If you have been following along with the book of Deuteronomy, you will not be surprised to learn of the laws in Shof’tim concerning the worship of other gods (don’t do it), sacrificing blemished animals (don’t do it) or erecting pillars to worship (don’t do it). But mixed in with these laws are laws to ensure that judges remain impartial, and no person be sentenced to death from only a single witnesses’ testimony. The interweaving of these laws presents a strong argument that the ways we create a just society are holy, just as the ways we worship God are holy. This is confirmed in the oft-quoted verse found in this parasha “Justice Justice you shall pursue” which continues, “that you may thrive and occupy the land that Adonai your God is giving you” (Deut 16:20). The pursuit of justice is inextricably linked to our relationship with God.
