Shoftim: Preparing for Malchus

A thought on Parashas Shoftim

The red carpet is installed and cleaned by White House Staff as final preparations are made in preparation for the arrival of French President Francois Hollande at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014, for the State Dinner.Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

In Parashas Shoftim we read about Moshe Rabbeinu instructing the Jewish people what they should be doing when they get across the border into Eretz Yisrael. Moshe told them that they should appoint Shoftim to judge the people properly, as well as Shotrim to enforce the law. Additionally, the Jewish people are given a mitzvah to appoint a Melech.

Sandwiched between the Parashah of the Shofet and the Parashah of the Melech, the Torah describes, once again, the severity and prohibition of idolatry.

The Daas Sofrim explains the connection: Once the Shoftim can eradicate idolatry from Eretz Yisrael, which was populated by idol worshippers, they can then appoint a king who can build up his malchus on a pure …