Shalom, Mitspacha!
Justice Preserved Through Structured Judgment
“Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which YHVH thy Elohim giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.”
– Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:18 (see also Shemot 23:2; Devarim 17:8–11)
The judicial mitzvot establish how judges are to be appointed and how legal decisions are to be reached within Israel. Judges are selected for wisdom, integrity, and fear of YHVH, not for status or influence. Authority in judgment is never personal; it is delegated and bound to Torah.
These mitzvot also govern how decisions are made within a court. Matters are decided by majority ruling, including a majority of one when required, ensuring that justice is determined through deliberation rather than dominance. At the same time, the Torah preserves the importance of independent opinions. Judges are commanded not to follow the majority into wrongdoing, protecting truth from being overridden by numbers alone.
Through these instructions, YHVH balances unity and accountability. Majority rule provides resolution, while independent judgment safeguards righteousness. Together, they prevent tyranny, corruption, and judicial passivity.
Justice does not emerge from agreement alone, nor from individual conviction by itself. The Torah weaves both together, requiring humility to listen and courage to stand firm. This mitzvah calls us to examine whether we value truth enough to uphold it, even when it is unpopular.
Where judgment is structured by Torah, stability is possible. Where it is abandoned, confusion and injustice quickly follow.
YHVH, Elohim of justice and wisdom, establish righteousness in our gates. Teach us to appoint judges with integrity, to judge without fear or favor, and to honor both righteous consensus and truthful dissent. May Your Torah govern our decisions and preserve justice among Your people.
Baruch YHVH.
Shalom until tomorrow.