Rav Etan's D'var Torah for Shabbat Parshat Shoftim

This week’s Torah portion, which deals with setting up just courts has the famous clarion call of Tzedek Tzedek Tirtof, that you shall pursue justice. Many of the meforshim offer explanations as to why we have the double language - Tzedek Tzedek. Some say it is to show the absolute importance of justice and hence the double language is for emphasis. Others say it is because you have to pursue justice whether it is for your gain or for your loss and yet others say that it is to show that you must continuously pursue justice time and time again - all the days of your life. The Ramban, Nachmanides, writes that is because both the judges have to pursue justice and the litigants have to run after justice. In what ways do the litigants have to run after justice?  Says Ramban, the litigants have to run from town to town to find a place which has Torah sages - a Makom Torah - a place of Torah study. There are all sorts of amenities that people look for when choosing where to live - a robust job market, great hospitals, parks and green space, schools, proximity to family and for some how close it is to the beach. The Torah is telling us this week how important it is to find a place that has a strong Torah presence - so much so that we have to run after it - even move if we don’t find it in our town! So many folks move to downtown Baltimore for jobs or educational opportunities. Some move here for the waterfront views of the beautiful harbor. But, thinking about the Ramban's directive and our own shul and community - if it weren't for its presence, then living in Downtown Baltimore wouldn't be Jewishly viable. Let's make sure we ensure its strength and the bedrock of Jewish life downtown.

Shabbat Shalom
Rav Etan