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 we're talking about?

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. We often talk about earning merit, but is there a greater source of righteousness than God? 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.

And 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 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 29:23, 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 3:16) 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.