T orah P ortion
The Parameters of Justice
BY RABBI JON CUTLER
Parshat Shoftim
THIS WEEK’S TORAH
portion, Shoftim (judges), offers
an introduction to Jewish juris-
prudence and offers important
lessons about how a just society
functions. Moses in his final
discourses to the Israelites
instructs them to build a just and
moral society in the Promised
Land they are poised to enter.

The most famous verse
from this parsha states “Tzedek
Tzedek Tirdof ” – “Justice,
justice shall you pursue, so that
you may thrive and occupy the
land that the Lord your God
is giving you.” (Deuteronomy
16:18) The obvious question is as
follows: Why did the word
tzedek (justice) need to be
repeated? Would it not have
been sufficient to state “Justice
shall you pursue?” The rabbis
answered that the repeti-
tion of the word justice is to
teach us that justice needs
to be achieved through just
means. For example, even if
one’s cause is just, one must
not influence the court with
tainted evidence, bribery or
other forms of corruption.

Weill Continued from Page 18
and Francis Ford Coppola
had signed on for the project
— directing a unique video
component. Weinstein was too
green for the project, which
was never filmed, but he was
given a second chance to create
his own tribute to Weill a
decade later, enlisting the help
of Reed, his personal deity.

While working on his film,
Weinstein acquired an even
deeper appreciation for the
composer, considering him “a
quiet friend.”
“Kurt Weill himself was
just this quiet, gentle genius,”
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM CAN DL E L IGHTIN G
Aug. 13
Aug. 20
7:42 p.m.

7:32 p.m.

In Jewish law, the ends do
not justify the means. We need
to be careful in administering
justice with equity.

Jewish law demands that we
must never favor the rich over
the poor. But neither may the
poor be favored over the rich.

Each case must be judged by its
own merits, not by the social,
economic or racial background
of the litigants. If we can judge
with true impartiality, then we
are well on the way to achieving
true justice.

Whose obligation is it to
make sure that there is a just legal
system operating for the people?
The Torah opens with a
solemn injunction: “Place
for yourself, in all your gates
… judges and officials, so that
they will judge the people in
righteousness.” (Deut. 16:18) The
text continues to emphasize how
important justice and righteous-
ness is for “Place for yourself,”
says the verse. The verse is
phrased as a direct address to
the individual. The authority
wielded by judges and other
officers of society ultimately
derives from their mission as
messengers of each of us.

We are
personally commanded to pursue justice.

Part of our obligation is purely
personal, of course — to act
justly and treat each other
fairly and without prejudice or
violence. But another part of our
personal obligation is to create
social structures that extend
beyond the capacities of any one
person, to ensure that justice
applies everywhere, to everyone.

But while many of us are
quite confident in our own
moral uprightness, we are
forced to confront, on a daily
basis, how flawed our justice
system is on a social scale. The
command to pursue justice on
a societal scale is a very diffi-
cult obligation to undertake.

For example:
“If one is found slain ... Lying
in the field and it is not known
who has slain him … The elders
of the city nearest the slain man
shall wash their hands and say
our hands have not shed this
blood, nor have our eyes seen it
...” (Deut. 21:1, 7)
If a man is found slain in
the field, and it is not known
who has slain him, a just
society assures the safety of
all in its midst. Life matters
even when the identity of the
victim is unknown. To pursue
justice is not solely justice for
the residents of the community
or for its privileged members.

The pursuit of justice demands
embracing the underpriv-
ileged, the stranger, the
“other.” It’s an ongoing task
requiring commitment and
determination. Society is to
be proactive in establishing
and maintaining the highest
standards of righteousness and
integrity. If an apparent victim of
violence is found in the field
and not within the bound-
aries of any community, it’s
easy to dismiss it as another
unsolved crime, but not so
in this instance. Here all the
elders of the city closest to
where the body is found must
gather at the nearest “mighty
stream” with a year-old heifer
and engage in a profound rite.

They are to break its neck
and then washing their hands
in the brook proclaim their
innocence by reciting, “Our
hands not shed this blood.”
The Talmud notes it is
inconceivable that the elders
committed this
crime. Why then this profession
of innocence? This was to
proclaim that this stranger
did not enter their city only
to be denied hospitality and
departed without provi-
sions and an escort to guide
and protect him on his way.

The elders speaking for their
community were affirming
that the stranger’s life was of
consequence. Life matters. All
life matters — even that of the
stranger. The pursuit of justice
demands we be concerned
about the welfare and safety of
the outsider and “other.”
This rite is rooted in the
biblical and rabbinic teach-
ings that the stance of “live
and let live” is contrary to the
obligation to be proactive in
the pursuit of justice. We are
mandated to assume respon-
sibility for the safety of others
and that basic needs of food,
shelter and security are assured
to all. l
Weinstein said.

Samuels believes that the
interview he conducted with
Weinstein will help to augment
the viewing experience.

“It gives people a chance to
take an expansive experience,
which is to listen, to watch these
two works of art and creativity,
and also be able to go beyond
that and find other depths that
you can’t find with the traditional
mediums of traditional film or
old archives,” Samuels said.

According to Samuels, the
Perlmutters had deep familial
ties to Germany and an interest
in German film and culture;
Ruth Perlmutter is a music-lover.

Samuels met Perlmutter in
the 1970s when they teamed up
to create a film and video center
on the third floor of the Walnut
Street Theatre. Prior to then,
Samuels said, there weren’t any
other film centers in the area
outside of universities or the
Theatre of Living Arts.

“We had films every night,
people lecturing and talking,’’
Samuels said. “It wasn’t a great,
popular success, but it was
a seeding of the ground for
Philadelphia.” Perlmutter was always
avant-garde, according to
Samuels, and had a way of
connecting with young people
that made her a compelling
mover and shaker in organizing
cultural events in the city.

She and Archie Perlmutter, a
businessman with a love of the
arts, would bring joy and fun
to whatever social gathering
they attended.

“She’s one of those unknown
forces that exists in a city like
Philadelphia, that continues
that kind of tradition of art,
pop culture and film,” Samuels
said. Though Perlmutter, who
served as GPJFF’s artistic chair
emeritus, retired from chairing
the screening committee
several years ago, she sponsors
Ruth’s Reels and Archie’s
Archives as a way to stay
involved in the film commu-
nity and continue her legacy of
introducing audiences to new
and novel films.

“She was certainly instru-
mental in nurturing a truly
vibrant film scene in Philly,”
said Olivia Antsis, executive
artistic director at GPJFF.

Additional information about
and tickets for the events can be
found at pjff.org/event/double-fea-
ture-2021. General admission for
the program is $12. l
JEWISH EXPONENT
Rabbi Jon Cutler is the rabbi
of Beth Israel Congregation
of Chester County and the co-
president of the Board of Rabbis of
Philadelphia. The board is proud
to provide diverse perspectives on
Torah commentary for the Jewish
Exponent. The opinions expressed
in this column are the author’s own
and do not reflect the view of the
Board of Rabbis.

srogelberg@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0741
AUGUST 12, 2021
19