What does justice demand of us when no one can be held accountable?

Parshat Shoftim opens with the establishment of a judicial system: the appointment of judges, the prohibition of bribery, and the mandate to pursue justice. At first glance, its focus seems straightforward: ensuring a fair and functioning legal system.

Yet the parsha concludes with the perplexing law of eglah arufah, describing what is to be done when a slain person is found in the field and the murderer is unknown. The elders and judges leave the city, perform a mysterious ritual, and declare: “Our hands did not shed this blood.”

This unusual juxtaposition conveys a deeper message: the purpose of a justice system is not only to adjudicate disputes, but to build a moral society that takes responsibility even when justice cannot be carried out in its most conventional form.

The commentators offer various explanations for the ritual of the eglah arufah. Some see it as symbolic........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)