TRANSLITERATION
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu laasok b’divrei Torah.
TRANSLATION
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to engage with words of Torah.
(ו) לֹ֥א תַטֶּ֛ה מִשְׁפַּ֥ט אֶבְיֹנְךָ֖ בְּרִיבֽוֹ׃ (ז) מִדְּבַר־שֶׁ֖קֶר תִּרְחָ֑ק וְנָקִ֤י וְצַדִּיק֙ אַֽל־תַּהֲרֹ֔ג כִּ֥י לֹא־אַצְדִּ֖יק רָשָֽׁע׃ (ח) וְשֹׁ֖חַד לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח כִּ֤י הַשֹּׁ֙חַד֙ יְעַוֵּ֣ר פִּקְחִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽים׃
(6) You shall not subvert the rights of your needy in their disputes. (7) Keep far from a false charge; do not bring death on those who are innocent and in the right, for I will not acquit the wrongdoer. (8) Do not take bribes, for bribes blind the clear-sighted and upset the pleas of those who are in the right.
- This week's portion focuses, in part, on the justice system
- Mishpat = law, judgment
- Let's start looking at vs. 6...what exactly does this sentence mean?
6 “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.(NIV)
6 “You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute.(NKJV)
6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.(KJV)
6 You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in their lawsuits.(NRSVA)
6 “You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute.(NKJV)
6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.(KJV)
6 You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in their lawsuits.(NRSVA)
(א) לא תטה משפט אביונך בריבו. שלא יהא רך לזה וקשה לזה בעת המשפט שבעלי דינים מספרים טענותיהם, וכמו כן שלא יהא אחד עומד ואחד יושב ודומיהם:
(1) לא תטה משפט אביונך בריבו, an example of being lenient with one category of person and harsh with another. When litigants are facing you, you must not take account of any differences in their social standing. Not only this, if one of the litigants is standing during the proceedings whereas the other one is seated, this is already a form of inadmissible discrimination.
(ג) וְדָ֕ל לֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר בְּרִיבֽוֹ׃ {ס}
(3) nor shall you show deference to a poor person in a dispute.
(א) לא תטה משפט אביונך. לחייבו כי כבר הזהיר למעלה שלא לזכותו שלא כדין:
...Don't incline justice for your needy - to convict them, since the Torah already warned us earlier to avoid acquitting them when acquittal is not the finding of the court.
Here (in vs. 6) it warns that the judges must also not rule against the poor (for fear of angering the rich).
-Chizuni
-Chizuni
(א) לא תטה משפט אביונך. אולי שיצו ה' על משפט העניים על דרך אומרם ז"ל (ב"מ ע"א.) ענייך ועניי עירך וכו' עניי עירך ועניי עיר אחרת עניי עירך קודמין, ולזה בא המצוה כאן בלאו לבל יטה משפט הקדום לאחרו, והוא אומרו אביונך:
(1) לא תטה משפט אביונך, "Do not subvert the right of your needy, etc." Perhaps the emphasis is on the ending "your" in the word אביונך. We have learned in Baba Metzia 71 that the poor of your family take precedence in their claim to handouts over the unrelated poor of your city, whereas the local poor take precedence over the poor from other cities. The Torah warns here that we must not pervert this rule when setting out to do charity. "Your own needy" must always be the first on your list of charities.
In his legal dispute you should not tilt the justice of your poor person in his favor, but you should do so out of court, where the poor person's claim to some object is doubtful, e.g. E.g. whether an ear of grain is לקט, a sheaf is שכחה, etc., even out of mere doubt, to give the same to the poor, ספק לקט לקט ספק שכחה שכחה. The expression אביונך also corresponds to this, it is your poor man, as a poor person it is your responsibility to care for him, and as a אביון he feels dependent in his will on the will of the wealthy, so he has to count on the caring representation of the whole, even though בריבו When he stands before you in a legal dispute, you mustn't tilt the law in his favor even a hair's breadth.
-SR Hirsch on Ex. 23:6
-SR Hirsch on Ex. 23:6
(ז) מִדְּבַר־שֶׁ֖קֶר תִּרְחָ֑ק וְנָקִ֤י וְצַדִּיק֙ אַֽל־תַּהֲרֹ֔ג כִּ֥י לֹא־אַצְדִּ֖יק רָשָֽׁע׃
(7) Keep far from a false charge; do not bring death on those who are innocent and in the right, for I will not acquit the wrongdoer.
