~ One Hundred Words on the Torah Portion - Shoftim

והיה כשבתו על כסא ממלכתו וכתב לו את משנה התורה הזאת על ספר וכו': והיתה עמו וקרא בו כל ימי חייו למען ילמד ליראה את ה' אלהיו וכו':

“And it shall be that when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself two copies of this Torah in a book…. And it shall be with him and he shall read from it all the days of his life so that he will learn to fear Hashem His God….”

Rav Shimon Schwab points out that the king was chosen by the word of God and he was undoubtedly already a God fearing person. Why then is he being required to constantly read the Torah in order to learn to fear God, as if he is not a God fearing person already?

Rav Schwab answers that the concern here is that, even though he is already a God fearing person, there is a danger that the wealth, honor, and power associated with his new position will “go to his head” and his fear of God will diminish. It is therefore necessary for him to study the Torah anew, from his new perspective, in order to learn to fear God in his changed circumstances.

When a person finds himself in new circumstances, it may be necessary for him to relearn how to be a God fearing person in those circumstances.

~ One Hundred Words on the Parsha – Shoftim

Normally an army is made up of tough people. Someone who is mean and aggressive, violent and bloody is the best candidate for the army. He would be good at fighting and killing. The תורה mandates the services of a different type of soldier. Only someone who is free of עבירות can participate in the army. Even minor עבירות disqualify. And the soldier, himself, is the arbiter of his standing. An honor system.

The reason for this is that the Yidden’s wars were holy wars, known as מלחמת מצוה. They were won by having the ארון from the בית המקדש or משכן go before the army. It was a spiritually based war and the ארון would help the צדיקים win.