Shoftim 19:17 · unit 2

TT #245 · Parashas Shoftim · Sixth Aliyah · Passuk 19:17

The Complete Passuk

וְעָמְד֧וּ שְׁנֵֽי־הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־לָהֶ֥ם הָרִ֖יב לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה לִפְנֵ֤י הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ וְהַשֹּׁ֣פְטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִהְי֖וּ בַּיָּמִ֥ים הָהֵֽם׃

Then the two men who have the dispute shall stand before the Eternal, before the kohanim and the judges who will be in those days.

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim 190.

TT lemma: לִפְנֵי ה׳.

Core Text

לִפְנֵי ה׳ – לִפְנֵי מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם.

English: ‘Before the Eternal’ – before the One who spoke and the world came into being.

On the daf / in context: The court is viewed as standing in the presence of Hashem.

Derash on the divine presence in judgment (Sifrei) — the courtroom is under the eye of Heaven.

Judgment is rendered as if before Hashem Himself; the court must act with the awareness of that presence.