It goes way beyond just being "fair." It's actually about a profound and intimate relationship between us and the Divine.

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, offers a powerful parable to illustrate this. It begins with the verse, "judges and officers you shall place" (Deuteronomy 16:18), and then Rabbi Levi asks, "To what is this matter comparable?"

Imagine a king, Rabbi Levi says, blessed with many children, but his heart belongs especially to the youngest. He also possesses a magnificent orchard, more precious to him than all his other treasures. What does the king do? He decides to bestow this cherished orchard upon his beloved youngest son.

Now, let's unpack this. The king, of course, represents God. And according to this midrash, the youngest son is Israel, whom God loves above all other nations. As it says in Hosea 11:1, "When Israel was a lad, I loved him." The orchard? That's tzedek, justice itself. As Isaiah 61:8 proclaims, "For I am the Lord, who loves justice." God is giving what He loves most to the people He loves most. "Judges and officers." Justice. It's a gift, a responsibility, a sacred trust.

The Holy One, blessed be He, says to Israel: "My children, by your lives, in the merit of your preserving justice, I am exalted." Where do we learn this? From Isaiah 5:16: "But the Lord of hosts will be exalted through justice." It's not just about following rules, it's about actively elevating God in the world through our actions.

And here's where it gets even more interesting. God continues, "And as a result of you exalting Me through justice, I will perform righteousness and rest My sanctity in your midst." Again, Isaiah 5:16 confirms: "And the Holy God will be sanctified through righteousness." Our commitment to justice literally creates a space for God's presence, for kedushah, holiness, to dwell among us.

But what if we truly dedicate ourselves to both tzedek (justice) and tzedakah (righteousness)? What then?

The answer, according to this teaching, is nothing short of redemption. "And if you keep both of them, righteousness and justice, I will immediately redeem you with a full redemption." The promise echoes through Isaiah 56:1: "So said the Lord: Maintain justice and act with righteousness, for My salvation is soon to come, and My righteousness to be revealed."

So, what does all this mean for us today? It’s a call to action, a reminder that justice isn't just a nice idea, but a fundamental building block of our relationship with God and our path to redemption. It suggests that our actions, our choices, ripple outwards, impacting not only our own lives but the very presence of the Divine in the world.