Parshat Shoftim: The Pursuit of Truth

"Justice, justice shall you pursue..." (Devarim 16:20)

It has been displayed on fliers and on billboards. It has been shouted at rallies and sung at demonstrations. “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof – Justice, justice shall you pursue” became the rallying cry of every social action and social justice Jewish organization around the world. And then it became dull, dry and overused. New phrases had to be implemented, new songs created and new fliers printed in order to replace the once all-popular but now defunct catch phrase of “tzedek, tzedek tirdof.”

What does “tzedek, tzedek tirdof” actually mean? Does it live up to its hype? Rashi understands the phrase to enjoin upon us to seek justice in a proper Beit Din. His reading is based upon the interpretation of the Sifre. This is how Hizkuni, among others, also understand it. The double use of the word tzedek is to teach us that the court we choose to adjudicate our cases must be one which judges with truthful justice.

A Beraitah is quoted in the Gemara in Sanhedrin 32b, that says the same idea eloquently “justice, justice shall you pursue, the same for judgment and for compromise.” A judge is to show no favor, no partiality regardless of the case or the petitioners. Unwavering truthful justice - tzedek tzedek tirdof.

There is another way to read this phrase though and that is the interpretation of Ibn Ezra. He reads the double usage of the word tzedek to emphasize the importance of pursuing righteousness. No matter whether the righteousness “benefits you or harms you". The work of justice is not meant to be a money making scheme or a path to getting rich quickly. On the contrary, it could harm chances for moving up the employment ladder, could distance a person from others and could seriously harm a person's chance for material success. If, on the other hand, it does contribute to the financial success of a person that is fine and not to be looked down upon but that is not the goal of working towards justice.

Perhaps Ibn Ezra's comment on tzedek tzedek tirdof might help us better understand the connection between this verse and the one that follows. The following verse warns Israel to not plant anasherah tree next to the altar. The asherah trees were used for the worship of the pagan mother-goddess asherah but also had a decorative, ornamental function in houses of worship in the ancient world. While the primary reason to not plant an asherah tree near the altar had to do with its idolatrous significance, one does have to wonder about the decorative aspect to it as well.

Ramban suggests that the verse is admonishing Israel not to plant an asherah next to the altar “for beauty and to think that it is an honor and glory for the altar of God.” In other words, to beautify unnecessarily the altar and to distract from the service being performed. One does not need to be beguiled nor distracted when the religious act being performed is one of righteousness and truthfulness.

The thread therefore that runs between tzedek tzedek tirdof and the asherah tree is integrity and truth. Seforno explicitly links the corruptible judge and the asherah tree as matters that are pleasing but despicable for their inner deficiencies. So while this explanation of tzedek tzedek tirdof might not elicit sudden bursts of protest chants or camp songs it sure does convey a powerful message about the qualities of truthfulness, honesty and integrity. In the end it is not the most popular judge nor the most aesthetically beautiful religious practice that wins the day but rather the pursuit of truth no matter its cost is the ideal embodied in those famous words of tzedek tzedek tirdof.