Shoftim שפטים 2026 No Jew Is Hopeless

What makes tefillah different from a bracha? A bracha draws down something that already exists Above, like water that is already in a pool and simply needs to be brought somewhere else. Tefillah can accomplish something far greater — “Yehi ratzon,” creating a new Divine will and changing a reality that seemed impossible. This is why Chana’s prayer teaches us the true meaning and power of tefillah.Chana was barren, yet she prayed not only for a child, but for a child who would be a tzaddik — even though “Hakol bidei Shamayim chutz miyiras Shamayim.” Her tefillah broke through the barriers of nature and even the normal limitations of Torah. On Rosh Hashanah, when we ask Hashem to renew His Kingship and the world for another year, Chana teaches us how: through kavana, deep devotion, and bitul — opening ourselves completely to Hashem and bringing forth a new ratzon from Above.לקו״ש כט

The Torah concludes with Hakhel and the mitzvah of writing a Sefer Torah because as the Jewish people prepared to leave the Midbar and continue without Moshe Rabbeinu, Hashem gave them the secret to keeping Yiddishkeit fresh and alive: constantly relive Matan Torah. Hakhel recreates the collective experience of standing together as one nation, while writing a Sefer Torah represents our personal experience of receiving the Torah directly from Hashem.That message is just as powerful today. We can create our own “Hakhel” by bringing others together for Torah and inspiration, while surrounding ourselves with seforim and making Torah personally ours. The goal is not merely to observe Torah and mitzvos, but to experience them with freshness and excitement — as though Hashem is giving us the Torah today.לקו״ש לד-א

Being kind and compassionate is not enough. The fascinating mitzvah of “V’halachta bidrachav” — walk in His ways teaches us that even our emotions need a higher foundation. We should be kind because Hashem is kind, compassionate because Hashem is compassionate, and caring because Hashem is caring. Human emotions, even with the best intentions, can sometimes become unbalanced and lead us in the wrong direction. Hashem’s ways provide the healthy anchor that keeps our kindness true, balanced, and genuine.As we stand in Elul, reflecting on the past and preparing for the future, this mitzvah carries an especially empowering message. Regardless of how we view ourselves or our past, Hashem tells us that we have the capacity to walk in His ways—and He gives us the strength to do so. With that confidence, we can enter the new year with passion, happiness, and a renewed commitment to emulate Hashem, whose ways are always just, right, and true.לקו״ש לד-ב

Just as the Torah allows a worker harvesting a field or orchard to eat from its produce while he works, we too are workers in Hashem’s world. Our ultimate reward is in Olam Haba, but while we are here doing Hashem’s work, He provides us with what we need to serve Him. There is the “grain-field Jew,” who struggles but faithfully does what is required; the “orchard Jew,” who finds pleasure and excitement in Torah and mitzvos and strives to do more; and the po’el, the worker whose entire existence and purpose is to serve Hashem.Hashem responds middah k’neged middah: the more completely we devote ourselves to His service, the more completely He removes the obstacles and provides what we need—with abundance, peace, and tranquility. Yet Rashi teaches something beautiful: even the Jew struggling simply to fulfill his obligations is still called a po’el. Because deep down, every Jew’s true desire and entire essence is to serve Hashem. May Hashem remove every distraction and give us everything we need to serve Him completely, culminating in the peaceful and unlimited Divine service of the coming of Moshiach.לקו״ש לד-ב

There is a fascinating law regarding capital punishment: although normally a majority of the Sanhedrin can convict, if every single judge finds the person guilty, the punishment is not carried out. On a deeper level, this reflects a fundamental truth. The Rambam teaches that every Jew, no matter his situation, truly wants to follow Hashem and come close to Him; it is only the Yetzer Hara that can conceal that desire. Therefore, if not even one judge can find a zechus, the Torah tells us that something is missing—because within every Jew there is always a point of goodness.This gives us a powerful lesson in how to look at another Jew. No matter what we see on the outside, we must believe that there is a zechus and an inner desire for Hashem within him. Especially today, when so many Jews were never exposed to the beauty of Yiddishkeit, our job is to look deeper, recognize and speak about the good within them, and help bring it to the surface—helping every Jew reveal what he truly wants: to come closer to Hashem and closer to Yiddishkeit.לקו״ש כט-ג

