In Jewish tradition, these questions lead us straight to the Source of all righteousness, the Holy One, blessed be He. And surprisingly, also to King Solomon.
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, delves deep into this very idea. It all starts with the verse from (Psalm 72:1), "To Solomon, give Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king." But who exactly is this "righteous" one
Rabbi Isaac Luria, a towering figure in Kabbalah, suggests something profound: the truly righteous one is none other than God Himself. As it says in (Psalms 11:7), "For the Lord is righteous; He loves righteous deeds." This makes you think. readers often It challenges us to consider where our own sense of justice originates. "Say ye of the righteous, that it shall be well with him," the scripture from Isaiah (3:10) reminds us.
Then, Rabbi Ibo offers another beautiful interpretation. Remember when God created the world and saw that it was "very good" (Genesis 1:31)? Rabbi Yosei bar Chanina connects this back to Moses and his famous encounter with God. When Moses asked God for His name, God responded, "I am that I am" (Exodus 3:14). The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) points out that the phrase "I will be" is written three times, implying God created the world mercifully and will continue to govern it with mercy. It’s a comforting thought.
But what does this all mean for us, mere mortals, striving to live righteously?
Well, the Midrash shifts its focus to the "fruit of His deeds," emphasizing the importance of leaving a legacy of righteousness for our children. Even King David, a towering figure himself, passed on his commitment to justice and righteousness to his son, Solomon. And it brings us back to that initial verse, "Give Your judgments to the king."
David, in his prayer, essentially asks God to grant Solomon the ability to judge as God does – without needing witnesses or warnings. And God, in a powerful moment, seems to agree. The text references (1 (Chronicles 29:2)3), stating, "And Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord." Now, hold on a minute! The Midrash anticipates our surprise. Can a human really sit on God's throne? Of course not literally! Instead, it means Solomon judged as God's agent, embodying divine justice.
This brings us to one of Solomon's most famous cases: the two prostitutes (1 (Kings 3:1)6) arguing over a baby. Rav said they were spirits, while Shmuel said they were actual prostitutes. Either way, it was a tricky situation. Rabbi Simon emphasizes that a judge must carefully weigh arguments. Solomon's seemingly bizarre solution – to cut the baby in half – was actually a stroke of genius.
Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Elai even chimes in, saying he would have executed Solomon for suggesting such a thing! But Solomon's wisdom was in the revelation it prompted: the true mother would rather give up her child than see it killed.
The Midrash highlights that when Solomon suggested cutting the child in two, he began to speak wisdom, saying, "The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that this judgment was to come before Him, therefore He created for man two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, two legs, and two hands."
The people, initially skeptical, were awestruck by Solomon's wisdom. As it says in (1 Kings 10:8), "Happy are your people! How blessed are these servants of yours, who stand before you always, listening to your wisdom!"
Rabbi Elazar then offers a beautiful parallel, noting that God's presence was revealed in moments of righteous judgment: in the court of Shem (Genesis 38:26), in the court of Samuel (1 Samuel 12:5), and now in the court of Solomon.
But here’s the real question: how did Solomon know the truth? It's possible the women switched babies! The Midrash acknowledges this, suggesting that a bat kol – a heavenly voice – revealed the truth.
What does it all mean? Maybe it's that true wisdom and righteous judgment are not just about logic and evidence. Maybe they require a spark of divine inspiration, a connection to something greater than ourselves. Maybe, like Solomon, we all have the potential to access that wisdom and bring a little more justice into the world.
To Solomon, give Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king. This is what the scripture says, "Say ye of the righteous, that it shall be well with him" (Isaiah 3:10). Rabbi Isaac Luria explains that who is called a righteous person? This is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it says, "For the Lord is righteous; He loves righteous deeds" (Psalms 11:7). Why do we say that if we have merit, He will give us from our own, but if not, He will give us from His own righteousness? Is there a greater righteous person than God? Therefore, we say, "Say ye of the righteous, that it shall be well with him." Another interpretation is that "Say ye of the righteous, that it shall be well with him." Rabbi Ibo said, at the time when God created the world, He looked at what He had made and saw that it was very good (Genesis 1:31). Rabbi Yosei bar Chanina said that when God wanted to send Moses to Egypt, Moses asked Him, "What is Your name?" God replied, "I am that I am" (Exodus 3:14). You find written three times: "I will be," said the Lord, "mercifully, I created the world, and mercifully I will govern it." When Moses went and asked them, "What should we say to the righteous one of the world, who is good?" They replied, "The righteous one is good, and thus it says (Psalms 136:1), 'Give thanks to the Lord.' Another explanation: 'The fruit of His deeds' refers only to those righteous ones who leave the fruit of their actions to their children. Even David left the fruit of his actions to his son Solomon, as it says (2 Samuel 8:15), 'David administered justice and righteousness.' And even regarding Solomon, it says (Psalms 72:1), 'Give Your judgments to the king,' which means 'Give your judgments.' David said before the Lord, 'Master of the universe, give Your judgments to the king.' Just as You judge without witnesses and without warning, so may Solomon judge without witnesses and without warning.' The Lord replied, 'By your life, that is what I do,' as it says (1 Chronicles 29:23), 'And Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord.' Is it possible for a person to sit on the throne of the Lord? Isn't it written (Daniel 7:9), 'Thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days sat.' Rather, [it means] that he judged as His agent, without witnesses and without warning. This is the judgment of prostitutes, as it says (1 Kings 3:16): "Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king." Rav said they were spirits, and Shmuel said they were actual prostitutes. Rabbi Benjamin said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda that they were prostitutes who had come before the king to be judged, as it says (ibid. 22-23): "One woman said, 'Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house,' etc. And the other woman said, 'No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours.'" Rabbi Simon said that the judge must weigh their arguments, for since the king heard their case and ordered that the child be cut in two, he began to speak wisdom, saying, "The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that this judgment was to come before Him, therefore He created for man two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, two legs, and two hands." He began by saying, "Cut the living child in two," but Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Elai said, "If I had been there, I would have put the executioner's cord around his neck. It was not enough that one died, but he would have sentenced the other to death as well." When they saw the king's scepter, they began to say (Ecclesiastes 10:16): "Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child." But when he said, "Give the living child to her and do not kill him," a heavenly voice came forth and said, "She is his mother." When Israel saw this, they said (1 Kings 10:8), "Happy are your people! How blessed are these servants of yours, who stand before you always, listening to your wisdom!" Rabbi Elazar said, "God appeared in three places: in the court of Shem, as it says (Genesis 38:26), 'She is more righteous than I'; in the court of Samuel, as it says (1 Samuel 12:5), 'And they said, 'I am a witness in this matter.' In the court of Shlomo, as it is said (1 Kings 3:27), 'Do not kill him, he is his mother.' How did Shlomo know this, since it is possible that the women exchanged the babies, and only a bat kol came forth and said, 'She is his mother.'
