Pisqa’ 1441H:183-184; JN2: 3-5. 1. “Justices and officers” (Dt.16:18)— on what grounds do I know that they appoint a court for all Israel? The Teaching states: “Justices . . . shall you place over yourself” (Dt.16:18). And, on what grounds do I know that they appoint officers over all Israel? The Teaching states: “And officers shall you place over yourself” (Dt.16:18).
R. Judah says: on what grounds do I know that they appoint one court, superior to the others? The Teaching states: “Shall you place over yourself” (Dt.16:18). And, moreover, He states : “The levitical officers stand ready before you” (2Chr.19:11).
And, on what grounds do I know that they appoint officers in each and every city? The Teaching states: “Officers in all your gates” (Dt.16:18). And, on what grounds do I know that they appoint a court for each and every tribe? The Teaching states: “Justices . . . for your tribes” (Dt.16:18). And, on what grounds do I know that they appoint officers for each and every tribe? The Teaching states: “Officers . . . for your tribes” (Dt.16:18).2Cf. T. San.3:10. 2. Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel says: on the basis of the verses: “for your tribes” and “they shall judge the people” (Dt.16:18)— we infer that it is a commandment for each and every tribe to establish the rule of law for the tribe.3// T. San.3:10.
“In all your gates” (Dt.16:18)— this verse comes to draw a comparison between the Great Sanhedrin [of seventy one justices in Jerusalem] and the Lesser Sanhedrin [of twenty three justices in the cities]. Just as the Great Sanhedrin is empowered to convene a trial and condemn to death, so, too, the Lesser Sanhedrin is empowered to convene a trial and condemn to death.4//M. San 1:1; cf. M. San..4:1. F:198, n.3 notes that this pericope is only spottily attested in the textual record.
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וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת הָעָם – בְּעַל כָּרְחָם.
3. “And they shall judge the people” (Dt.16:18)— even against their will.
“In righteous judgment” (Dt.16:18). Now, indeed, isn’t it already stated: “Do not pervert justice” (Dt.16:19)! What, then, does the Teaching mean by “Righteous judgment?” (Dt.16:18) This verse refers to the appointment of [competent] judges.
Now, as for “do not pervert justice” (Dt. 16:19)— [this refers to one appointed to seat judges], lest you say: So-and-so is pleasant, [I shall seat him as a judge]! So-and-so is my relative, [I shall seat him as a judge]!
Therefore, “do not show favoritism” (Dt.16:19). Lest you say: So-and-so is a pauper, [and I will favor his claim], or So-and-so is rich, [and I will favor his claim]!5//Sifra, qedoshim, par. 4:2
“And do not accept a bribe” (Dt.16:19)— needless to say, you shall not accept a bribe to acquit the guilty, or to condemn the innocent. But you shall not accept a bribe, even to acquit the innocent or to condemn the guilty. “For bribery blinds the sages’ eyes” (Dt.16:19)— and, needless to say, it blinds the eyes of fools. “And twists the words of the Righteous” (Dt.16:19)— and, needless to say, the words of the Wicked.6// Mechilta Ishmael, kasp’a, 20. 4. Another word: “For bribery blinds the sages’ eyes” (Dt.16:19)— [when viewing, e.g., plague-signs or menstrual-blood] they’ll declare the unclean to be clean and the clean to be unclean.
“And twists the words of the Righteous” (Dt.16:19)— [when ruling. e.g., on mixtures of milk and meat] they’ll declare the prohibited [mixture] to be permitted and the permitted to be prohibited . Another word: “For bribery blinds the sages’ eyes” (Dt.16:19)— therefore, he will not find his eternal rest until he teaches righteousness in his instructions. “And twists the words of the Righteous” (Dt.16:19)— he will not find eternal rest until he knows what he is talking about.5. Another word: “Do not pervert justice” (Dt.16:19)— in financial disputes. “Do not show favoritism” (Dt.16:19)— in criminal cases. Another word: “Do not show favoritism” (Dt.16:19)— regarding social rank, so that you do not seat an inferior judge to a higher position than his learning warrants, nor a superior judge to a lower position than his learning warrants.7F:198, n.3 regards the baraitas of 144.5 as late reflections of class-consciousness among the disciples of R. Ishmael and R. Akiva.
