דברים רבה ה׳Devarim Rabbah 5

Section 1א׳

שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת הָעָם מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק (דברים טז, יח), הֲלָכָה, קְרוֹבוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מַהוּ שֶׁיְהֵא מֻתָּר לוֹ לֵישֵׁב בְּדִינוֹ, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים אֵלּוּ הֵן הַקְּרוֹבִים אָבִיו וְאֶחָיו וַאֲחֵי אָבִיו וַאֲחֵי אִמּוֹ וכו', לָמָּה כֵן, אֶלָּא כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַקָּרוֹב פָּסוּל לְהָעִיד כֵּן הוּא פָּסוּל לָדוּן, וּמָה רָאִיתָ לוֹמַר כֵּן, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי כְּתִיב (דברים כא, ה): וְנִגְשׁוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי לֵוִי כִּי בָם בָּחַר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בְּשֵׁם ה' וְעַל פִּיהֶם יִהְיֶה כָּל רִיב וְכָל נָגַע. בּוֹא וּרְאֵה הִקִּישׁ נְגָעִים לְרִיבִים וְרִיבִים לִנְגָעִים, מַה נְּגָעִים בַּיּוֹם אַף דִּינִים בַּיּוֹם, וּמָה רִיבִים פְּרַט לְקָרוֹב, אַף נְגָעִים פְּרַט לְקָרוֹב. אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, אַל תְּהִי מְלַגְלֵג בַּדִּין, שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מִשְּׁלשָׁה רַגְלֵי הָעוֹלָם, לָמָּה, שֶׁשָּׁנוּ חֲכָמִים עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַדִּין וְעַל הָאֱמֶת וְעַל הַשָּׁלוֹם, תֵּן דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁאִם הִטֵּיתָ אֶת הַדִּין שֶׁאַתְּ מְזַעֲזֵעַ אֶת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מֵרַגְלָיו. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי קָשֶׁה הוּא כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל דִּין שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מֵרַגְלֵי כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד, מִנַּיִן (תהלים פט, טו): צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט מְכוֹן כִּסְאֶךָ חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יְקַדְמוּ פָנֶיךָ. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוֹאִיל וְכָךְ עָנְשׁוֹ שֶׁל דִּין קָשֶׁה, הֱווּ זְהִירִין, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים.

“Judges and officers you shall place for you within all your gates that the Lord your God is giving you for your tribes, and they shall judge the people with fair judgment” (Deuteronomy 16:18). “Judges and officers you shall place for you within all your gates that the Lord your God is giving you for your tribes, and they shall judge the people with fair judgment” – halakha: A person’s relative, what is the ruling, is it permitted for him to sit in judgment for him? This is what the Sages taught: These are considered relatives: One’s father, one’s brother, one’s father’s brothers, and one’s mother’s brothers…Why is it so? Just as a relative is ineligible to testify, so is he ineligible to judge. What do you see that leads you to say so? Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: It is written: “The priests, sons of Levi, shall approach, as the Lord your God chose them to serve Him, and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word shall be every dispute and every case of leprosy” (Deuteronomy 21:5). Come and see that it compares leprosy to disputes, and disputes to leprosy. Just as [the examination of] leprosy is only during the day, so judgment is only during the day, and just as disputes exclude relatives, so, too [the examination of] leprosy excludes relatives. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: Do not regard justice lightly, as it is one of the stanchions that support the world. Why? It is as the Sages taught: The world stands upon three matters: Upon justice, upon truth, and upon peace. Consider that if you distort judgment you destabilize the world, as it is one of its stanchions. The Rabbis say: The potency of justice is considerable, as it is one of the legs of the Divine Throne. From where is this derived? “Righteousness and justice are at the base of Your throne; kindness and truth greet Your countenance” (Psalms 89:15). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since that is so, the punishment for injustice is harsh; be careful.’ From where is this derived? It is from what we read in our context, “Judges and officers.”

