WITHOUT BIAS

PARSHA
SHOFTIM 08

“You shall appoint judges and clerks for yourself” (Deut.16.18)

Most disputes arise because of double standards. We tend to use one standard in judging our fellow and another when judging ourselves. So invariably our fellow is in the wrong whilst we are right. For this reason the Torah states, ‘Appoint judges for yourself’. (Toldot Yaakov Yosef)

Our Parsha always coincides wi th the first Shabbat of Elul, the month during which we prepare ourselves for the Yamim Noraim, the forthcoming High Holy Days. This period is set aside for introspection. We need to take a good hard look at ourselves with a view to self-improvement in the coming year.

Being honest about ourselves is extremely difficult. Perhaps we judge too harshly, or we seek and find reasons for self-vindication. We look at things from a subjective and one-sided viewpoint.

Elul gives us the opportunity to change our focus, the opportunity to put ourselves in the shoes of our fellow man. The Torah tells us to judge ourselves - that is, with objectivity.