6. “Fairness—fairness shall you pursue” (Dt.16:20)— on what basis do I know that [in a capital case,] if a suspect emerged from trial with a verdict of innocence, they may not return him to be re-tried for guilt?8Cf. Mechilta Ishmael, kaspa’,.20. The Teaching states: “Fairness—fairness shall you pursue” (Dt.16:20).
[In a civil suit,] if he emerged with a verdict of guilt— on what basis do I know that they may return him to be re-tried for innocence [in light of new evidence]?9Cf. M. San.4:1. As it is said: “Fairness—fairness shall you pursue” (Dt.16:20)
Another word: “Fairness—fairness shall you pursue” (Dt.16:20)— pursue a court whose judgments are well-considered, like those of the court of Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai, or like those of the court of R. Eliezer.
“So that you may live to inherit the Land” (Dt.16:20)— this teaches that the quality of judicial appointments suffices to cause Israel to thrive, to establish them on their soil, and [to escape] falling by the sword.
(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.
Pisqa’ 1441H:183-184; JN2: 3-5.
1. “Justices and officers” (Dt.16:18)—
on what grounds do I know that
they appoint a court for all Israel?
The Teaching states:
“Justices . . . shall you place over yourself” (Dt.16:18).
And, on what grounds do I know that
they appoint officers over all Israel?
The Teaching states:
“And officers shall you place over yourself” (Dt.16:18).
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים אֶחָד עַל גַּבֵּי כֻּלָּם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: תִּתֶּן לְךָ, וְאוֹמֵר (דברי הימים ב יט יא): ״וְשֹׁטְרִים הַלְוִיִּם לִפְנֵיכֶם״.
R. Judah says:
on what grounds do I know that
they appoint one court, superior to the others?
The Teaching states:
“Shall you place over yourself” (Dt.16:18).
And, moreover, He states :
“The levitical officers stand ready before you” (2Chr.19:11).
וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים בֵּית דִּין לְכָל עִיר וָעִיר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: שֹׁפְטִים... בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּמַנִּים שׁוֹטְרִים לְכָל עִיר וָעִיר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְשֹׁטְרִים... בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ.
On what grounds do I know that
they appoint a court for each and every city?
The Teaching states:
“Justices . . . in all your gates” (Dt.16:18).
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, on what grounds do I know that
they appoint officers in each and every city?
The Teaching states:
“Officers in all your gates” (Dt.16:18).
And, on what grounds do I know that
they appoint a court for each and every tribe?
The Teaching states:
“Justices . . . for your tribes” (Dt.16:18).
And, on what grounds do I know that
they appoint officers for each and every tribe?
The Teaching states:
“Officers . . . for your tribes” (Dt.16:18).2Cf. T. San.3:10.
2. Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel says:
on the basis of the verses:
“for your tribes” and
“they shall judge the people” (Dt.16:18)—
we infer that it is a commandment for
each and every tribe
to establish the rule of law for the tribe.3// T. San.3:10.
בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ, בָּא לְהַקִּישׁ סַנְהֶדְרֵי גְדוֹלָה לְסַנְהֶדְרֵי קְטַנָּה, מָה גְּדוֹלָה דָּנָה וְהוֹרֶגֶת אַף קְטַנָּה דָּנָה וְהוֹרֶגֶת.
“In all your gates” (Dt.16:18)—
this verse comes to draw a comparison
between the Great Sanhedrin
[of seventy one justices in Jerusalem]
and the Lesser Sanhedrin
[of twenty three justices in the cities].
Just as the Great Sanhedrin
is empowered to convene a trial
and condemn to death,
so, too, the Lesser Sanhedrin
is empowered to convene a trial
and condemn to death.4//M. San 1:1; cf. M. San..4:1. F:198, n.3 notes that this pericope is only spottily attested in the textual record.
וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת הָעָם – בְּעַל כָּרְחָם.
3. “And they shall judge the people” (Dt.16:18)—
even against their will.
מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (דברים טז יט) ״לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט״! מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק? – זֶה מִנּוּי הַדַּיָּנִים.
“In righteous judgment” (Dt.16:18).
Now, indeed, isn’t it already stated:
“Do not pervert justice” (Dt.16:19)!
