For years, many believed the fire began when the cow
knocked over a lantern left burning in a shed. After further investigation—126
years later—the city’s Committee on Police and Fire passed a resolution
exonerating the cow and her owners and suggesting the activities of a neighbor
warranted scrutiny.
This week’s Torah portion Shoftim is devoted almost
entirely to the theme of justice. The Torah commands: “Justice, justice shall
you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the Lord your God is
giving you.” (Dt. 16:20) The Etz Hayyim commentary below the line teaches us: “The
term ‘pursue’ carries strong connotations of effort, eagerness. This implies
more than merely respecting her following justice; we must actively pursue it
(Heschel)” (page 1088) We need to pursue justice no matter how long it takes.
Justice often takes time, and Scripture acknowledges
how difficult that can be. The refrain, “How long?” is repeated four times
in Psalm 13: “How long, Lord? Will you
forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I
wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long
will my enemy triumph over me?” (vv. 1–2). But in the middle of his lament,
David finds reason for faith and hope: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my
heart rejoices in your salvation” (v. 5).
Even when justice is delayed, God’s love will never
fail us. We can trust and rest in Him not just for the moment but for eternity.
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