"There are those who are asking the devotees of Civil Rights, 'When will you be satisfied?'...No!, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until 'justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream'."
--Martin Luther King, "I Have a Dream" (1963)
What was the Message of Amos to the Nations?
(ג) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר ה' עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י דַמֶּ֔שֶׂק וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־דּוּשָׁ֛ם בַּחֲרֻצ֥וֹת הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל אֶת־הַגִּלְעָֽד׃
(3) This is what God said: For three sins of Damascus [I could pardon], but for four, I will not pardon them: Because they crushed the Jewish people of Gilead [in a barbaric manner] with metal threshing tools.
(6) This is what God said: For three sins of Gaza [I could pardon], but for four, I will not pardon them: Because they handed over an entire population [of Jewish people] trying to escape and they delivered them back to Edom.
(ט) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר ה' עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵי־צֹ֔ר וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַֽל־הַסְגִּירָ֞ם גָּל֤וּת שְׁלֵמָה֙ לֶאֱד֔וֹם וְלֹ֥א זָכְר֖וּ בְּרִ֥ית אַחִֽים׃
(9) This is what God said: For three sins of Tyre [I could pardon], but for four, I will not pardon them: Because they handed over an entire population [of Jewish people] trying to escape and they delivered them back to Edom, ignoring the covenant of brotherhood.
(יא) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר ה' עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י אֱד֔וֹם וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־רָדְפ֨וֹ בַחֶ֤רֶב אָחִיו֙ וְשִׁחֵ֣ת רַחֲמָ֔יו וַיִּטְרֹ֤ף לָעַד֙ אַפּ֔וֹ וְעֶבְרָת֖וֹ שְׁמָ֥רָה נֶֽצַח׃
(11) This is what God said: For three sins of Edom [I could pardon], but for four, I will not pardon them: Because he pursued his brother [the Jewish people] with the sword and repressed all pity, because his anger raged forever and his fury stormed eternally.
(13) This is what God said: For three sins of Ammon [I could pardon], but for four, I will not pardon them: Because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to expand their own borders.
What was the Message of Amos to the Jewish People?
(טו) שִׂנְאוּ־רָע֙ וְאֶ֣הֱבוּ ט֔וֹב וְהַצִּ֥יגוּ בַשַּׁ֖עַר מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אוּלַ֗י יֶֽחֱנַ֛ן ה' אֱלֹקי־צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יוֹסֵֽף׃ ...(כא) שָׂנֵ֥אתִי מָאַ֖סְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָרִ֖יחַ בְּעַצְּרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ (כב) כִּ֣י אִם־תַּעֲלוּ־לִ֥י עֹל֛וֹת וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֣א אֶרְצֶ֑ה וְשֶׁ֥לֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֥א אַבִּֽיט׃ (כג) הָסֵ֥ר מֵעָלַ֖י הֲמ֣וֹן שִׁרֶ֑יךָ וְזִמְרַ֥ת נְבָלֶ֖יךָ לֹ֥א אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ (כד) וְיִגַּ֥ל כַּמַּ֖יִם מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה כְּנַ֥חַל אֵיתָֽן׃
(15) Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; Perhaps God, the LORD of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph... (21) I hate and detest your festivals, I will not delight over [the sacrifices] of your assemblies. (22) If you offer up burnt offerings—or your meal offerings— I will not accept them; I will not notice your gift offerings of fatlings. (23) Spare Me the sound of your hymns from My presence, and let Me not hear the music of your harps. (24) But let justice well up like water, Righteousness like an unfailing stream.
(א) ויגל כמים משפט, כמ"ש עשות צדקה ומשפט נבחר לה' מזבח, והמשפט הוא בין אדם לחברו, והצדקה היא בין אדם למקום, המשפט הוא נטוע בשכל האדם, שאחר שהאדם הוא מדיני בטבע צריך הוא למשפט שעי"כ יתקיים הקיבוץ המדיני, וע"כ מדמהו כגולות מים שהמקור נובע מעצמו ויוצא לחוץ אל זולתו, וכן יגל המשפט ויביע ממקור השכל וטבע האדם עצמו, והצדקה איננה נמצאת בטבע האדם רק יקבל את מצותיה מאת ה', והיא דומה כנחל שמימיו אינם נמצאים בו בעצמו רק יתקבצו אליו ממים המוגרים מן ההרים ומן המקורות שבחוץ, כן תבא הצדקה מבחוץ מאת ה', וכן מימי הנחל לא יביעו כמקור למלאת את זולתו ויתאספו רק בתוך הנחל לבד, וכן עקר מעשה הצדקה הוא לשלמות הנפש עצמו, ועז"א וצדקה כנחל איתן...וא"כ צדקה ומשפט היא התכלית הנרצה לא הקרבנות:
Let justice well up like water, as it is written "the acts of justice and righteousness are more treasured to God than the offerings." Justice refers to the manner with which humans interact with one another, righteousness refers to the manner with which humans interact with God.
Justice is implanted within the mindset of every human being. Knowing that humans seek justice by their very nature, it is an essential ingredient in the sustainability of every moral society. Therefore, justice is compared to a well of water, whose source is internal and whose impact on the surroundings is incredible. Likewise, the source of justice is within each of us and we are meant to radiate that justice outwards.
Righteousness, in contrast, is not ingrained within every human, rather we nurture and develop that trait through our experience and relationship with God. This is similar to a stream, whose waters are not internal in nature, but rather gather there from the mountains and other external sources. Likewise, the source of righteousness is from without. Additionally, the waters of a stream are not expected to be the source for other bodies of water, rather they remain internally focused. Similarly, righteousness is meant to be developed and expressed as a form of ones personal religious journey...
In this light, the true purpose of the festival pilgrimage and offerings are the development and strengthening of justice and righteousness, not the offerings.
(13) Behold, days are coming —declares the LORD— when the plowman will meet the reaper, and the treader of grapes will meet the one who carries the seed; when the mountains will drip wine and all of the hills will wave [with grain].