Author Elie Wiesel tells the story of the one righteous man of Sodom, who walked the streets protesting the injustices of his city. People made fun of him, derided him. Finally, a young person asked:
“Why do you continue your protest against evil; can’t you see no one is paying attention to you?”
He answered, “I’ll tell you why I continue. In the beginning, I thought I would change people. Today, I know I cannot. Yet, if I continue my protest, at least I will prevent others from changing me.”
This week’s Torah portion opens with the well-known statement, “Justice, justice shall you pursue.” The verse in its entirety reads, “Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may strive and occupy the land that the Eternal your God is giving you.”
The entire Tanach occupies itself with the concept of justice. The prophets shouted out for justice when they witnessed perversions of God’s word. Amos declared in the name of God, “Let justice well up as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”
Isaiah shouted, “Seek justice, relieve the oppressed.”
In Proverbs we read, “Speak up for the rights of all the unfortunate. Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy.” (31:8-9)
It is not enough to simply set up or have justice. Rather, we are commanded to actively pursue justice. In the middle of the first century, the president of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court, advised his community, “Do not ridicule or scorn the doing of justice, for it is one of the foundations of the world. For the world is balanced on three things: on justice, on truth and on peace.”
The rabbis connected the concept of justice with peace and truth, as we read in Pirke Avot: “Where justice is done, peace and truth prevail.”
Hence, justice equates to tranquility. Our sages stressed that having a just court system that metes out justice between humans is more important than all the sacrifices made at the Temple. While sacrifices are limiting, justice is always pertinent to the healthy functioning of a community.
Rashi commented that justice meant not accepting bribes and never showing preferential treatment to rich or poor. The repetition of the word “justice,” some suggest, is for emphasis.
Another explanation reflects the notion of communal responsibility. “Justice, justice” means that it is not only the responsibility of judges and government to activate justice, but it is a universal commandment for all members of society. It is wrong to assume that someone else will correct a wrong. We know only too well what happens when individuals remain silent in the midst of injustice and wrongdoing.
The following teaching brings light to this:
“Though a person may be a scholar of Torah and a teacher of great renown, careful in observing all the ritual commandments, if such a person is able to protest a wrongdoing and neglects to do so, he is considered cursed. Similarly, if a person observes no ritual commandments but stands up to protest evil, such a person is called a blessing.”
In the third century, commentator Simeon ben Lakish suggested that the repetition of the word justice is there to remind us to be careful to “review and examine the evidence by listening carefully to what is said by seeking out deception.” In other words, judges should take their time and not rush to make a judgment.
Moses Maimonides declared that the additional word teaches us that individuals and judges should not make decisions solely on their impressions. There must be a process of consultation. Not only should they keep their minds and eyes open, but judges as well as people should go out of their way to collect facts. No short cuts allowed!
Go! Go and pursue justice for the sake of justice and of peace. The world cannot exist solely on justice, nor can it exist only with mercy. We function with justice, mercy and lovingkindness. The result is a world filled with love of humanity. It is within our grasp.