Section 2ב׳

זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי ו, ו ח): לֵךְ אֶל נְמָלָה עָצֵל רְאֵה דְרָכֶיהָ וַחֲכָם אֲשֶׁר אֵין לָהּ קָצִין שֹׁטֵר וּמשֵׁל תָּכִין בַּקַּיִץ לַחְמָהּ אָגְרָה בַקָּצִיר מַאֲכָלָהּ, מָה רָאָה שְׁלֹמֹה לְלַמֵּד לְעָצֵל מִן הַנְּמָלָה, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הַנְּמָלָה הַזּוֹ שְׁלשָׁה בָּתִּים יֵשׁ לָהּ, וְאֵינָהּ כּוֹנֶסֶת בָּעֶלְיוֹן מִפְּנֵי הַדֶּלֶף, וְלֹא בַּתַּחְתּוֹן מִפְּנֵי הַטִּינָה, אֶלָּא בָּאֶמְצָעִי, וְאֵינָהּ חַיָּה אֶלָּא שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים, לָמָּה, שֶׁמִּי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ גִּידִים וַעֲצָמוֹת אֵינָהּ חַיָּה אֶלָּא שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים, וְכָל מַאֲכָלָהּ אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא חִטָּה וּמֶחֱצָה, וְהִיא הוֹלֶכֶת וּמְכַנֶּסֶת בַּקַּיִץ כָּל מַה שֶּׁמּוֹצְאָה, חִטִּין וּשְׂעוֹרִין וַעֲדָשִׁים. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא וְכָל חַיֶּיהָ אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא חִטָּה וּמֶחֱצָה, וְהִיא כּוֹנֶסֶת אֶת אֵלּוּ, וְלָמָּה הִיא עוֹשָׂה כֵן, שֶׁאָמְרָה שֶׁמָּא יִגְזֹר עָלַי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיִּים וְיִהְיֶה לִי מוּכָן לֶאֱכֹל. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי מַעֲשֶׂה הָיָה וּמָצְאוּ בַּבּוֹר שֶׁלָּהּ שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת כּוֹר, מַה שֶּׁמְּכַנֶּסֶת מִן הַקַּיִץ לַחֹרֶף, לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה לֵךְ אֶל נְמָלָה עָצֵל רְאֵה דְּרָכֶיהָ וַחֲכָם, אַף אַתֶּם הַתְקִינוּ לָכֶם מִצְווֹת מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וּמַהוּ רְאֵה דְּרָכֶיהָ וַחֲכָם, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי רְאֵה דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שֶׁבּוֹרַחַת מִן הַגָּזֵל. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא מַעֲשֶׂה בִּנְמָלָה אַחַת שֶׁהִפִּילָה חִטָּה אַחַת, וְהָיוּ כֻּלָּן בָּאוֹת וּמְרִיחוֹת בָּהּ, וְלֹא הָיְתָה אַחַת מֵהֶן נוֹטֶלֶת אוֹתָהּ, בָּאָה אוֹתָהּ שֶׁהָיְתָה שֶׁלָּהּ וְנָטְלָה אוֹתָהּ, רְאֵה חָכְמָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ. וְכָל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שֶׁלֹא לָמְדָה מִבִּרְיָה, וְלֹא שׁוֹפֵט וְלֹא שׁוֹטֵר יֵשׁ לָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֲשֶׁר אֵין לָהּ קָצִין שֹׁטֵר וּמשֵׁל, אַתֶּם שֶׁמִּנִּיתִי לָכֶם שׁוֹפְטִים וְשׁוֹטְרִים עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁתִּשְׁמְעוּ לָהֶן, הֱוֵי שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ.

This is what the verse said: “Idler, go to the ant; see its ways and become wise. Though it does not have a commander, officer, or governor, it prepares its bread in the summer and amasses its food at the harvest” (Proverbs 6:6–8). Why did Solomon see fit to teach the idler a lesson from the ant? The Rabbis said: An ant has three houses. It does not store [food] in the upper one, to avoid [water] dripping in, nor in the bottom one because of the [moistness of the] mud, but in the middle one. And it lives only six months. Why? Because anything that does not possess sinews and bones can live only six months. Its diet is only one-and-a-half wheat kernels, but is goes and gathers in the summer everything that it finds – wheat, barley, and lentils. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: All [it requires in] its life is only one-and-a-half wheat kernels, yet it gathers [all] these. Why does it do so? Because it says: ‘Perhaps the Holy One blessed be He will decree life upon me, so I will have something prepared to eat.’ Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: There was once an incident where they found three hundred kor [of food] in its hole, from what it gathered from summer to winter. That is why Solomon said: ‘“Idler, go to the ant; see its ways and become wise.” You, too, prepare for yourself mitzvot in this world for the World to Come.’ What is meant by “see its ways and become wise”? The Rabbis said: See the proper behavior that it exhibits, as it eschews robbery. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: There was once an incident involving a certain ant that dropped a wheat kernel. All the others came and smelled it, but not one of them would take it. The one to whom it belonged came back and took it. See the wisdom that it has, all this virtue that it has, which it did not learn from any other creature, and it has neither judge nor officer, as it is stated: “It does not have a commander, officer, or governor”; you, for whom I appointed judges and officers, all the more so that you should heed them. That is, “Judges and officers you shall place for you within all your gates.”

