The name of the Parshah, "Shoftim," means "Judges.”

Moshe instructs the Jewish Nation to appoint judges and law enforcement officers in every city. Crimes must be meticulously investigated and evidence thoroughly examined—a minimum of two credible witnesses is required for conviction and punishment.

In every generation, says Moshe, there will be those entrusted with the task of interpreting and applying the laws of the Torah. Our task is to listen to them and not deviate from their instructions, not even a drop.

Shoftim also includes the prohibitions against idolatry and sorcery; laws governing the appointment and behavior of a king; and guidelines for the creation of “cities of refuge” for the inadvertent murderer. Also set forth are many of the rules of war and the prohibition against wanton destruction of something of value.

The Parshah concludes with the law of the eglah arufah—the special procedure to be followed when a person is killed by an unknown murderer and his body is found in a field—which underscores the responsibility of the community and its leaders not only for what they do, but also for what they might have prevented from being done.

This week, we began the month of Elul. This is a serious month leading up to the High Holidays. This is a time to do Teshuva and repent for what we’ve done wrong and at the same time resolve to be better. This month can seem scary or make us nervous.

Yet, Chassidut teaches us something beautiful using an example of a boy who is brought to court. The boy is not nervous at all, much to the lawyer's surprise. Finally, the boy tells them “I am not worried, as the judge is my father. I know I will find favor in his eyes.”

The same applies to us. During Tishrei, we stand in the Heavenly court. But we must remain calm and at peace knowing that the judge is our Father who loves us.

The Torah tells us to appoint Judges and Officers. The Rebbe teaches us that the judges are our lips, ears and eyelids that can prevent us from saying, hearing and seeing the wrong thing. The officers are the methods we implement to ensure that we use these tools to guard ourselves. It is our responsibility to ensure that we are protecting ourselves from bad influences and from doing the wrong things using the built-in mechanisms that Hashem gave us.

In this world, Hashem gives us sustenance and blessings according to our service. However, he promises us that when Moshiach comes, it will have no connection to what we deserve. The light will be so great that no amount of effort on our part will ever be enough to deserve it. Hashem gives us Moshiach as a kindness, a gift.

The students of the Baal Shem Tov repeatedly implored their rebbe to show them Elijah the Prophet. Finally, he promised to fulfill their wish.

One Friday afternoon, the Baal Shem Tov went with his students to a field to usher in the holy Shabbat with words of Torah and Psalms, as was his usual custom.

Soon after they arrived at the field, the Baal Shem Tov suddenly said:

“I would like to smoke a pipe.”

There was time until the onset of Shabbat, and the students spread out, scouring all paths leading to the field for a gentleman who might lend them a pipe. However, they could not find anyone and returned empty-handed to the Baal Shem Tov.

The Baal Shem Tov stood up, looked all around and said: “Look, I see a Polish noble walking. Go and meet him. Perhaps he has a pipe, and you can ask him to lend it to us.”

The students approached the noble and asked if he had a pipe, and he answered that indeed he did. When they asked if he could lend it to them, he answered, “I will go myself to the rabbi to give him the pipe.”

The Polish noble followed the students back to the place where the Baal Shem Tov was waiting. When they reached the Baal Shem Tov, the noble filled the pipe with tobacco himself, rubbed two stones together to make a fire, lit the pipe, and handed it to the Baal Shem Tov.

The Baal Shem Tov took the pipe and thanked him.

Holding the pipe, the Baal Shem Tov asked the noble about this year’s grain, if it had a good growth cycle and if it was plentiful, if the grain was producing many kernels during the threshing and other such questions.

The students paid no more attention to the man. While the Baal Shem Tov was talking to him, they went off to the side and used the time to review the teachings they had recently heard from the Baal Shem Tov.

Soon after, the Baal Shem Tov bade farewell to the Polish nobleman, and he went on his way.

Then the Baal Shem Tov said to his students, “Now I have fulfilled my promise to you, because I showed you Elijah the Prophet.”

The crestfallen students replied, “Why didn’t the Rebbe tell us that this was Elijah? We would have asked him to teach us Torah . . .”

The Baal Shem Tov answered them: “If you had understood on your own, and asked who this was, I would have revealed him to you. However, since you did not understand, I did not have permission to reveal it.