(Devarim 16:18) "Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself": Whence is it derived that a beth-din is appointed for all of Israel? From "Judges … shall you appoint for yourself." And whence is it derived that (police) officers are appointed for all of Israel? From "… officers shall you appoint for yourself."
And whence is it derived that a beth-din is appointed for each tribe? From "and judges … according to your tribes." And whence is it derived that officers are appointed for each tribe? From "and officers … for your tribes."
(Ibid. 19) "Do not pervert judgment": in money matters. "Do not show favoritism": in judging. Variantly: "Do not pervert judgment and do not show favoritism": Why is this stated? Is it not already written "You shall not pervert judgment" and "you shall not show favoritism"? This refers to the appointment of the judges.
"and do not take a bribe": It goes without saying (do not take it) to exculpate the guilty and to inculpate the innocent; but even to exculpate the innocent and inculpate the guilty. "for a bribe blinds the eyes of the sages": and it goes without saying, the eyes of fools. "and distorts the words of the righteous": and it goes without saying, the word of the wicked.
"for a bribe blinds": He does not leave the world until he errs in his ruling, calling the clean unclean, and the unclean clean; the forbidden, permitted and the permitted, forbidden. "and distorts the words of the righteous": He does not leave the world until he does not know what is being said.
(Ibid. 20) "Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue": Whence is it derived that if one leaves beth-din exonerated, he is not returned for incrimination (if something is later found in his disfavor)? From "righteousness shall you pursue."
If he leaves incriminated, whence is it derived that he is returned for exoneration (if something is later found in his favor)? From "righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue."
Variantly: "Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue": Seek out the finest beth-din — the beth-din of R. Yochanan b. Zakkai in Beror Chayil; the beth-din of R. Eliezer in Lud.
"so that you live and inherit the land": We are hereby taught that the appointment of judges furthers the living of Israel and their settlement on their land.
(דברים טז יח) שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים, מִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים בֵּית דִּין לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: שֹׁפְטִים... תִּתֶּן לְךָ. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים שׁוֹטְרִים לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: שֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ.
(Devarim 16:18) "Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself": Whence is it derived that a beth-din is appointed for all of Israel? From "Judges … shall you appoint for yourself." And whence is it derived that (police) officers are appointed for all of Israel? From "… officers shall you appoint for yourself."
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים אֶחָד עַל גַּבֵּי כֻּלָּם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: תִּתֶּן לְךָ, וְאוֹמֵר (דברי הימים ב יט יא): ״וְשֹׁטְרִים הַלְוִיִּם לִפְנֵיכֶם״.
R. Yehudah says: Whence is it derived that one is appointed over all? From "shall you appoint for yourself."
וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים בֵּית דִּין לְכָל עִיר וָעִיר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: שֹׁפְטִים... בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים שׁוֹטְרִים לְכָל עִיר וָעִיר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְשֹׁטְרִים... בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ.
And whence is it derived that officers are appointed for every city: From "and officers … in your gates."
וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים בֵּית דִּין לְכָל שֵׁבֶט וָשֵׁבֶט? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְשֹׁפְטִים... לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים שׁוֹטְרִים לְכָל שֵׁבֶט וָשֵׁבֶט? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְשֹׁטְרִים... לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ וְשָׁפְטוּ – מִצְוָה עַל כָּל שֵׁבֶט וָשֵׁבֶט לִהְיוֹת דָּן אֶת שִׁבְטוֹ.
And whence is it derived that a beth-din is appointed for each tribe? From "and judges … according to your tribes." And whence is it derived that officers are appointed for each tribe? From "and officers … for your tribes."
בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ, בָּא לְהַקִּישׁ סַנְהֶדְרֵי גְדוֹלָה לְסַנְהֶדְרֵי קְטַנָּה, מָה גְּדוֹלָה דָּנָה וְהוֹרֶגֶת אַף קְטַנָּה דָּנָה וְהוֹרֶגֶת.
R. Shimon b. Gamliel says "according to your tribes, and they shall judge": It is a mitzvah for each tribe to judge itself.
וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת הָעָם – בְּעַל כָּרְחָם.
