Reply To: Short & Sweet

Tezaveh: Justice for All

The Gemora tells us that the Choshen was מכפר on any lack of משפט and improper judgements. The Akeidas Yitzchok explains that from studying the Choshen, we can learn how to fix the problems that corrupt justice.

The Akeidas Yitzchok suggests that the lessons of the Choshen are the same thing that Moshe told the judges he appointed:
לֹֽא־תַכִּ֨ירוּ פָנִ֜ים בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט כַּקָּטֹ֤ן כַּגָּדֹל֙ תִּשְׁמָע֔וּן לֹ֤א תָג֙וּרוּ֙ מִפְּנֵי־אִ֔ישׁ כִּ֥י הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט לֵאלֹהִ֣ים ה֑וּא וְהַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִקְשֶׁ֣ה מִכֶּ֔ם תַּקְרִב֥וּן אֵלַ֖י וּשְׁמַעְתִּֽיו׃

The Choshen listed all the names of the Shevatim in their birth order, not in order of greatness. This teaches us that we should not show any favor to the greatest of people – justice is blind.

The Choshen had stones that were cheap next to stones that were extremely expensive. This teaches us that justice must always be taken seriously, regardless of how much or how little is at stake.

The name of Hashem was written on the Choshen to remind us that a judge cannot be afraid of any human, only of Hashem.

The Akeidas Yitzchok finishes by saying that the most common cause of getting a psak wrong is lack of knowledge. The Choshen was attached to the Urim v’Tumim, to remind the Kohen and the Dayan to constantly be seeking answers from a higher authority.

לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום