Parashat Shoftim
Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
"You shall not pervert justice;
you shall not show favoritism,
and you shall not take a bribe..."
you shall not show favoritism,
and you shall not take a bribe..."
~~Deuteronomy 16:19
There are many people around the globe who may at first glance be able to identify Lady Justice (pictured above). However, if one was to ask what were the symbols that identify Lady Justice, significantly fewer would be able to answer. Then, if you were to ask what these symbols might mean or from where these symbols obtained their meaning, even fewer, if any, would be correct. Yet, it is in this week's parsha, where we read of the origin of these three metonymic attributes.
"You shall not pervert justice" speaks to the origin of the sword. We are obligated to ensure that the process of justice is allowed to take its course and that causing delay or unnecessary obstruction needs to be addressed with the swift stroke of the sword.
"You shall not show favoritism" personifies the balanced scales. Justice cannot "tip the scales" in favor of, or in opposition to, any judicial process. For justice to work it needs to take its course void of any influencing factors.
"You shall not take a bribe" is highlighted by the blindfold. If justice cannot see who is in the court to support one side or the other, then justice will not know from whom a "gift" or bribe may come. Justice is "blind" to the pressures of those who would try to influence her.
It is of no coincidence that the very next verse in the Torah following the above justice attributes is the famous "tzedek, tzedek tirdoff" ("justice, justice shall you pursue"), Deut 16:20. Although our great sages ranged from attributing this repetition from being a literary device for emphasis, to the dual stage of not only pursuing justice but also the righteous court that can and will provide it, however, to me the timing of this verse with the above three attributes is not so random or disconnected.
When I was first introduced to the concept of "pursuing justice" it was to help me understand that justice will not happen passively. Rather, it is our obligation to be active participants in ensuring it's righteous resolution. If allowed to float down the stream of cultural norms and society's indifference, justice will never be able to come to shore. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to "pursue" it.
Yet, at what cost should this pursuit be done? To the ultimate death? To one's personal discomfort?
This is where the repetition comes in to play. I believe that the repeated "justice" in the quote is to let us know that it is incumbent on us to pursue justice as long as one of the three attributes above is still in place. As long as there has been no perversion, no favoritism, or no bribery, then we must still pursue the justice. However, if it reaches a point of all three having been compromised, then we are to stop because it is now in the hands of Gd. In situations where all three justice attributes have been compromised, then this verse teaches us that the judicial system has become so corrupt that it is beyond our human capacity to pursue...and as we have learned from history, there have been numerous times when our society has in fact compromised all three, only to experience the consequences of these corrupt societies.
Let us continue to pursue justice in order to right the wrongs and repair the ills.
Shabbat shalom
"You shall not pervert justice" speaks to the origin of the sword. We are obligated to ensure that the process of justice is allowed to take its course and that causing delay or unnecessary obstruction needs to be addressed with the swift stroke of the sword.
"You shall not show favoritism" personifies the balanced scales. Justice cannot "tip the scales" in favor of, or in opposition to, any judicial process. For justice to work it needs to take its course void of any influencing factors.
"You shall not take a bribe" is highlighted by the blindfold. If justice cannot see who is in the court to support one side or the other, then justice will not know from whom a "gift" or bribe may come. Justice is "blind" to the pressures of those who would try to influence her.
It is of no coincidence that the very next verse in the Torah following the above justice attributes is the famous "tzedek, tzedek tirdoff" ("justice, justice shall you pursue"), Deut 16:20. Although our great sages ranged from attributing this repetition from being a literary device for emphasis, to the dual stage of not only pursuing justice but also the righteous court that can and will provide it, however, to me the timing of this verse with the above three attributes is not so random or disconnected.
When I was first introduced to the concept of "pursuing justice" it was to help me understand that justice will not happen passively. Rather, it is our obligation to be active participants in ensuring it's righteous resolution. If allowed to float down the stream of cultural norms and society's indifference, justice will never be able to come to shore. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to "pursue" it.
Yet, at what cost should this pursuit be done? To the ultimate death? To one's personal discomfort?
This is where the repetition comes in to play. I believe that the repeated "justice" in the quote is to let us know that it is incumbent on us to pursue justice as long as one of the three attributes above is still in place. As long as there has been no perversion, no favoritism, or no bribery, then we must still pursue the justice. However, if it reaches a point of all three having been compromised, then we are to stop because it is now in the hands of Gd. In situations where all three justice attributes have been compromised, then this verse teaches us that the judicial system has become so corrupt that it is beyond our human capacity to pursue...and as we have learned from history, there have been numerous times when our society has in fact compromised all three, only to experience the consequences of these corrupt societies.
Let us continue to pursue justice in order to right the wrongs and repair the ills.
Shabbat shalom