7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.(KJV)
7 Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.(NIV)
7 Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.(NKJV)
7 Don't bring false charges against anyone or sentence an innocent person to death. I won't forgive you if you do.(CEV)
7 Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.(NIV)
7 Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.(NKJV)
7 Don't bring false charges against anyone or sentence an innocent person to death. I won't forgive you if you do.(CEV)
(א) ונקי וצדיק אל תהרג. מִנַּיִן לַיּוֹצֵא מִבֵּית דִּין חַיָּב וְאָמַר אֶחָד יֵשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת שֶׁמַּחֲזִירִין אוֹתוֹ? תַּ"לֹ וְנָקִי אַל תַּהֲרֹג, וְאַעַ"פִּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ צַדִּיק, שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַדֵּק בְּבֵית דִּין, מִכָּל מָקוֹם נָקִי הוּא מִדִּין מִיתָה שֶׁהֲרֵי יֵשׁ לְךָ לְזַכּוֹתוֹ. וּמִנַּיִן לַיּוֹצֵא מִבֵּית דִּין זַכַּאי וְאָמַר אֶחָד יֵשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו חוֹבָה שֶׁאֵין מַחֲזִירִין אוֹתוֹ לְבֵית דִּין? תַּ"לֹ וְצַדִּיק אַל תַּהֲרֹג, וְזֶה צַדִּיק הוּא שֶׁנִּצְטַדֵּק בְּבֵית דִּין (סנהדרין ל"ג): (ב) כי לא אצדיק רשע. אֵין עָלֶיךָ לְהַחֲזִירוֹ, כִּי אֲנִי לֹא אַצְדִּיקֶנּוּ בְדִינִי, אִם יָצָא מִיָּדְךָ זַכַּאי יֵשׁ לִי שְׁלוּחִים הַרְבֵּה לַהֲמִיתוֹ בַמִּיתָה שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב בָּהּ (מכילתא):
(1) ונקי וצדיק אל תהרג AND THE GUILTLESS AND RIGHTEOUS SLAY THOU NOT — Whence may we infer that in the case that one who left the court after being found guilty and one says, “I have something to plead in his favour”, he has to be brought back in order that the court may listen to this? From what Scripture states, “and the נקי thou shalt not slay”. Although he is not a צדיק — for he has not been acquitted by the court — he is however “free” (נקי) from the death penalty, for it is your duty to plead — as far as possible — in his favour. And whence may we infer, on the other hand, that in the case of one who left the court after having been acquitted and one says, “I have something to say against him” he is not to be brought back that the judges may hear this? From what Scripture states: “and the צדיק slay thou not” — and this man is a צדיק since he has been acquitted by the court (Sanhedrin 33b). (2) כי לא אצדיק רשע FOR “I” WILL NOT JUSTIFY THE WICKED — It is not your duty, in the latter case, to bring the man back to the court, for if he is really guilty, “I” will not acquit him in My court. Altough he has left your hands as innocent “I” have many agents (many means) to inflict upon him the death to which he has made himself liable (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:7:2).
(א) מדבר שקר. עם הדיין ידבר. שלא ידין דין שקר וכמוהו צדק צדק תרדוף: (ב) ונקי וצדיק אל תהרוג. באותו הדבר. אם ידעת שהוא רשע בדבר אחר שלא תאמר הואיל וככה עשה רשע אחר קשה אהרגנו ואסיר המכשול מהדרך כי אני אקח הדין ממנו ולא ימלט מידי:
(1) KEEP THEE FAR FROM A FALSE MATTER. This45Like the previous verse. is directed to judges. They are not to judge falsely.46In other words, Keep thee far from a false matter means do not judge falsely. Justice, justice shalt thou follow (Deut. 16:20) is similar.47It too is directed to the judge. However, in Deuteronomy, I.E. explains that this verse is directed to the complainants. (2) AND THE INNOCENT AND RIGHTEOUS SLAY THOU NOT. Those who are innocent and righteous in this case. If you know, that the defendant is wicked in some other matter do not say, because he committed some other horrible act, let me kill him and remove him from society.48So that he does not cause any harm in the future. I will exact punishment from him and he will not escape My hand.49Hence there is no reason for you to legally murder him.
(א) מדבר שקר תרחק. מכל דבר שיוכל לסבב שקר, כאמרם ז"ל (אבות) הוי זהיר בדבריך, שמא מתוכם ילמדו לשקר:
(1) מדבר שקר תרחק, the Torah addresses the judge, telling him to stay clear of anything which could create the impression that he has dealings with something corrupt. Our sages enlarge on this, cautioning that the judge must be careful with all his utterances so that a liar cannot exploit his words for his own nefarious purposes. (Avot 1,9)
(ט) שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטָח אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מַרְבֶּה לַחְקֹר אֶת הָעֵדִים, וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בִּדְבָרֶיךָ, שֶׁמָּא מִתּוֹכָם יִלְמְדוּ לְשַׁקֵּר:
(9) Shimon ben Shetach used to say: be thorough in the interrogation of witnesses, and be careful with your words, lest from them they learn to lie.
