Parashat Shoftim for Kids
The Torah gives us one of its biggest, bravest rules this week — said twice, so we know it really means it: chase after fairness. Set up honest judges in every town, weigh things honestly, and remember that even a king has to follow the rules. Told for ages 5–12, with a ready 30-minute lesson.
Torah reading: Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 · full text on Sefaria
Read on Shabbat: August 15, 2026 · September 4, 2027 · August 26, 2028 (diaspora — see the full schedule)
What happens in this parasha?
The parasha opens with a job for every town: “Judges and officers you shall appoint in all your gates.” Long ago, the gate of a town was where people gathered, met, and settled arguments. So Hashem says: in every single place where people live, set up fair judges — שׁוֹפְטִים shoftim — so that no one is ever left without someone wise and kind to help make things right. That’s where this parasha gets its name: Shoftim means “judges.”
Then comes one of the most famous lines in the whole Torah, and it’s short enough for a child to memorize: צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף Tzedek tzedek tirdof — “Justice, justice you shall pursue.” The word for fairness is said twice, because the Torah really, really means it: don’t just wish things were fair — run after fairness and chase it down. To keep things honest, the Torah adds two rules: use true scales when you weigh and measure, and a judge must never take a shochad, a gift to decide a case. Why? Because even a wise person can start to see crookedly when someone slips them a present. Better to keep your eyes clear and play fair.
Next, the Torah talks about a king — and gives a surprising rule. A king must write his very own Sefer Torah by hand and keep it close, reading it all his life. Why? So that the most powerful person in the land never feels he is above everyone else. A good leader follows the very same rules as the people he leads. The king bends his head over the same Torah a child learns from. Nobody is too big, too strong, or too important to be fair.
The parasha ends with caring built right into the land. The Torah says that even in hard times, you must not chop down a fruit tree — a rule called בַּל תַּשְׁחִית bal tashchit, “do not destroy.” A tree that gives apples or figs is a friend; we protect it. And the Torah reminds us about the cities of refuge, the arei miklat — safe towns spread across the land where someone who caused harm by accident could run and be kept safe. From fair judges to honest scales to humble kings to protected trees to safe cities, the whole parasha is one big song about the same idea: build a world that is fair and kind.
The 30-minute lesson
Tell the story
Start at the town gate with judges in every place, then land hard on the big motto: tzedek tzedek tirdof — chase after fairness, said twice because we mean it. Add honest scales, the humble king who follows the rules too, and protecting fruit trees.
Wonder together
Ask: “The Torah says ‘fairness, fairness’ — the same word twice. Why do you think it says it two times instead of one? When is being fair really, really hard?”
Learn the Hebrew word
This week’s word: tzedek — fairness, justice, doing what’s right. Say the whole motto slowly together: tzedek tzedek tirdof. Clap once on each “tzedek” so the doubling sticks in their ears.
Play “The Honest Scales”
Make a simple balance from a hanger and two cups (or just use a kitchen scale). Let your child weigh out a fair share of a snack — raisins, crackers — into two cups so each is exactly even. Talk about how a judge with honest scales never cheats anyone. Then play “be the fair judge”: bring a small family ‘case’ (whose turn? who chooses the song?) and let your child decide it fairly, giving a reason.
Wrap up by chasing fairness
End on the verb: tirdof means “chase after.” Ask your child to name one fair thing they can chase after this week — sharing evenly, telling the truth, including someone left out. Send them off as a little fairness-chaser.
This week’s Hebrew words
| Hebrew | Say it | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| שׁוֹפְטִים | shoftim | Judges — the fair helpers we set up in every town; the parasha’s name |
| צֶדֶק | tzedek | Fairness, justice — doing what is right |
| צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף | tzedek tzedek tirdof | “Justice, justice you shall pursue” — chase after fairness; the week’s motto |
| שֹׁחַד | shochad | A bribe — a gift a judge must never take, so he stays fair |
| מֶלֶךְ | melech | A king — who must follow the same Torah rules as everyone else |
| בַּל תַּשְׁחִית | bal tashchit | “Do not destroy” — protect fruit trees and don’t waste good things |
Three questions to ask
- The Torah says “fairness, fairness” — the same word twice. Why do you think we have to chase after fairness instead of just waiting for it to happen?
- A king has to write his own Sefer Torah so he remembers he’s not above the rules. Why is it good when the most powerful person still follows the same rules as everyone else?
- The Torah says to protect a fruit tree even in hard times. What is one living thing near our home that we can take good care of?
Parashat Shoftim FAQ
What does Shoftim mean?
Shoftim means “judges.” The portion opens with the command to appoint fair judges and officers “in all your gates” — in every town — so that justice is never far away. It’s one of the most positive parasha names of the year, all about building a fair and honest community.
What is “tzedek tzedek tirdof,” and why is the word repeated?
It’s the portion’s famous motto: צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף tzedek tzedek tirdof — “Justice, justice you shall pursue.” The Sages give many beautiful reasons for the doubling: pursue fairness fairly (good goals need good methods), chase it whether it helps you or not, and never stop chasing it. For kids, the simplest reading is best: the Torah says it twice because it really, really means it.
Does this portion talk about war? How do I handle that with little ones?
It does — the later sections speak to grown-ups about difficult times, and there’s also a gentle ritual near the very end about a sadness in the land. For K–3 you can skip all of that with a clear conscience. What’s remarkable is that even inside those hard passages the Torah commands kindness: bal tashchit, do not cut down a fruit tree. That’s the takeaway worth sharing — even in hard times, the Torah says protect the trees and act with fairness.
What are the cities of refuge (arei miklat)?
They were six safe towns spread across the land where a person who caused harm by accident could run to safety and be protected and cared for. You may remember them from Parashat Matot-Masei; Shoftim brings them back. For children, they’re a warm picture of a society that plans ahead to keep even an accidental wrongdoer safe — fairness and mercy built right into the map of the land.
Make the parasha a weekly rhythm
New kid-level parasha pages are published ahead of each Shabbat — the full 2026–2030 schedule shows what’s coming. Pair this lesson with candle-lighting times for Friday night, the Hebrew glossary, and free K–6 Hebrew printables.