This week’s portion, from Deuteronomy, is called Shoftim, judges. It establishes a process for the administration of justice, and includes one of the most powerful statements in all religious, philosophical, or ethical tradition: tzedek, tzedek, tirdof, Justice, justice you shall pursue.
In the Torah, which has no kefel lashon, no extra words, a repetition of a word means that it has additional importance and power. Here, the word for justice, tzedek is repeated, emphasizing that justice is extraordinarily significant. We must be not only fair in life, but truly just.
But even more than that, the Torah teaches us that we must not only be just, but tirdof, pursue justice, chase after it, make it a goal for our own lives and our civilization. It’s not enough to act well in a place where justice is not the norm; we must strive to change an unjust situation into a just one. It is our Jewish responsibility.
Tzedek, tzedek tirdof—each of us must pursue true justice.
It’s easy to understand that for Jews justice underlies everything good in a society. Without justice there is no peace; without justice, there is no morality; without justice we simply can’t trust our government or its leaders to act well. Even love is only truly possible where there is respect and a sense of fairness—which are, in essence, aspects of justice.
Be just, God commands. Seek—no, chase—justice, in your own life. Work for justice in your society; and then good will come.
It is a great and holy message in a society like ours, in which the pursuit of happiness sometimes seems to be the ultimate goal. But the better pursuit—indeed, the most meaningful real pursuit for us—is justice.
May our actions, and our words, help to make our society more just in this week, and in the coming year.