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Weekly Torah portion · Deuteronomy

Shoftim שופטים

Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9

Shoftim (“Judges”) discusses guidelines of leadership, opening with a command to appoint judges and continuing to detail laws of kings, priests, and prophets. It also describes laws relating to cities of refuge for accidental killers, false witnesses, warfare, and the rite performed in a case of unsolved murder.

Summary: Sefaria

How it begins

שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן־לְךָ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת־הָעָם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶדֶק׃

16:18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, tribe by tribe; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

לֹא־תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט לֹא תַכִּיר פָּנִים וְלֹא־תִקַּח שֹׁחַד כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִם׃

16:19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ׃

16:20 Justice, justice shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 16:18–20 · Hebrew: Tanach with Nikkud · English: JPS 1917 · public domain, via Sefaria

Seven daily readings

The portion is traditionally split into seven parts (aliyot), one for each day of the week.

When it’s read

Dates: Hebcal. Some years two portions are read together.

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