Another interpretation, “judges and officers” – Rav Aḥa said: Come and see that Solomon’s throne had six stairs. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “There were six stairs to the throne” (I Kings 10:19). And in this passage, six matters are written as negative commandments, and they are: “You shall not distort judgment, you shall not give preference, and you shall not take a bribe” (Deuteronomy 16:19); “You shall not plant for you any kind of sacred tree” (Deuteronomy 16:21); “You shall not establish a monument for you” (Deuteronomy 16:22); “You shall not slaughter to the Lord your God an ox, or a lamb, [in which there is a blemish]” (Deuteronomy 17:1).
There you have six. The herald would stand before Solomon’s throne, and when he [Solomon] would ascend the first stair, he would proclaim: “You shall not distort judgment”; for the second stair he would proclaim: “You shall not show preference”; for the third, he would proclaim: “And you shall not take a bribe”; for the fourth: “You shall not plant for you any kind of sacred tree”; for the fifth: “You shall not establish a monument for you”; for the sixth: “You shall not slaughter to the Lord your God […in which there is a blemish].”
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: The protocol for a trial is as follows: The plaintiff states his claim, the defendant responds, and the judge renders a decision. Rabbi Sima said: The judge must orally review their claims. From whom can you learn this? From Solomon, as it is stated: “The king said: This one says: This is my living son, and your son is the dead one; and that one says: No, rather, your son is the dead one, and my son is the live one” (I Kings 3:23).
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: I heard that if a judge wishes to seat the litigants, he may seat them. What is it that is prohibited? There may not be one [litigant] sitting and the other one standing, as Rabbi Yishmael said: If there was a judge and two people came to him for judgment, one wealthy and one impoverished, he should say [to the wealthy one]: ‘Dress as he is dressed, or dress him as you are dressed.’
“You shall not show preference” (Deuteronomy 1:17) – Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, Rabbi Elazar said: If you [the judge], realize that justice is in his favor [one of the litigants], do not show him a favorable countenance, so he [the other litigant] should not say: ‘From the outset he sought to rule in his favor.’ Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: If you [the judge] know that justice is not in his favor, show him a favorable countenance, so he should not say: ‘From the outset he sought to convict me.’
Rabbi Ḥanina said: One verse says: “You shall judge fairly” (Deuteronomy 1:16),13This verse does not mention extensive investigation of the claims. and another verse says: “You shall inquire, interrogate, and ask diligently” (Deuteronomy 13:15). How can this be [resolved]? If you sense that the case [presented by one of the litigants] is fraudulent, interrogate him, but if you sense that the case is being resolved truthfully, judge him fairly.14Without interrogation.