For a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise (chacham), and perverts the words of the righteous (Deut. 16:19)
The Torah offers a slightly different version in Exodus 23:8: "For the bribe blinds the wise (pikchim), and perverts the words of the righteous." What is the difference between the two? A "chacham" refers to someone who is learned in Torah; a pikei'ach is one who is wise in worldly affairs. Accepting a bribe has the effect of distorting both kinds of knowledge. (HaGra)
The first fruits of your grain...shall you give him (Deut. 18:4)
As Rashi explains, "This refers to the teruma contribution set aside for the priests. [The Torah] does not specify any amount, but our Rabbis said that a person of good will gives one in forty." Symbolically, "one in forty" is an allusion to Yom Kippur. Moses ascended Mount Sinai on the 1st of Elul, where he remained for 40 days, until Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is thus the most auspicious time of this 40-day period. (Ohr HaTorah)
Reprinted from the Parashat Shoftim 5761/2001 edition of L’Chaim
