מדרש תנאים לדברים פרק טז פסוק כ
צדק צדק תרדף יכול שאם יצא מבית דין זכאי מחזירין אותו לחובה ת"ל צדק צדק תרדף יצא חייב מניין שמחזירין אותו לזכות ת"ל צדק צדק תרדף:
“Justice, justice you shall pursue.” (Deut 16:20) One might think that if one leaves the court innocent we (can) bring that person back to (find them) guilty, but that would be incorrect as the text teaches us Justice, justice you shall pursue; And if one left (the court) guilty, from where do we know that we bring that person back to (find them) innocent? The Torah inference teaches us, Justice, justice you shall pursue. [Translation by Rabbi Rachael Bregman. Edited for gender neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What does this midrash derive from the verse “Justice, justice you shall pursue”? Why?
2. How is refusing to retry someone found innocent but allowing the courts to retry someone found guilty an expression of justice? What does this teach us about the goals of the justice system?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)