Welcome to Torah portion Shoftim
Shoftim means Judges.
Scripture passage: Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
Read Aloud from My First Torah
Torah teaches us much about how to live right.
Torah also shows us how a country would look if everyone obeyed Torah.
First, it would be a country where everyone is treated fairly.
Judges and officers are to be picked for each town.
They are to know Torah, and understand how to live right.
They are to treat each person fairly, rich or poor.
They will not accept money to get them to change a decision.
They are to make right decisions only.
No one is ever to set up an altar to a false god.
Many times, people worship false gods up on hills with trees.
All the people are to be careful to offer to YHVH animals that are perfect.
If anyone is found worshiping a false god, they are to be put to death.
But first, the matter has to be checked very carefully.
No one is judged for doing wrong without two or three witnesses.
When the judges are not sure what the right decision is, they are to go to the priests at the Tabernacle.
They can explain the whole situation to the priests.
The priests will decide whether a person should be punished or not.
They decide what action should be taken.
Whatever they decide is to be obeyed.
If the people have a king, he is to be from Israel.
He is not to get lots of horses or wives or silver and gold.
He is to write his own copy of the Torah.
Then he will know how to live right, and how to be a good example for the people.
The priests in the tribe of Levi do not get their own inheritance.
But YHVH stills takes care of them.
They get meat from the offerings, as well as grains, wine, oil, and the fleece from sheep.
No one should ever learn to do as the wicked do.
The wicked offer their children as sacrifices.
They use fortune telling, witchcraft, talking to the dead, and charms.
These are all terribly wicked and are called abominations.
Sometimes accidents happen.
Sometimes a person may kill another person, and they did not mean for it to happen.
The law does not punish people for accidents.
A person who kills another person by accident is to go to a city of refuge.
These are special cities where the person will be protected from anyone who would take revenge.
When a person has property, other people must respect his property lines.
They should also respect other people’s belongings.
No one will be punished for a crime based on one person’s witness.
There must be two or three witnesses that saw the crime happen.
Then it can be decided whether the person is guilty.
This protects innocent people from being punished.
If someone lies as a witness to a crime, they will get the punishment for the crime.
YHVH promised to send a prophet that would speak His words.
We are to obey and listen to Him.
We will know he is a prophet because he will only speak the words of Torah that we have already learned and studied.
A false prophet will speak words that are against the words of Torah.
My First Torah is available as a full color paperback.
Suggested Activities
Copywork passage: Deuteronomy 16:18-20
Tracing copywork book for all the Torah portions
Coloring pages: Aish Challah crumbs
Read aloud stories: Aish
Worksheets for different ages: One Torah for all
Older child studies: Torah explorers Restoration of Torah
Project Torah portion – audio recordings of each Torah portion with music
Torah together – small group Bible study for each portion, also suitable for families with older children
Lessons in Yeshua’s Torah – a book packed with activities for each Torah portion (affiliate link)
Morah, Morah, teach me Torah – a book written to help you teach preschool children (affiliate link)
Context for Kids
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