Perverting Justice

There is a Pasuk in קדושים that carries an important message. The Torah says, לא תעשו עול במשפט, that we are not allowed to pervert justice.

This means that laws of ethics and morality are absolute. The judicial system is limited in not being able to pass laws that are contrary to the Torah.

There can never be laws passed that would allow dishonesty or cheating in business. And there can never be laws passed that would change what is morally correct in terms of marriage and fidelity.

Rabbi Twerski wrote that the violation of this law is what has led to the degradation of society. Two examples of crossing these lines are related to gambling and abortion.

According to the Torah, these are absolutely forbidden, and there cannot be legitimate rabbinic authority, who would allow gambling and abortion. Rabbi Twerski would see the legalizing of these two vices, to be very Sodom like. The passing of immoral laws stems from the way society rationalizes and tries to justify such things.

The beauty of the Torah as opposed to democracy, is that the Torah sets limits as to how far one can bend the law. Democracy does not have such limits, and whatever the majority decides, becomes law. This is the very reason why we have this instruction of not perverting justice.