In this first aliyah we are told to appoint judges at all the gates of our cities. The Lubavitcher Rebbe associated the concept of "gates" with a person's senses: We are being told to appoint judges to guard our five senses discriminating what we see, hear, taste, smell, and touch.

About the judges we are told that they should not pervert justice by doing things like accepting gifts, which the Torah says blinds the eyes of the wise. Also in this aliyah are commandments to not sacrifice blemished sacrifices, penalties for idol worship, and the procedure for a supreme court.