Show Notes
In this week's parsha, Shoftim, we learn about the importance of leadership, government, and systems of checks and balances. Some of the important topics covered in this parsha include:
The three things a Jewish king is forbidden to do- he cannot have too many horses, too much gold and silver, or too many wives.
The laws of a Milchemet Mitzvah as opposed to a Milchemet Reshus, and how to save people from embarrassment.
The ceremony of the Eglah Arufah- where a calf is symbolically killed to demonstrate the waste of human life when someone is murdered, and to hopefully expose the murderer.
We are all governed by the same God, and must all follow His law.
More from Parsha for Kids
In the last parsha of the Torah, V'Zot HaBracha, Moshe dies. But what matters is not that he died- rather, the way he died. Moshe approached God alone. There were no adoring crowds. No family surrounding him. It was just the man and his Maker. And this is something that will happen to us all. We will all, ultimately, approach God. The question to be answered is simply this: have we lived a life that we are proud to show to God?
This week's parsha, Haazinu, is actually a song! Moshe wanted to make sure that the core ideas of Judaism would be accessible to everyone, whether or not they were able to read. In this song, we focus on some important ideas. These include: