The Gardener
- Leann Shamash
- Aug 26
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 27
#parshatshoftim #shoftim #devarim #seferdevarim #Elul. #gardens #garden #vegetablegardens #orchards #vineyards
Sefer Devarim continues with Parshat Shoftim, where Moshe includes laws and expectations for the Hebrews as they continue onto The Land. These laws include reminders about the Cities of Refuge, the need to have a number of witnesses before a death penalty is pronounced in a court ruling. Also includede are rules for fighting a war, including a poignant list of soldiers who are not required to serve in the army during a specific window of time. The often quoted "Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof," which translates as "Justice, justice you shall pursue" is included and seems to be the appropriate summarizer for the parsha.
Tucked into Parshat Shoftim (meaning Judges) are the laws that should guide a king, if a king is what the nation desires when they enter The Land. These are the expectations of the king. The text reads:
If, after you have entered the land that your God יהוה has assigned to you, and taken possession of it and settled in it, you decide, “I will set a king over me, as do all the nations about me,” you shall be free to set a king over yourself, one chosen by your God יהוה. Be sure to set as king over yourself one of your own people; you must not set a foreigner over you, one who is not your kin.
Moreover, he shall not keep many horses or send people back to Egypt to add to his horses, since יהוה has warned you, “You must not go back that way again.”
And he shall not have many wives, lest his heart go astray; nor shall he amass silver and gold to excess.
When he is seated on his royal throne, he shall have a copy of this Teaching written for him on a scroll by the levitical priests.
Let it remain with him and let him read in it all his life, so that he may learn to revere his God יהוה, to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching as well as these laws.
Thus he will not act haughtily toward his fellows or deviate from the Instruction to the right or to the left, to the end that he and his descendants may reign long in the midst of Israel.
Deuteronomy 17:14-20
In an age and time when there is much pageantry and politics associated with leadership, noting the lack of pageantry in this list brings us back to a simpler time, or, at least, a simpler ideal.
I am not acquainted with any kings, but I do know gardeners and this list of requirements of a king leads me to the qualities of leadership in almost any setting. I began to imagine the requirements of a king extending even to the special qualities of a modest gardener, who is "the king" of his kingdom, even in a kingdom of 100 square feet. The inhabitants of this "kingdom," if you will, are not too different than the people who reside within a kingdom under the just leadership of the king. They require some rules, a firm understanding of who they are; someone who sees and guards and consistently cares.
In this month of Elul, may we be granted with good judgement, good crops, modesty and humility.
Shabbat Shalom and may we hear better news soon.
Leann
The Gardener
It is the gardener’s job to plan ahead, to consider the space, the needs of the soil, the needs of his plants.
It is incumbent upon The Gardener to use the powers he has to provide conditions for success. Space that is reasonably clean and well kept and not overcrowded, a water source and adequate exposure to the sun. He must prepare soil which is none too rocky or sandy and porous enough to allow the water to find the roots.
Conditions in his garden may be imperfect, but it is The Gardener’s job to do his best with what he has.
It is hoped that The Gardener will gain the wisdom to understand that events will occur during his reign that are beyond his control. Consequently he must provide protection to those who inhabit his kingdom. He must not lose hope when unexpected events occur. This is all part of the cycle of nature.
It is The Gardener's job to have faith, that the seasons will change, that the rains will come, that the bees will pollinate, that the sun will shine, so that his plants will grow.
It is his job to be perceptive of those who reside in his space; not to favor the showy plants over the small and delicate. Each deserve The Gardener's attentions.
The Gardener should try his best to protect his plants from those who would eat them or cause them disease, whether they be insects, animals or birds. The struggle to protect is a constant, but The Gardener should maintain a healthy respect for species that interfere with his garden; knowing that they also must eat and drink and live.
A gardener should show gratitude to many things that make his garden possible, including
the soil and to the plants that make the garden their home. He should never forget those who pollinate, those who aerate, to the rain and sun and wind.
And how does he show his gratitude? Through eyes that see, ears that hear, hands that work and a heart that shows a balance of justice and mercy.
The Gardener should be as aware of failure as he is of success and should be open to learn from his mistakes and go forward and so The Gardener should be humble. A gardener who is arrogant is rewarded by embarrassing results.
The Gardener is a steward of the land, not its owner.
This list is necessarily incomplete, but just the beginning of of what The Gardener might consider as he does the important work of nurturing his small kingdom.
Finally, The Gardener should bless.
He should never, for one moment even, forget to bless what is below him, around him and above him. For who are we, especially A Gardener, without gratitude?
**
May your garden grow tall and strong.
May your kingdom know peace and plenty.
The Blessing on a vegetable:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ‑יָ אֱ‑לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה:
Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm boh-ray pi-ree hah-ah-dah-mah.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe who creates the fruit of the earth.
The Blessing on a fruit:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ‑יָ אֱ‑לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ
Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm boh-ray pi-ree hah-aytz.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.
The Blessing on Seeing Blossoming Fruit Trees in the Month of Nissan
When one sees blossoming fruit trees for the first time during the month of Nissan, one should say this blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא חִסַּר בְּעוֹלָמוֹ כְּלוּם וּבָרָא בוֹ בְּרִיּוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְאִילָנוֹת טוֹבוֹת לֵהָנוֹת בָּהֶם בְּנֵי אָדָם.
Transliteration: Baw-rooch ah-taw Ah-doh-noi Eh-loh-hei-noo meh-lech haw-oh-lawm sheh-loh chee-sar beh-oh-law-moh keh-loom oo-vaw-raw voh beh-ree-yohs toh-vohs veh-ee-law-nohs toh-vohs lei-haw-nohs baw-hem be-nei aw-dawm.
Translation: Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, Who has made nothing lacking in His world, and created in it goodly creatures and goodly trees to give mankind pleasure
Blessings taken from the Chabad website
Other Posts From Words Have Wings on Parshat Shoftim
רוּם־לְבָבוֹ֙
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