THE BAIS HAVAAD HALACHA JOURNAL: Volume 5775 Issue XXXVIII Parshas Shoftim Appointing Judges in Contemporary Society Do Judges Derive Their Legitimacy Only From Rabbinic Ordinance? Rabbi Yitzchak Grossman

In this week’s parsha, the Torah commands us to appoint judges to enforce all the mitzvos of the Torah. The Chinuch (491) explains that this is a necessity for our religion because the only way to properly ensure that the people observe the Torah is through fear of a judicial system. He adds that although the ultimate goal is for the people to serve Hashem out of love, very often such a goal must begin with force. Some only manage to serve Hashem out of fear of the judicial system, but over time, it becomes natural for them to serve Hashem. Once it becomes natural a person will continue to do so out of love.