Officers or Advisors?

Officers are needed to enforce the law. Counsellors are needed to make everyone receptive to the law.

Appoint Judges and Officers

This week’s Torah portion Shoftim begins with the commandment to “appoint judges and officers in all of your cities..”

A judge, in Jewish law, is one whose task it is to render decisions in areas where there is conflict or uncertainty as to what the law should be. In addition a judge in Jewish tradition is charged with the responsibility to teach the law to others and motivate the people to abide by the law. An officer, on the other hand, is charged with the responsibility to enforce the law. In some cases he might have to resort to force and even corporal punishment to compel the defendant to comply with the judge’s decision.

Restoring Judges and Counselors

In the prophetic book of Isaiah (1:26) a reference is made to the future Messianic Age at which time:

“I shall restore your judges as in former times and your counselors as of yore.”

This phrase is echoed in our most important daily prayer, the Amidah, where we ask of G-d:

“Restore our judges as in former times, and our counselors as of yore.”

It does not say that G-d will restore the Judges and the officers. Are not these two functions intertwined? One must have a judge to teach, instruct and render legal decisions and the officer is needed to make sure the laws are implemented and the criminals punished. Why then, in the prophetic description of the future, does Isaiah omit the “officers?”

Difference between Past and Future

The Rebbe explains that the answer lies in the fundamental difference between the past and the future. From the beginning of time until the present, the world is anything but perfect. The mere statement that the law says one must do such and such is insufficient to guarantee compliance. Judges cannot carry out their responsibilities effectively without the aid of the officers who see to it that the laws are observed.

In the future Messianic Era, however, the world will be “filled with the knowledge of G-d.” This means that we will be imbued with a sense of purpose and direction at all times. The lack of awareness, insensitivity and indifference which is responsible for all of our indiscretions now will no longer be the norm. When a judge will issue a directive based on the Torah, there will be no need for an officer, a policeman, to enforce the law, because there will be no desire to flout the law.

Judges and Counsellors: General and Specific

There will, however, be a need for advisors and counselors.

The Rebbe explains that the judge issues directives from “on high.” Their “job” requires that they stand aloof. Advisors, on the other hand, are like the prophets who convey G-d’s words to the people on their level.

Perhaps, one may add that the division of roles between a judge and a counsellor is similar to the function of Moshiach and the teachers of Torah in the future.

On the one hand, the prophet tells us that there will be no need for teachers, for everyone will know G-d.

On the other hand, it is hard to imagine that Moses and the simplest Jew will be on the same level of understanding. Surely, there will be different levels which calls for the more knowledgeable to tutor the less informed. Teachers will surely still exist.

The answer is based on the Hassidic teaching that Moshiach’s transmission of Torah will be visual wherein everybody sees the entire picture simultaneously. No one sees more or less than the other. Everyone gets a panoramic view of the totality of Moshiach’s teachings.

It may be compared to a piece of art. Everyone who gazes at it, from the artist himself to the average person who has not appreciation for art, sees the same painting.

Yet, not everyone could digest and internalize the information equally. Not everyone could appreciate equally what they have seen.

To bring the information that one had seen to their level of understanding and appreciation there will still be a need for teachers.

The same is true about the judges and counsellors. While the judges will render decisions that will be addressed to everyone equally, the counsellors will take the directives and make them understandable to each and every individual according to his or her capacity.

Now is the Time for Sensitization

The Rebbe has declared that we are now standing on the threshold of the age of Redemption. In spite of the existence of evil today, we should attempt to prepare ourselves for the time when there will be no need for the officers, by enhancing our sensitivity to spiritual matters.

One of the ways to accomplish this heightened sense of sensitivity is to study the Torah, particularly the more spiritual and mystical dimension of Torah. This has the capacity to reorient us from the material to the spiritual.

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Shoftim by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.