WRJ Voices: Shof'tim

by Diane Pont With the campaigns for the U.S. Presidential general election well under way, we are certainly witnessing a political season like no other. Between the multitude of surrogate speeches given at the Democratic and Republican national conventions and the candidates’ speeches and rallies, we see two completely divergent visions for America’s future. This week’s Parashah, Shof’tim, meaning Judges, begins with Moses directing the Israelites to set up judges and law enforcement officials for themselves and in the cities that the Lord has given them. Moses says they should govern the people with “righteous judgment.” It follows that justice should not be perverted; not through favoritism nor with the taking of bribes, “For bribery blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts just words.” Just as Moses directed the Israelites to set up their governing bodies so shall we, on November 8, elect a new President along with senators and representatives, on both the state and national levels. Although we do not directly appoint judges, we elect those who have the ability to nominate and those who approve that nomination. At the WRJ Board Meeting in May, board members unanimously approved a resolution calling for President Barak Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland as Supreme Court Justice to be considered by Congress. With a majority of Republicans in the Senate, President Obama’s nomination so far has been ignored, with some arguing that the next President should fill the current Supreme Court vacancy. Should President Obama’s choice continue to not be considered until after January 20, 2017 when the new President will take office, then it will be up to either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to make this all-important nomination. She or he will also fill other vacancies when they occur during her or his presidency. When WRJ was founded in 1913, women did not have the right to vote. Not until the 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920 were women given that right. Today, we exercise our right and responsibility to vote as informed and active citizens. WRJ has initiated a “Your Vote Matters: WRJ Issues 2016” campaign to provide non-partisan background information on key issues of the election. On five Tuesdays prior to the election, messages are being sent highlighting these issues. You can participate with the #WRJWomenVote campaign on Facebook and Twitter. Shof’tim continues with the line, “Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live and possess the land the Lord, your God, is giving you.” Note the word justice is listed twice. Rabbi Rachel Gartner discussing Shoftim on a post on the American Jewish World Service site dated August 17, 2015, cited Rabbi Simkha Bunim of Pczsha on the importance of the word “justice” and why it was repeated, “… it isn’t only the goal of justice that’s important; the methods we use to pursue justice must also be just themselves.” Rabbi Gartner further notes that in the opening chapter of Devarim, Moses says to his judicial appointees to ‘shmatem, listen so that you may judge fairly: “Deep, empathetic listening is essential to Judaism’s definition of a just pursuit of justice because it promotes more fair and appropriate judgments.” She continues that justice is not a human invention, rather the source comes from God. As we head to the polls, we too should “listen” in advance and “educate” ourselves on the candidates and the issues. WRJ’s “Your Vote Matters” campaign calls on us to “Register, Listen, Educate, Vote!” Diane Pont is a member of Congregation Beth Israel in Houston, Texas where she is currently serving her sixth year as a board member of her sisterhood. Last November she became a board member of WRJ.