Desirable Qualities in a Judge Hol Ha-Moed Sukkot, 5779

(כא) וְאַתָּ֣ה תֶחֱזֶ֣ה מִכָּל־הָ֠עָם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י אֱמֶ֖ת שֹׂ֣נְאֵי בָ֑צַע וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ עֲלֵהֶ֗ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת שָׂרֵ֥י חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת׃

Exodus 18:21

(21) You shall also seek out from among all the people capable men who fear God, trustworthy men who spurn ill-gotten gain. Set these over them as chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens....

דברים א׳:י״ג

(יג) הָב֣וּ לָ֠כֶם אֲנָשִׁ֨ים חֲכָמִ֧ים וּנְבֹנִ֛ים וִידֻעִ֖ים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶ֑ם וַאֲשִׂימֵ֖ם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶֽם׃

Deuteronomy 1:13

(13) Pick from each of your tribes men who are wise, discerning, and experienced, and I will appoint them as your heads.

משנה תורה, הלכות סנהדרין והעונשין המסורין להם ב׳:א׳-ז׳

(א) אֵין מַעֲמִידִין בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין בֵּין בִּגְדוֹלָה בֵּין בִּקְטַנָּה אֶלָּא אֲנָשִׁים חֲכָמִים וּנְבוֹנִים. מֻפְלָגִין בְּחָכְמַת הַתּוֹרָה בַּעֲלֵי דֵּעָה מְרֻבָּה. יוֹדְעִים קְצָת מִשְּׁאָר חָכְמוֹת כְּגוֹן רְפוּאוֹת וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וּתְקוּפוֹת וּמַזָּלוֹת וְאִצְטַגְנִינוּת וְדַרְכֵי הַמְעוֹנְנִים וְהַקּוֹסְמִים וְהַמְכַשְּׁפִים וְהַבְלֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בְּאֵלּוּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יוֹדְעִים לָדוּן אוֹתָם.

(ג) אֵין מַעֲמִידִין בְּכָל הַסַּנְהֶדְרִין לֹא זָקֵן מֻפְלָג בְּשָׁנִים ... וְלֹא מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָּנִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא רַחֲמָן:

(ז) בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל שְׁלֹשָׁה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין מְדַקְדְּקִין בָּהֶן בְּכָל אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים צָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּהֵא בְּכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶן שִׁבְעָה דְּבָרִים וְאֵלּוּ הֵן.

חָכְמָה. וַעֲנָוָה. וְיִרְאָה. וְשִׂנְאַת מָמוֹן. וְאַהֲבַת הָאֱמֶת. וְאַהֲבַת הַבְּרִיּוֹת לָהֶן. וּבַעֲלֵי שֵׁם טוֹב.

Mishneh Torah, The Sanhedrin and the Penalties within Their Jurisdiction 2:1-7

(1) Only wise and intelligent men, who are eminent in Torah scholarship and possess extensive knowledge, should be appointed members of either the Great or the Small Sanhedrin. They should be somewhat aware of such branches as medicine, mathematics, astronomy, ... methods of soothsayers, augurs and wizards as well as idolatrous superstitions, and the like, in order to be competent in dealing with them.— —

(3) A man who is advanced in years ... or one who is childless must not be appointed a member of any Sanhedrin, since he is required to be compassionate.

(7) Although we do not insist upon all these requirements in the case of a court-of-three, nevertheless it is desirable that each of the judges should be endowed with the following qualifications:

wisdom, humility, reverence, disdain of gain, love of truth, loved by fellow men, and of a good reputation...

"Rabbi Berakhiah said in the name of Rabbi Haninah, "Judges must possess seven characteristics. ... And why were they not written in one verse? To indicate that if one cannot find all seven in one person, a judge possessing only four may be appointed. And if judges possessing four cannot be found, a judge possessing only three may be appointed. And if judges possessing three cannot be found, a judge possessing one may be appointed."
(Deuteronomy Rabbah 1:10)