True Judgment Brings Peace to All Creation

"And they shall judge the people at all times" (Exodus 18:22). Rabbi Yehoshua says: people who are free from their own work, that they may judge Israel at all times. Rabbi Elazar of Modiin says: people who are free from their own work and occupy themselves with Torah, they shall judge Israel at all times. And so it says, "You that ride on white donkeys" (Judges 5:10) - these are the disciples of the sages who travel from city to city and from province to province and occupy themselves with Torah and make it as bright as noon. "You that sit on rich carpets" - who sit and judge a judgment of truth according to its truth. "You that walk by the way" - these are the masters of Scripture. "By the way" - these are the masters of Mishnah. "Tell of it" - for all their conversation is in Torah. Another interpretation: "And they shall judge the people at all times" - Scripture speaks of monetary cases, that they judge them every day by Torah law, even on the eve of the Sabbath; but by the words of the scribes one does not judge on the eve of the Sabbath. Another interpretation: "And they shall judge the people at all times" - monetary cases one judges by day and concludes by night. "And it shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves" (Exodus 18:22). You say great matters they shall bring to you and small matters they shall judge themselves; or is it rather matters concerning great people they shall bring to you and matters concerning small people they shall judge themselves? When it says, "The hard matter they shall bring to Moses" (Exodus 18:26), behold, no "great matter" is meant except great matters. Great matters they shall bring to you, and small matters they shall judge themselves. "If you do this thing, and God commands you, then you will be able to endure" (Exodus 18:23). He said to him: go out and consult the Almighty; if He agrees with you, you can endure, and if not, you cannot endure. "And also all this people shall come to their place in peace" - Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and all the elders of Israel shall come to their place in peace. Rabbi Simai says: one who judges a judgment of truth according to its truth appears as though he casts envy among people, but in fact he only sets peace among them, as it says, "These are the things you shall do: speak truth to one another; render in your gates judgment that is true and makes for peace" (Zechariah 8:16). I know only that the one who takes the money he is owed has peace; how do I know that even the one obligated to pay money, that his end too is peace? As it says, "And also all this people shall come to their place in peace." I know only this for the litigants; how do I know it also for all Israel? Scripture teaches, "May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice" (Psalm 72:2) - and what is written after it? "May the mountains bear peace to the people." I know only this for human beings; how do I know that justice is peace even for beasts and wild animals and all living creatures? Scripture teaches, "With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth... and righteousness shall be the belt of his loins" (Isaiah 11:4-5) - and what is written after it? "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid... they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD" (Isaiah 11:6-9). This knowledge is justice, as it says, "Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know Me? says the LORD" (Jeremiah 22:15-16). Great is justice, for whoever hates it, there is no cure for his wound, as it says, "Shall one who hates justice govern?" (Job 34:17) - and binding is nothing but healing, as it says, "He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).