To not honor a great person in judgment: That the judge not honor one of the litigants at the time of the dispute — and even if he was great, honored and esteemed — as it is stated (Leviticus 19:15), “and do not dignify the face of a great man.” And they said in Sifra Kedoshim, Chapter 4:3, “That you not say, ‘This one is a wealthy man, he is the son of great ones. How can I shame him?’” — meaning to say that I should not honor him more than his opponent who is not great like him. “Hence it is stated, ‘and do not dignify the face of a great man.’”
And from the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shevuot 30a) that it not be that one stand and one sit, but rather both of them stand. As in that they are in front of the court, it is fitting for them to stand as if they were in front of the Divine Presence; since the spirit of God dwells among the congregation of the judges of Israel, as it is stated (Psalms 82:1), “God stands in the congregation of God.” And nonetheless, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shevuot 30b) that if they wanted to seat the litigants, the option is in their hand. And about what are these words speaking? At the time of give and take. But at the time of the final judgment, there is an obligation to stand, as it is stated (Exodus 18:13), “and the people stood over Moshe.” Except that all of the courts of Israel after the Talmud have become accustomed to seat them [in order to avoid] controversy. And even [regarding] the witnesses about whom it is written (Deuteronomy 19:17), “and the two men stand,” they have also become accustomed today to seat them (Mishneh Torah, The Sanhedrin and the Penalties within Their Jurisdiction 21:5). [This] and the rest of its details are elucidated in [various] places in Sanhedrin and Shevuot. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 17.)
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males, since judgment is for them. And one who transgresses it and honors one litigant more than his fellow volitionally has violated this negative commandment and violated a positive commandment, as it is written (Leviticus 19:15), “you shall judge your people with righteousness.” And [regarding] that which, they may their memory be blessed, permitted an advantage for the sage over the ignoramus in a few of the commandments, we will write later on the next commandment adjacently (Sefer HaChinukh 235).
שֶׁלֹּא לְכַבֵּד גָּדוֹל בַּדִּין – שֶׁלֹּא יְכַבֵּד הַדַּיָּן אֶחָד מִבַּעֲלֵי הַדִּין בִּשְׁעַת הָרִיב, וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיָה גָּדוֹל וְנִכְבָּד וּנְשׂוּא פָּנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט טו) וְלֹא תֶהְדַּר פְּנֵי גָדוֹל. וְאָמְרוּ בַּסִּפְרָא (קדושים ד ג) שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר עָשִׁיר הוּא זֶה, בֶּן גְּדוֹלִים הוּא, הֵיאַךְ אֲבַיְּשֶׁנּוּ, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא אֲכַבֵּד אוֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִבַּעַל דִּינוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָּדוֹל כָּמוֹהוּ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וְלֹא תֶהְדַּר פְּנֵי גָדוֹל.
To not honor a great person in judgment: That the judge not honor one of the litigants at the time of the dispute — and even if he was great, honored and esteemed — as it is stated (Leviticus 19:15), “and do not dignify the face of a great man.” And they said in Sifra Kedoshim, Chapter 4:3, “That you not say, ‘This one is a wealthy man, he is the son of great ones. How can I shame him?’” — meaning to say that I should not honor him more than his opponent who is not great like him. “Hence it is stated, ‘and do not dignify the face of a great man.’”
שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמִּצְוָה יָדוּעַ, וּכְתַבְתִּיו בְּרֹאשׁ הַסֵּדֶר (מצוה רלה).
And the root of the commandment is well-known, and I have written it at the beginning of the Order (Sefer HaChinukh 235).
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבועות ל, א) שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא אֶחָד יוֹשֵׁב וְאֶחָד עוֹמֵד אֶלָּא שְׁנֵיהֶם עוֹמְדִין, כִּי בִּהְיוֹתָם לִפְנֵי הַבֵּית דִּין רָאוּי לָהֶם לַעֲמֹד כְּאִלּוּ הֵם לִפְנֵי שְׁכִינָה, כִּי רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים שׁוֹכֵן בְּתוֹךְ עֲדַת דִּינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פב א) אֱלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת אֵל. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם ב), שֶׁאִם רָצוּ לְהוֹשִׁיב בַּעֲלֵי הַדִּין הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדָם, וּבַמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בִּשְׁעַת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, אֲבָל בִּגְמַר דִּין, מִן הַחִיּוּב הוּא בַּעֲמִידָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יח יג) וַיַּעֲמֹד הָעָם עַל מֹשֶׁה. אֶלָּא שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ בְּכָל בָּתֵּי דִּינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַחַר הַתַּלְמוּד לְהוֹשִׁיבָם מִפְּנֵי הַמַּחְלֹקֶת, וַאֲפִלּוּ הָעֵדִים, שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶם (דברים יט יז) וְעָמְדוּ שְׁנֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים נָהֲגוּ גַּם כֵּן הַיּוֹם לְהוֹשִׁיב (רמב"ם סנהדרין כא ה). וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ מְבֹאָרִים בִּמְקוֹמוֹת מִסַּנְהֶדְרִין וּשְׁבוּעוֹת [שם].
And from the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shevuot 30a) that it not be that one stand and one sit, but rather both of them stand. As in that they are in front of the court, it is fitting for them to stand as if they were in front of the Divine Presence; since the spirit of God dwells among the congregation of the judges of Israel, as it is stated (Psalms 82:1), “God stands in the congregation of God.” And nonetheless, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shevuot 30b) that if they wanted to seat the litigants, the option is in their hand. And about what are these words speaking? At the time of give and take. But at the time of the final judgment, there is an obligation to stand, as it is stated (Exodus 18:13), “and the people stood over Moshe.” Except that all of the courts of Israel after the Talmud have become accustomed to seat them [in order to avoid] controversy. And even [regarding] the witnesses about whom it is written (Deuteronomy 19:17), “and the two men stand,” they have also become accustomed today to seat them (Mishneh Torah, The Sanhedrin and the Penalties within Their Jurisdiction 21:5). [This] and the rest of its details are elucidated in [various] places in Sanhedrin and Shevuot. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 17.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים, כִּי לָהֶם הַמִּשְׁפָּט. וְעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְכִבֵּד בַּעַל דִּין אֶחָד יוֹתֵר מֵחֲבֵרוֹ בְּמֵזִיד עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה וּבִטֵּל עֲשֵׂה שֶׁכָּתוּב (ויקרא יט טו) בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ. וּמָה שֶׁהִתִּירוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בָּזֶה בְּיִתְרוֹן הֶחָכָם עַל עַם הָאָרֶץ עִם קְצָת שְׁאָר דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה, נִכְתֹּב לְקַמָּן בַּמִּצְוָה הַבָּאָה בְּסָמוּךְ (מצוה רלה).
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males, since judgment is for them. And one who transgresses it and honors one litigant more than his fellow volitionally has violated this negative commandment and violated a positive commandment, as it is written (Leviticus 19:15), “you shall judge your people with righteousness.” And [regarding] that which, they may their memory be blessed, permitted an advantage for the sage over the ignoramus in a few of the commandments, we will write later on the next commandment adjacently (Sefer HaChinukh 235).