Negative Commandment #541 of 613
Do not appoint judges who are not familiar with the Law
Commandment #541 — a prohibition from Deuteronomy 1:17, classified under Courts, Crimes, and Punishments in the 613 commandments of the Torah.
Scripture
“'You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God's. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.'”
— Deuteronomy 1:17
Hebrew
יז לֹא-תַכִּירוּ פָנִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּט, כַּקָּטֹן כַּגָּדֹל תִּשְׁמָעוּן--לֹא תָגוּרוּ מִפְּנֵי-אִישׁ, כִּי הַמִּשְׁפָּט לֵאלֹהִים הוּא; וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִקְשֶׁה מִכֶּם, תַּקְרִבוּן אֵלַי וּשְׁמַעְתִּיו.
Greek (Septuagint)
οὐκ ἐπιγνώσῃ πρόσωπον ἐν κρίσει, κατὰ τὸν μικρὸν καὶ κατὰ τὸν μέγαν κρινεῖς, οὐ μὴ ὑποστείλῃ πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπου, ὅτι ἡ κρίσις τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν· καὶ τὸ ῥῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν σκληρὸν ᾖ ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν, ἀνοίσετε αὐτὸ ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ, καὶ ἀκούσομαι αὐτό.
Classification
- Type
- Negative (Thou Shalt Not)
- Category
- Courts, Crimes, and Punishments
- Book
- deuteronomy
- Chapter
- 1
Scholarly References
- Parashah
- Devarim
- Sefer HaChinuch
- #414
- Mishneh Torah
- JudgesThe Sanhedrin and the Penalties Under Their Jurisdiction
Related Commandments in “Courts, Crimes, and Punishments”
#131: The court must fine one who sexually seduces a maiden
Exodus 22:16
#464: The court must judge the damages incurred by an animal eating
Exodus 22:5
#465: The court must judge the damages incurred by a pit
Exodus 21:33
#466: The court must judge the damages incurred by fire
Exodus 22:6
#468: The court must implement punitive measures against a thief
Exodus 22:1
#469: Each individual must ensure that his scales and weights are accurate
Leviticus 19:36
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