On the edge of the Eilat beach resorts in Southern Israel was – up until 2019 – one of the strangest sights you could ever encounter in the Holy Land – a Wild West Town. Not the Middle Eastern variety, but the American kind, complete with saloon, old fashion wagons, and rolling tumble weed. I remember touring it in 1989, blown away by just how out of place it was in the Israeli landscape. Built as a potential movie set, it never took off and is in the process now of being remade into a water park.
But, perhaps, the Wild West is an apt description of life between the Mediterranean and Jordan, particularly in Biblical times. This week’s Torah portion describes the primitive justice system that existed at the time of Moses. The name of the portion itself, Shoftim, usually translated as judges, is perhaps better described as sheriffs. These were the individuals tasked with administering justice in the remote outposts dotting the landscape. And, while they did not have cowboy boots or hats, they most likely rode into town on horseback. Remove the guns, inserting spears and swords instead and you capture a little of both the allure and terror of our ancient homeland.
Goodbye Texas Ranch (as the resort in Eilat was called), but thank you for giving us a better understanding of this week’s Torah portion.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex