No Bribes

The Torah emphasizes the importance of having honest judges in our courts. The effect they have on the community is very great.

There is a rabbinic saying that says, “The sword comes into the community because of corrupt judges.” It is very disheartening when one lives in a place where he doesn’t believe that he can receive a “fair shake,” if he ever needs to go to court.

Specifically, the warning focuses on the taking of bribes. If a judge can be bought with being paid off, the justice system falls apart.

The word in Hebrew for bribe, is “Shochad.” The Torah explains that שוחד is so serious that it blinds the eyes of the wise and distorts the matters of justice.

The idea of taking bribes is not limited to the Beit Din. We are all tempted with situations or individuals that tend to “bribe” us with false promises or playing on our emotions.

We may be bribing ourselves by allowing ourselves to pursue comforts and money, believing that this is going to bring us happiness.

This warning of bribes is followed by the Pasuk that tells us, צדק צדק תרדוף, that we are to pursue justice. We must not allow ourselves to get off course and pursue paths leading nowhere.

We must have a clear mind to carefully analyze all of our pursuits. We need to see the “Nolad,” to look ahead and see what the likely outcome will be.

There are numerous prophecies that warn us that we must not have a false sense of security. We must not be bribed by our homes that are filled with plenty, or the abundance that we have. We must never forget what is important and lasting, and what is foolishness.

The Torah’s warning against taking bribes is one that must be taken seriously. If we allow bribes to influence us, the outcome can be catastrophic. We must aggressively pursue truth and justice.