Hashem is a merciful judge. He has provided us with the month of Elul as an opportunity to prepare our “case”. During this month, we review our conduct over the past year to see where we need to improve, and we resolve to change for the better. As a merciful judge, He doesn’t expect perfection. He wants to see that we are sincere and doing the best we can in our relationships to Hashem and to people.
Every morning during Elul, as we hear the sound of the shofar, let it serve as a reminder: Rosh Hashanah is coming. It is time to prepare our case—not by pretending we are perfect, but by honestly examining ourselves and committing to become better. Let it be a reminder to us to make sure our case before the Heavenly Court is built on solid evidence in our favour.
Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah!
Rabbi Shaps and the JET Team