When Moshe Rabbeinu came down from Har Sinai and saw the Jewish people serving the Eigel, the Torah says, “ואתפוש בשני הלוחות”—he grasped the Luchos before shattering them. Why does the Torah emphasize that he grabbed them if he was already holding them? Even more, how was Moshe permitted to break the Luchos, which belonged to Klal Yisrael? The Midrash explains that Hashem had given the Luchos to Moshe as a personal gift. Although Moshe intended to give them to the Jewish people, when he saw them serving the Eigel, he first took full possession of the Luchos before breaking them, so that he would not be breaking something that belonged to someone else.In a deeper sense, Moshe was ensuring that he alone would bear the responsibility for the breaking of the Luchos. This reveals the essence of a true מנהיג ישראל. Moshe’s love for the Jewish people was so great that, just as he pleaded, “מחני נא מספרך אשר כתבת” after the sin of the Eigel, so too he was prepared to accept complete responsibility himself for the breaking of the Luchos rather than allow Klal Yisrael to bear any blame. As we mark the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe’s father, Rav Levi Yitzchak, whose life reflected this same mesirus nefesh for every Jew, may his merit continue to bring down blessing and salvation for all of Klal Yisrael, and may we merit the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash במהרה בימינו.לקו״ש לד-א

Why does the haftorah begin with the words “נחמו נחמו עמי”—“Comfort, comfort My people”? Chazal explain that Hashem comforts us twice: once for the destruction of the First Beis HaMikdash and once for the Second. But why is a second consolation necessary? The answer is that each Beis HaMikdash possessed a unique greatness. The First reflected the lofty holiness of a generation of tzaddikim and contained the highest revelation of Hashem’s Presence. The Second, although lacking five miracles of the First, was built after exile and teshuvah, expressing the incredible power of returning to Hashem from within.These two Batei Mikdash represent two paths in serving Hashem: the holiness achieved through mitzvos and the deeper transformation achieved through teshuvah. The promise of the Third Beis HaMikdash is that it will unite both qualities—the revealed holiness of the First together with the everlasting strength born from teshuvah. It will therefore be the holiest, most beautiful, and eternal Beis HaMikdash. May we merit this ultimate comfort with the coming of Moshiach במהרה בימינו.לקו״ש ט-ג

As Bnei Yisrael stood on the threshold of Eretz Yisrael, Moshe Rabbeinu repeated the Torah in Mishneh Torah. Although the Gemara says the first four sefarim were spoken directly by Hashem while the fifth was spoken by Moshe, every word was given with רוח הקודש and is equally Torah. This teaches that Torah consists of both the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, which is revealed through the Chachmei Yisrael of every generation under Divine guidance. Moshe, the perfect bridge between Hashem and the Jewish people, showed that even a finite human mind can connect to the infinite essence of Torah and the very word of Hashem.This is why Mishneh Torah was given just before entering Eretz Yisrael. From that point onward, Torah would continue to unfold through the Rabbeim and Torah leaders of every generation. Their halachos, teachings, and minhagim are not separate from Torah—they are its living continuation. By learning their Torah and following their guidance, we connect ourselves to the living Torah, and through that connection may we merit the complete Geulah with the coming of Moshiach, speedily in our days.לקו״ש י״ט-ב

Moshe Rabbeinu initially objected when Reuven and Gad chose to settle on the eastern side of the Yarden because their decision was motivated by material wealth rather than the holiness of Eretz Yisrael. Yet later, Moshe himself gave half of Shevet Menashe a portion there. The difference was not the land—it was the motivation. Reuven and Gad sought it for financial reasons, while Menashe, as demonstrated by the daughters of Tzelofchad and their deep love for Eretz Yisrael, never asked for it. Their burning desire for the Land made them worthy of receiving a portion connected to the future expansion of Eretz Yisrael in the days of Moshiach.The name Menashe itself reflects this longing. Although Yosef said, “Ki nashani Elokim kol beis avi,” Chassidus explains that distance from his father’s home awakened an even deeper yearning to return. During the Three Weeks, we are called to feel that same longing. Our mourning for the Beis HaMikdash should not remain sadness alone—it should ignite within us a passionate desire for Eretz Yisrael, the complete Geulah, and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, speedily in our days.לקו״ש כח

While recounting Korach’s rebellion, the Torah makes one remarkable statement: “וּבְנֵי קֹרַח לֹא מֵתוּ”—the children of Korach did not die. Although they had joined the rebellion, Rashi explains that they had thoughts of teshuvah in their hearts. Their punishment reflected both their outward actions and their inner transformation. They were swallowed with the rebels, yet Hashem preserved them in a miraculous place until they later emerged to become great spiritual leaders.From the sons of Korach came the timeless chapters of “לִבְנֵי קֹרַח” in Tehillim. Their story teaches us never to underestimate the power of teshuvah. Even when a person has not yet changed outwardly, one sincere thought of returning to Hashem can change a lifetime and shape generations. May we all awaken our hearts in teshuvah, and may even one thought of teshuvah be the merit that brings Moshiach במהרה בימינו.לקו״ש לג-ב