Derasha 5 on Shoftim 16:18

TT #5 · Parashas Shoftim · First Aliyah · Passuk 18

The Complete Passuk

שֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכׇל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק׃

You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that the Eternal your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 16b (same as unit 1).

Sefaria · Sanhedrin 16b

Core Text of Chazal

לשבטיך. מלמד שמעמידים שופטים ושוטרים לכל שבט ושבט.

English: “For your tribes” — this teaches that we appoint judges and officers for each and every tribe.

On the daf / in context

Alongside the city-based requirement, the verse also requires a tribal layer of courts, so that each tribe has its own judicial structure.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The phrase “lishvatekha” is taken to require tribal-level appointments.

What Is Learned

In addition to city courts, judges and officers must be appointed for each tribe.