(כ) צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ (ס)
(20) Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
(א) צדק צדק תרדף. הַלֹּךְ אַחַר בֵּית דִּין יָפֶה (ספרי; סנהדרין ל"ב):
(1) צדק צדק תרדף JUSTICE, JUSTICE SHALL YOU PURSUE — go after a reliable court. (Sifrei Devarim 144:14; Sanhedrin 32b).
(2) למען תחיה וירשת THOU YOU MAY THRIVE AND OCCUPY THE LAND [THE LAND WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD GIVES YOU] — The appointment of honest/right judges is sufficient to make Israel to thrive and to establish them on their land (Sifrei Devarim 144:15).
(1) Justice, justice This is addressed to each of the contending parties. The word appears twice: because one must pursue justice, whether he will benefit from it, or lose from it; or they should pursue justice “time after time” — all the days of your life; or just simply may be for emphasis.
(2) In order that you may live this is addressed to everyone who is about to enter the land.
(3) and occupy the land this is addressed to the next generation. The pursuit of justice is imperative if they are to keep their land.