Section 3ג׳

זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי כא, ג): עֲשׂה צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט נִבְחָר לַה' מִזָּבַח, כְּזֶבַח אֵין כְּתִיב אֶלָּא מִזָּבַח, כֵּיצַד, הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת לֹא הָיוּ קְרֵבִין נוֹהֲגוֹת אֶלָּא בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת, אֲבָל הַצְּדָקָה וְהַדִּינִים נוֹהֲגוֹת בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת וְשֶׁלֹא בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת אֵין מְכַפְּרִין אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹגֵג, וְהַצְּדָקָה וְהַדִּינִין מְכַפְּרִים בֵּין לְשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין לְמֵזִיד. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת אֵין נוֹהֲגִים אֶלָּא בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְהַצְּדָקָה וְהַדִּינִין נוֹהֲגִין בֵּין בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים וּבֵין בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת אֵין נוֹהֲגִין אֶלָּא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְהַצְּדָקָה וְהַדִּינִין נוֹהֲגִין בֵּין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בֵּין בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְנָתָן (דברי הימים א יז, ד ה): לֵךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל דָּוִיד עַבְדִּי כֹּה אָמַר ה' לֹא אַתָּה תִּבְנֶה לִי הַבַּיִת לָשָׁבֶת. כִּי לֹא יָשַׁבְתִּי בְּבַיִת מִן הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלֵיתִי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וָאֶהְיֶה [מתהלך] מֵאֹהֶל אֶל אֹהֶל וּמִמִּשְׁכָּן. כָּל מִי שֶׁהָיָה מְבַקֵּשׁ לְקַלֵּל אֶת דָּוִד מָה הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה הָיָה אוֹמֵר לוֹ טוֹב שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה הַבַּיִת. תֵּדַע לְךָ, מַה דָּוִד אוֹמֵר (תהלים קכב, א): שָׂמַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִים לִי בֵּית ה' נֵלֵךְ, מְבַקְּשִׁים לִי דְּבָרִים לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה בּוֹנֶה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, חַיֶּיךָ, שָׁעָה אַחַת מֵחַיֶּיךָ אֵין אֲנִי מְחַסֵּר, מִנַּיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל ב ז, יב): כִּי יִמְלְאוּ יָמֶיךָ וְשָׁכַבְתָּ אֶת אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִמֵּעֶיךָ וַהֲכִינֹתִי אֶת מַמְלַכְתּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַצְּדָקָה וְהַדִּינִין שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה חֲבִיבִין עָלַי מִבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל ב ח, טו): וַיְהִי דָּוִד עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה. מַהוּ מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה לְכָל עַמּוֹ, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַב נַחְמָן חַד אָמַר הָיָה דָן אֶת הַדִּין מְזַכֶּה אֶת הַזַּכַּאי וּמְחַיֵּב אֶת הַחַיָּב, אִם לֹא הָיָה לַחַיָּב לִתֵּן, הָיָה דָּוִד נוֹתֵן מִשֶּׁלּוֹ. הֱוֵי מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה. אָמַר לוֹ רַב נַחְמָן אִם כֵּן נִמְצֵאתָ מֵבִיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִידֵי רַמָּיּוּת, וּמַהוּ מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה, הָיָה דָן אֶת הַדִּין מְזַכֶּה אֶת הַזַּכַּאי וּמְחַיֵּב אֶת הַחַיָּב, הֱוֵי מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה, שֶׁהָיָה מוֹצִיא אֶת הַגָּזֵל מִיָּדוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּנַי, הוֹאִיל וְכָךְ הַדִּינִין חֲבִיבִים לְפָנַי, הֱווּ זְהִירִין בָּהֶם.

This is what the verse said: “Acting with righteousness and justice is preferable to the Lord, more than an offering” (Proverbs 21:3). “Like an offering” is not written, but “more than an offering.” How is this so? Offerings are sacrificed and practiced only when the Temple is standing, but righteousness and justice are practiced when the Temple is standing and when the Temple is not standing. Another matter, offerings atone only for unwitting sinners, but righteousness and justice atone for both unwitting and intentional sinners. Another matter, offerings are practiced only in the lower worlds; righteousness and justice are practiced both in the upper worlds and in the lower worlds. Another matter, offerings are practiced only in this world, but righteousness and justice are practiced both in this world and in the World to Come. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: When the Holy One blessed be He said to Natan: “Go and say to David My servant: So says the Lord: It will not be you who will build for Me a house in which to dwell, for I have not dwelled in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, I have been [going] from one tent or another, and from a Tabernacle” (I Chronicles 17:4–5). Anyone who sought to curse David, what would he say? ‘It would be good if the Temple would be built.’ You may know this is so, for what did David say? ‘“I rejoiced when they said to me: Let us go to the House of the Lord” (Psalms 122:1) – they seek to taunt me, saying: You will not build it.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life [I swear], I will not deduct even one moment from your life.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “When your days are completed and you lie with your fathers, I will establish after you your offspring, who will emerge from your loins, and I will establish his kingdom” (II Samuel 7:12). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The righteousness and justice that you practice are more beloved to Me than the Temple.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “David performed justice and righteousness [for his entire people]” (II Samuel 8:15). What is meant by “justice and righteousness for his entire people”? Rabbi Yehuda and Rav Naḥman, one said: He would adjudicate a judgment, acquit the innocent party and condemn the guilty party, and if the guilty party did not have the means to pay [what the court had ordered], David would pay from his own money. That is “justice and righteousness.” Rav Naḥman said to him: If so, you would be encouraging Israel to engage in deception. What, then, is meant by “justice and righteousness”? He would adjudicate a judgment, acquit the innocent party and condemn the guilty party – that itself is “justice and righteousness,” as [in doing so] he removes the stolen money from his [the guilty one’s] possession. The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘My children, since justice is so beloved before Me, be careful with it.’