This week’s Torah portion and much of the book of Deuteronomy are the Constitution upon which our ancestors established the ancient Land of Israel. Standing on the bank of the Jordan River, Moses declares God’s law and the conditions upon which the people may possess the land. And, like our Constitution, the Torah places great emphasis on Justice. In the opening verses of this week’s portion we read the famous words: “tzedek, tzedek tirdof…”Rabbi Salomon Gruenwald comments that most translations understand the repetition of the word tzedek here as emphasis: “Justice, Justice shall you pursue.” A better translation would treat the second appearance of the wordtzedek as a modifier to the first, as in the phrase just two verses before – “mishpat tzedek” (righteous judgment). Therefore, “Tzedek, tzedek…” means “just justice” or “righteous justice” – that is to say, justice that is attained through just means. But we can’t stop there, the verse continues: “tzedek, tzedek tirdof l’ma’an tikhye vyarashta et ha-aretz asher HaShem Elokekha noten lach.” “Righteous justice shall you pursuein order that you may thrive and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” That is to say, that the ideal of justiceprecedes even the country itself. It means that our very claim to the land is predicated on establishing justice within our borders. Notice all the various ways in which we are beckoned to pursue justice – justice both in outcome and in means. So important is this mandate for justice that even the king of Israel is commanded to review the law continuously. You’ll note that in 17:18, the King of Israel is required to keep a copy of the Torah next to his throne and read it throughout his life. This means to tell us that in a country established upon the principle of Justice, no person is above the law. It means to tell us that before all else, we must put ourideals first.
It is also the month of Elul. The holy Baal Shem Tov taught that during the month of Elul, the KING IS IN THE FIELD. Every one of us can approach Hashem, directly, informally. We don’t need to pass through guarded gates and chambers of inquiry and examination, in order to get to the King. The King is in the field! When you approach “the King” in the field, you approach Hashem, as Hashem whom you, the real inner you, relates to.
Much of our relationships [all kinds] and behaviors have been determined and affected by formality and structure [which to be sure are also very important]. However during the month of Ellul, we are not approaching Hashem through the veils of formality, in which one can hide from one’s inner self. The palace, the guards, the entourage, the grandeur are not there to give definition to your belief in Hashem, and to your relationship with Hashem.
The King is completely approachable; you can discover what Hashem really means to you, in your insides, in your ‘kishkes’. Hashem is in the field to meet you, the real you, to relate to you in the deepest way. It is from this deep encounter that you receive the knowledge, the strength and guidance, and the love to do the fixing of the inner self.
Hashem comes out into the field and is so to speak letting us know “Rachmana leeba ba’ee”– the compassionate One desires the heart! Hashem is longing for a deep personal and intimate connection with us so we should not let Him down.
