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Deuteronomy 16:18-20

 

דברים טז:יח-כ

Original Text:

שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת הָעָם מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק: לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט לֹא תַכִּיר פָּנִים וְלֹא תִקַּח שֹׁחַד כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִם: צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ:

Translation:

You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that Adonai your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just. Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that Adonai your God is giving you.
[JPS translation edited for gender-neutrality]

Suggested Discussion Questions:

1. What is the role of government and courts of law according to this text?
2. What does the text guard against? Who is most susceptible to corruption?
3. What is the reward for pursuing justice?
4. The text repeats the word "justice" several times in this text. What effect does this repetition have?

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Related Texts:
Deuteronomy 16:18-20
Related Sourcesheets:Civil/Human Rights, Bikur Cholim, On Jews Giving Tzedakah to non-Jews, Rabbi Dianne Cohler-Esses, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights with Jewish Source, Rabbis for Human Rights (http://tiny.cc/mCJW4), Why?, Leadership: Step Up and Speak Out, Communal Responsibility for Creating Social Responsibility

Submitted By

Sarah Margles

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