The Sword Above And Gehinnom Below The Judge

Midrash Mishlei 2:4

(Proverbs 2:8): "To guard the paths of justice" - if a person is appointed to judgment, he must guard the paths of justice. "And he will keep the way of his pious ones" - if he does so, his ways are kept safe from descending to the depths of Gehinnom. From here they said: Everyone who sits in judgment, two things are bound to him, and these are they: the sword and Gehinnom - the sword above him and Gehinnom beneath him. If he is worthy and renders the judgment according to its truth, he is not handed over into their power; and if not, he is handed over into their power: (Proverbs 2:9):

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