Shalom, Mitspacha!
Justice Rooted in Humility / Reverence for Elders and Teachers
“You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, and you shall not take a bribe… Justice, justice you shall pursue.”
– Devarim 16:19–20
“Before the grey head you shall rise up, and honor the face of the elder, and you shall fear your Elohim: I am YHVH.”
– Vayiqra 19:32
The mitzvah to pursue justice is inseparable from humility before YHVH. Righteous judgment does not arise from self-confidence, emotion, or personal preference, but from submission to Torah and acknowledgment of human limitation. When humility is absent, justice is easily bent toward self-interest, favoritism, or pride. The Torah therefore commands justice to be pursued deliberately, cautiously, and in the fear of Elohim, recognizing that true authority belongs to Him alone.
Humility protects justice by restraining impulsive decisions and inviting accountability. It reminds us that judgment must be weighed carefully, informed by Torah, and aligned with righteousness rather than convenience. Justice rooted in humility seeks restoration rather than dominance and correction rather than condemnation, reflecting the character of YHVH who judges with both truth and mercy.
The mitzvah to honor elders and teachers preserves the continuity of covenant wisdom. Those who have walked faithfully before us carry experience, correction, and discernment shaped by years of obedience and testing. Reverence is not blind submission, but a recognition that wisdom is cultivated over time and transmitted through faithful instruction. To rise before the elder is to acknowledge that Torah is lived, not merely studied.
Disregarding elders fractures communal stability and weakens discernment. Reverence guards against arrogance and spiritual isolation, ensuring that judgment and understanding remain anchored in collective faithfulness rather than individual interpretation. Through honoring teachers, we uphold the channels through which YHVH sustains instruction, discipline, and righteous order among His people.
Justice flourishes where humility listens and reverence remembers. These themes together call us to slow our judgments, weigh our actions, and respect the foundations laid by those who came before us. When humility and reverence guide our steps, justice becomes steady, faithful, and aligned with covenant truth rather than personal ambition.
YHVH Elohim, establish humility within our hearts and teach us to pursue justice according to Your ways. Restore reverence for those who instruct and guide us, and guard us from pride that distorts judgment. May our decisions reflect obedience, wisdom, and faithfulness before You.
Baruch YHVH.
Shalom until tomorrow.