Parashat Shoftim opens with God’s prescription for structures of justice: “You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that the Eternal your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. You shall not judge unfairly. You shall show no partiality. You shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just. Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the Eternal your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 16:18–20). In the creation of a just system, the Torah distinguishes between means and ends. The magistrates and officials are the means, while the goal is the administration of justice to the people.
In the Zohar, the more abstract concepts of Justice and Righteousness become subjects in their own right, manifestations of God’s presence in the universe. Accordingly, in the passage below, Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai is concerned not merely with the corruption of those who administer justice, but with the corruption of Justice itself:
It is written: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Love and truth go before Your presence” (Psalms 89:15). Whoever is wise will contemplate this, to see the ways of the Supernal Holy One, the judgments of the Supernal Holy One, Judgments of truth, judgments adorned with supernal crowns.
The light that is revealed is called the Garment of the King … Among those garments of glory — garments of truth, adornments of truth, lamps of truth — are two lamps, perfections of the King’s throne, called Righteousness and Justice. They are the beginning and consummation, and by these are adorned all judgments above and below. All is concealed in Justice, and Righteousness is nourished by this Justice …
When judgments are aroused from Justice, they are completely compassionate, completely perfect; for this one assuages Righteousness, and judgments are refined, all descending to the world in perfection, in compassion. Then the hour is sanctified, for Male and Female are united, and all worlds are in compassionate joy.
Zohar 3:291b–292a
Based on the translation of Daniel Matt.
Explore this passage in context on Sefaria.
Rabbi Shimon begins with the assertion that all things that happen — the “judgments” we experience in the world — are expressions of the Supernal Holy One. This idea is explained through an extended metaphor about light. We bask in the light of the Holy One every moment of our lives. However, we experience this divine light differently depending on the “lamps” through which it shines at any given moment. The lamps are filters for the divine light. Two of these lamps, Rabbi Shimon tells us, are Justice and Righteousness.
We have several abstract concepts piling up, which is part of what makes this material difficult. But let’s move ahead by examining those two lamps, Justice and Righteousness. Justice is an ideal of perfect balance. Righteousness, on the other hand, is the realization of that balance in the world. At its best, Righteousness realizes the vision of Justice in our lives. But when Righteousness is disconnected from Justice, it becomes entangled in absolutes of right and wrong, and fails to express the full beauty of Justice.
Will You Help Us Answer the Call? The shofar's blast is a call to wake up and show up for what matters. My Jewish Learning answers that call all year by keeping Jewish knowledge free and open to anyone who wants it. Your gift helps us keep answering.
When talked about in this way, Righteousness and Justice align with certain divine dynamics or emanations that the Zohar calls sefirot. Specifically, Justice aligns with the sefira Malkhut, the expression of divinity in what is. Righteousness, meanwhile, aligns with the sefira Tiferet, which expresses the beauty of divinity manifest in what could or should be. Further, because Tiferet often stands for male potency and Malkhut for female potency, Rabbi Shimon speaks of the state in which Righteousness is nourished by Justice as akin to male and female union. This is the ideal state of affairs.
However, the world is not always in that state of union and harmony:
But when the sins of the world proliferate and the sanctuary is defiled and the Male moves afar from the Female and the mighty Serpent begins to be aroused — woe to the world, which is then nourished by this Righteousness! Many ravaging bands of stingers are aroused in the world; many righteous ones are removed from the world — because the Male moves afar from the Female, and Justice does not approach this Righteousness. Of this is written, “Some are swept away without justice” (Proverbs 13:24), for Justice is far from Righteousness, who is not assuaged, and Righteousness suckles from another place.
Come and see: When this tzedek, Righteousness, is assuaged by Justice, it is called tzedakah, and the world is sweetened by kindness and filled with it, as is written: “He loves tzedakah, righteousness and justice. The kindness of Yahveh fills the earth” (Psalms 33:5).
Zohar 3:291b–292a
Based on the translation of Daniel Matt.
Explore this passage in context on Sefaria.
What influences the relative positions of Justice and Righteousness? What brings them closer or moves them apart? It is our conduct, which continually impacts the lamps through which the light of the Supernal Holy One shines upon us. When we create a society of sin and oppression, right and wrong dominate, and there is little room left for compassion. In mythic language, this behavior causes Righteousness and Justice to be torn apart; then the law serves itself instead of serving justice. In this unfortunate scenario, we occupy a world of righteousness, but we suffer its harsh side. We watch the law sweep people away without justice.
In other words, the way we live impacts the way we experience God’s presence in the world. This is different from (and more grown-up than) the simplistic version of divine punishment and reward some of us may have been taught as children. God isn’t sitting in heaven and handing out explicit punishments one-by-one. Rather, the point is that our lives create the filters (or the lamps) through which we experience divine presence. In that sense, we shape our reality.
In my view, contemporary social and political culture, on all sides, has slipped into what the Zohar calls a disconnect between Righteousness and Justice. Each side is entrenched; everyone thinks they are right and righteous. Compassion for people and ideas from the “other” side is too often perceived as unworthy compromise and weakness. We talk about social issues too much in terms of winning and losing. This attitude will ultimately lead to a world not worth living in, no matter who wins. The Zohar here reminds us that if our righteousness is not softened by compassion and care for those with whom we disagree, then we are no longer fighting for justice.
It need not be this way. Right conduct can bring Righteousness and Justice back together. The teaching ends by reminding us that kindness and compassion are an integral part of Justice. The generosity of charity (tzedakah) does not stand outside the realm of Justice (tzedek) and the law. Rather, when Righteousness draws close to Justice, goodness flows, and “the kindness of Yahveh fills the earth” (Psalms 33:5).
This piece was originally published as part of A Year of Zohar: Kabbalah for Everyone, an original series produced by My Jewish Learning and Sefaria. Sign up for the entire series here.
