The Second Rail: In Justice

 Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? 

Martin Luther, King, Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail

The Prophets revealed the three rails of a Ten Commandments’ based society- In truth, in justice and in righteousness. Citizens, conservative or liberal, must engage in debate and constructive measures to make sure that each rail functions.

Recently, in the United States, forces have attempted to distort the truth. The judicial system has been hijacked for political purposes. Monies intended for acts of righteousness have been co-opted.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his Birmingham Jail letter, sought to tackle the rail of justice’s imbalance. Arguably, he wished to restore justice. In doing so, he referenced the Prophet Amos.

Justice, as a concept, is complex. Justice includes laws, lawmakers, and justice administrators. Rev. King’s questions pointed fingers at many parts of the justice system. For this post, the administrators of justice will be discussed.

The Torah addresses directly addressed the administration of justice in the Portion Yitro. Surprisingly, it was an outsider Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, and Midian Priest, who was the Israelites’ judicial system’s architect.

During the early stage of the fledgling nation, Jethro visited Moses. He observed how Moses was physically and emotionally taxed trying to single-handedly dispense justice.

Jethro intervened. He offered suggestions. He proposed that Moses would be the one who would consult directly with God. Moses would also educate others concerning the laws and instructions.

Jethro also proposed a judiciary: “And you will envision, out of all the people, worthy men, who fear God, men of truth, who hate bribery, and you’ll set chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens over them. And they’ll judge the people at all times. And it will be: they’ll bring every matter that is big to you, and they will judge every matter that is small. Exodus 18:20-22.

With remarkable brevity, Jethro set forth a workable justice system. He created a means upon which societal members had ready access to justice. It would be in a system which was staffed by educated and honest judges. It would be one in which complex legal matters would be addressed at a “higher” level.

Conclusion

Tackling injustice requires an understanding as to what exactly “justice” means. One aspect of justice is its administration. Other aspects of justice include both the laws and the lawmakers.

The Torah Portion Yitro created a frame work for the administration of justice. Judges are to be educated and upright individuals. Further, justice system staffing was to be on a per capita basis. Finally, the justice system was designed to address complex legal matters. The system appreciated that there are different types of matters; some big and some small. It also took into account that big cases of required a “higher” authority to make a determination.

It was an outsider’s perspective and intellect created the Yitro’s justice system. The willingness to be open to the observations and recommendations proved invaluable.

Be well!!

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Recommended Readings: Letter from Birmingham Jail, The Torah Portion Yitro