"and they shall judge, etc.": This refers to the appointment of judges. "and they shall judge the people": (even) against their will.
מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (דברים טז יט) ״לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט״! מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק? – זֶה מִנּוּי הַדַּיָּנִים.
(Ibid. 19) "Do not pervert judgment": in money matters. "Do not show favoritism": in judging. Variantly: "Do not pervert judgment and do not show favoritism": Why is this stated? Is it not already written "You shall not pervert judgment" and "you shall not show favoritism"? This refers to the appointment of the judges.
(דברים טז יט) לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי נָאֶה, אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי קְרוֹבִי.
Variantly: "Do not pervert judgment": Do not say: "This man is nice; this man is my kinsman."
לֹא תַכִּיר פָּנִים, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי עָנִי, אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי עָשִׁיר.
"and do not show favoritism": Do not say "This man is rich; this man is poor."
וְלֹא תִקַּח שֹׁחַד – אֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר לְזַכּוֹת אֶת הַחַיָּב וּלְחַיֵּב אֶת הַזַּכַּי, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ לְזַכּוֹת אֶת הַזַּכַּי וּלְחַיֵּב אֶת הַחַיָּב! כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים – וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר עֵינֵי טִפְּשִׁים. וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִם – וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי רְשָׁעִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים, אוֹמְרִים עַל טָמֵא טָהוֹר וְעַל טָהוֹר טָמֵא, וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִם, אוֹמְרִים עַל אָסוּר מֻתָּר וְעַל מֻתָּר אָסוּר. דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים אֵין יוֹצֵא יְדֵי עוֹלָמוֹ עַד שֶׁיּוֹרֶה צֶדֶק בְּהוֹרָאָתוֹ.
"and do not take a bribe": It goes without saying (do not take it) to exculpate the guilty and to inculpate the innocent; but even to exculpate the innocent and inculpate the guilty. "for a bribe blinds the eyes of the sages": and it goes without saying, the eyes of fools. "and distorts the words of the righteous": and it goes without saying, the word of the wicked.
וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִים, אֵין יוֹצֵא יְדֵי עוֹלָמוֹ עַד שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ מַה שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר. דָּבָר אַחֵר: לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט – בְּמָמוֹן, לֹא תַכִּיר פָּנִים – בַּדִּין. דָּבָר אַחֵר: לֹא תַכִּיר פָּנִים – בְּכָבוֹד, שֶׁלֹּא תוֹשִׁיב הָרָאוּי לְמַטָּה לְמַעְלָה הָרָאוּי לְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה.
"for a bribe blinds": He does not leave the world until he errs in his ruling, calling the clean unclean, and the unclean clean; the forbidden, permitted and the permitted, forbidden. "and distorts the words of the righteous": He does not leave the world until he does not know what is being said.
(דברים טז כ) צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף, מִנַּיִן יָצָא מִבֵּית דִּין זַכַּי אֵין מַחֲזִירִים אוֹתוֹ לְחוֹבָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף.
(Ibid. 20) "Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue": Whence is it derived that if one leaves beth-din exonerated, he is not returned for incrimination (if something is later found in his disfavor)? From "righteousness shall you pursue."
יָצָא חַיָּב מִנַּיִן שֶׁמַּחֲזִירִים אוֹתוֹ לִזְכוּת? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף.
If he leaves incriminated, whence is it derived that he is returned for exoneration (if something is later found in his favor)? From "righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף, רְדֹף אַחַר בֵּית דִּין שֶׁדִּינוֹ יָפֶה, אַחַר בֵּית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּי וְאַחַר בֵּית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר.
Variantly: "Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue": Seek out the finest beth-din — the beth-din of R. Yochanan b. Zakkai in Beror Chayil; the beth-din of R. Eliezer in Lud.
לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמִּנּוּי הַדַּיָּנִים כְּדַי הוּא לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְהוֹשִׁיבָם עַל אַדְמָתָם, וְשֶׁלֹּא לְהַפִּילָם בַּחֶרֶב.
"so that you live and inherit the land": We are hereby taught that the appointment of judges furthers the living of Israel and their settlement on their land.