Parshas Shoftim
Just Justice
Volume 5 Issue 47
by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky
The pursuit of justice is a tenet of any wholesome society. The Torah
defines that principal in a clear and unambiguous way. "Tzedek, tzedk
tirdof righteousness, righteousness thou shall pursue" (Deuteronomy
16:20 ) The Torah tells us not only to seek righteousness but to pursue
it. It seems to tell us to chase justice with vigilance and fervor, but
the words of the verse amplify the pursuit of righteousness more than
righteousness itself.
The Torah repeats the word righteousness. It does not repeat the word
pursue. Would it not have been more appropriate to stress the word pursue
rather than the word righteousness?
Second, what does "righteousness, righteousness" mean? Isn't one
righteousness enough? What is double righteousness?
Further, shouldn't we double our efforts in its pursuit Shouldn't the Torah
have said, "Pursue, Oh pursue, righteousness" instead of telling us
"Righteousness, righteousness though shall pursue"? Isn't the pursuit of
righteousness the main goal? Doesn't the Torah want to stress the
passionate pursuit of righteousness? Obviously the double expression,
"righteousness, righteousness" contains a poignant message.
Veteran news reporter David Brinkley surveyed the Washington scene back
in September of 1992 and reported a very interesting event.
Washington, DC derives a great portion of revenue from traffic tickets. In
fact, $50 million a year is raised from tickets for moving violations,
expired inspection stickers, overdue registrations and of course the
inescapable plethora of expired parking meters.
A traffic officer was on a Washington curb writing a ticket for an
illegally parked car. As he was writing the ticket, a thief had the
audacity to come by with a screwdriver and steal the car's license plate.
The officer did not stop him. He just waited until he finished. Then he
gave the car another ticket for parking on a public street with no plates.
Sometimes justice is overwhelmed by the pursuit of it. The Torah tells us
what type of righteousness to pursue not just plain righteousness but
rather -- righteous righteousness. There is just justice and there is a
system of laws that often goes out of control. The Torah exhorts us not
only to seek justice but to pursue a just justice.
It is said that during the 1930s, when the saintly Rabbi Yisroel Meir
haCohen of Radin, better known as the Chofetz Chaim, was in his 90s, he
wanted to live the last years of his life in Eretz Israel. However,
he was unable to obtain a Polish passport because the Polish government
required him to produce either an official birth certificate, or bring
forward two witnesses who were there at his birth! All of that was in
pursuit of an unjust code of law. The Torah tells us this week to be
vigilant in the pursuit of righteousness, but it also tells us to be
righteous in its pursuit as well!
Mazel Tov to Dov & Danniella Teitz upon their marriage this past Monday
from all your Chaveirim of Mesivta Ateres Yaakov
Good Shabbos
Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky
Copyright © 1998 by Rabbi M. Kamenetzky and Project Genesis, Inc.
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The author is the Associate Dean of the
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