(א) וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בִּדְבָרֶיךָ. שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר הַדַּיָּן שֶׁמָּא כָּךְ וְכָךְ הָיָה מַעֲשֶׂה, אוֹ אִם הָיָה הַדָּבָר כָּךְ הָיָה פְּלוֹנִי זַכַּאי, וּמִתּוֹךְ דְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ לוֹמֵד בַּעַל הַדִּין אוֹ הָעֵדִים לוֹמַר דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה:
(1) "But be careful with your words": That the judge not say, "Maybe the act was like so and so;" or "If the matter had been like so, x would be innocent" - and from these words, the litigant or the witnesses learn to say something that did not [happen].
מדבר שקר תרחק. הרחק מעליך דוברי שקרים ורכילים שעליו כבר הזהיר לא תשא שמע שוא ואז נקי וצדיק אל תהרוג כי השקרנים גורמים להרג צדיקים ונקיים:
Distance yourself from a false matter - put distance between yourself and those who speak lies, and gossipers, since on this the text already warned: 'you must not carry false rumors' (Exodus 23:1) and then 'do not bring death on those who are innocent and in the right' (Ex. 23:7) because liars cause the killing of the ones in the right and of the innocent.
(ח) וְשֹׁ֖חַד לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח כִּ֤י הַשֹּׁ֙חַד֙ יְעַוֵּ֣ר פִּקְחִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽים׃
(8) Do not take bribes, for bribes blind the clear-sighted and upset the pleas of those who are in the right.
(ב) יעור פקחים. אֲפִלּוּ חָכָם בַּתּוֹרָה וְנוֹטֵל שֹׁחַד סוֹף שֶׁתִּטָּרֵף דַּעְתּוֹ עָלָיו וְיִשְׁתַּכַּח תַּלְמוּדוֹ וְיִכְהֶה מְאוֹר עֵינָיו (שם):
(2) יעור פקחים [FOR THE BRIBE] BLINDETH THE OPEN-EYED — Even if he be well-versed in the Torah and takes a bribe, in the end his mind will become confused, what he has learnt will be forgotten, and the light of his eyes will become dim (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:8; Ketubot 105a).
וְהָתַנְיָא: ״וְשׁוֹחַד לֹא תִקָּח״ מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר? אִם לְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא לְזַכּוֹת אֶת הַחַיָּיב וְשֶׁלֹּא לְחַיֵּיב אֶת הַזַּכַּאי — הֲרֵי כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר ״לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט״, אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ לְזַכּוֹת אֶת הַזַּכַּאי וּלְחַיֵּיב אֶת הַחַיָּיב אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה ״וְשׁוֹחַד לֹא תִקָּח״!
But isn’t it taught in a baraita: “And you shall take no bribe” (Exodus 23:8); what is the meaning when the verse states this? If it comes to teach that one should not acquit the guilty and one should not convict the innocent due to a bribe, it is already stated: “You shall not wrest judgment” (Deuteronomy 16:19). Rather, this verse teaches that even if the purpose of the bribe is to ensure that one acquit the innocent and convict the guilty, the Torah nevertheless says: “And you shall take no bribe.” This indicates that it is prohibited for a judge to receive anything from the litigants, even if there is no concern at all that justice will be perverted.
Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Sefer Vayikra, Torah Ohr, Kedoshim 40
Following this injunction, the Torah warns that one should not place obstacles in the path of the blind, an allusion to attempts to bribe judges whose sense of fairness would be blinded by acceptance of a bribe, such as Moses has repeated in Deut. 16,19. There are other dimensions to such bribes, i.e. attempts to trip up the blind, such as the advice given in Jerusalem Talmud Taanit 3,6 "to honour, i.e. send gifts to your physician before you are in need of him." People who do this know that sooner or later they will be in need of the services of a physician, and they want to ensure that they will then get immediate attention. The same is true of someone who is in the habit of sending gifts to a judge. He knows that if ever he will need to have to appear before a judge in litigation, he can choose this judge knowing he will be favourably disposed towards him. The Torah therefore ends the verse with the injunction to fear the Lord your G–d, i.e. that G–d is quite aware of our machinations. This fear of the Lord is something within the province of one's heart.
Sheni Luchot Habrit
Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horovitz
Following this injunction, the Torah warns that one should not place obstacles in the path of the blind, an allusion to attempts to bribe judges whose sense of fairness would be blinded by acceptance of a bribe, such as Moses has repeated in Deut. 16,19. There are other dimensions to such bribes, i.e. attempts to trip up the blind, such as the advice given in Jerusalem Talmud Taanit 3,6 "to honour, i.e. send gifts to your physician before you are in need of him." People who do this know that sooner or later they will be in need of the services of a physician, and they want to ensure that they will then get immediate attention. The same is true of someone who is in the habit of sending gifts to a judge. He knows that if ever he will need to have to appear before a judge in litigation, he can choose this judge knowing he will be favourably disposed towards him. The Torah therefore ends the verse with the injunction to fear the Lord your G–d, i.e. that G–d is quite aware of our machinations. This fear of the Lord is something within the province of one's heart.
Sheni Luchot Habrit
Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horovitz