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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.
- Part 1Deuteronomy 16:18-17:13
- Part 2Deuteronomy 17:14-17:20
- Part 3Deuteronomy 18:1-18:5
- Part 4Deuteronomy 18:6-18:13
- Part 5Deuteronomy 18:14-19:13
- Part 6Deuteronomy 19:14-20:9
- Part 7Deuteronomy 20:10-21:9
When it’s read
- Diaspora: September 4, 2027, August 26, 2028
- Israel: September 4, 2027, August 26, 2028
Dates: Hebcal. Some years two portions are read together.