Shoftim

As the beginning of the parsha starts b'lashon yachid, the chida explains that each individual must appoint shoftim and shotrim for all his body's 'gateways' to the world. Some say it is the senses others say the openings - eyes ears mouth and nose. I heard from Rabbi Zucker אלול is roshei teivos אחת למעלה ושבע למטה - the mind that is above the body must overcome the seven below.

Later - 20.1 - when you go to war and see the horses, chariots, and עם רב ממך dont fear them... The balei drush say this hints to the war of the yetzer hara.  Two psukim later the kohein warns 'don't be soft hearted, don't fear, don't tremble and dont feel broken' . These total seven warnings!

Id like to suggest the first three are actual enemies - the 3 cardinal midos and sins קנאה תאוה וכבוד the hose is gavah. Rechev is tavah (pituchei chisum says ut is the shaidah - lilis) and am rav mimcha is kinah - the many that the others have.

The latter four are not real. They are the psychological warfare. Dont be scared or broken hearted etc. The satan may excite us or bring us to despair.

Another hint of אלול is לולא האמנתי 'if only or hal'vai'. We have to use achas lmalah our 'hech'reh musagim' against the sheva l'mattah.
If the satan can appetize us with our imagination we must appetize our minds as well by reading some mussar that offers loftiness. One l'malah can overpower the lmatah even if its outnumbered 7 to 1. Perhaps just a little daily exposure to lofty mussar (2 minutes a day after mariv?) can overthrow all the lowly exposure weve had a whole day.

Shoftim

Though we learn about appointing a king in this parshah which is somewhat optional, the mandatory appointment of shoftim and shotrim - law enforcement - raises a feeling of despair. How low are we? We're so shallow we can only be trusted to listen to the laws of the Creator out of fear from the shotrim?

On a similar note -
V'chol ha'am yishm'u v'yirau vlo yizidun od.

What is the necessity for the word v'yirau? It would suffice to say that everyone will hear about the death of the zaken mamreh and they wont follow suit. Of course they will fear! Why bother mentioning it?

Perhaps there something special even about the simple fear of punishment.

The Rambam hilchos yom tov 6.21 states a requirement for every community to appoint shotrim to oversee the parks and gardens on yom tov so men and women wont come mingle and sin. The same halacha is brought in shulchan aruch  O.C. 529.4. However the mechaber ends off by saying 'and they will all be holy'. - Holy? People who would have mingled and sinned if not for their Rabbi showing up at their simchah, are called HOLY???

YES.

Using external devices to keep ourselves in check is called being Holy! We are restraining ourselves instead of callously following our instinctive desires with no regard for the Law. Using tactics to nake ourselves too embarrassed to sin is HOLY! Whether its web-chaver, a rav who sees you often enough to notice a slip or even living in a community whose standards would keep you in check to avoid standing out, - the bottom line is that there is enough awareness and guilt that these things will help us. This is Holy.

There are others in the world who instead of using shame to restrain themselves they go so far to promote 'pride' in their wrong ways!

We ARE holy. Ashrei ha'am shekacha lo.