What, then, does the Teaching mean by
“Righteous judgment?” (Dt.16:18)
This verse refers to
the appointment of [competent] judges.
(דברים טז יט) לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי נָאֶה, אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי קְרוֹבִי.
Now, as for “do not pervert justice” (Dt. 16:19)—
[this refers to one appointed to seat judges],
lest you say:
So-and-so is pleasant,
[I shall seat him as a judge]!
So-and-so is my relative,
[I shall seat him as a judge]!
לֹא תַכִּיר פָּנִים, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי עָנִי, אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי עָשִׁיר.
Therefore, “do not show favoritism” (Dt.16:19).
Lest you say:
So-and-so is a pauper,
[and I will favor his claim], or
So-and-so is rich,
[and I will favor his claim]!5//Sifra, qedoshim, par. 4:2
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 accept a bribe” (Dt.16:19)—
needless to say,
you shall not accept a bribe to acquit the guilty,
or to condemn the innocent.
But you shall not accept a bribe, even
to acquit the innocent
or to condemn the guilty.
“For bribery blinds the sages’ eyes” (Dt.16:19)—
and, needless to say,
it blinds the eyes of fools.
“And twists the words of the Righteous” (Dt.16:19)—
and, needless to say,
the words of the Wicked.6// Mechilta Ishmael, kasp’a, 20.
4. Another word:
“For bribery blinds the sages’ eyes” (Dt.16:19)—
[when viewing, e.g., plague-signs or menstrual-blood]
they’ll declare the unclean to be clean
and the clean to be unclean.
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.
“And twists the words of the Righteous” (Dt.16:19)—
[when ruling. e.g., on mixtures of milk and meat]
they’ll declare the prohibited [mixture] to be permitted
and the permitted to be prohibited .
Another word:
“For bribery blinds the sages’ eyes” (Dt.16:19)—
therefore, he will not find his eternal rest
until he teaches righteousness in his instructions.
“And twists the words of the Righteous” (Dt.16:19)—
he will not find eternal rest
until he knows what he is talking about.5. Another word:
“Do not pervert justice” (Dt.16:19)—
in financial disputes.
“Do not show favoritism” (Dt.16:19)—
in criminal cases.
Another word:
“Do not show favoritism” (Dt.16:19)—
regarding social rank,
so that you do not seat an inferior judge
to a higher position than his learning warrants,
nor a superior judge
to a lower position than his learning warrants.7F:198, n.3 regards the baraitas of 144.5 as late reflections of class-consciousness among the disciples of R. Ishmael and R. Akiva.
(דברים טז כ) צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף, מִנַּיִן יָצָא מִבֵּית דִּין זַכַּי אֵין מַחֲזִירִים אוֹתוֹ לְחוֹבָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף.
6. “Fairness—fairness shall you pursue” (Dt.16:20)—
on what basis do I know that
[in a capital case,]
if a suspect emerged from trial
with a verdict of innocence,
they may not return him
to be re-tried for guilt?8Cf. Mechilta Ishmael, kaspa’,.20.
The Teaching states:
“Fairness—fairness shall you pursue” (Dt.16:20).
יָצָא חַיָּב מִנַּיִן שֶׁמַּחֲזִירִים אוֹתוֹ לִזְכוּת? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף.
[In a civil suit,]
if he emerged with a verdict of guilt—
on what basis do I know that
they may return him to be re-tried for innocence
[in light of new evidence]?9Cf. M. San.4:1.
As it is said:
“Fairness—fairness shall you pursue” (Dt.16:20)
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.
Another word:
“Fairness—fairness shall you pursue” (Dt.16:20)—
pursue a court whose judgments are well-considered,
like those of the court of Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai,
or like those of the court of R. Eliezer.
לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמִּנּוּי הַדַּיָּנִים כְּדַי הוּא לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְהוֹשִׁיבָם עַל אַדְמָתָם, וְשֶׁלֹּא לְהַפִּילָם בַּחֶרֶב.
“So that you may live to inherit the Land” (Dt.16:20)—
this teaches that
the quality of judicial appointments
suffices to cause Israel to thrive,
to establish them on their soil,
and [to escape] falling by the sword.