This week's Torah portion (Shoftim) includes a verse that is a favorite of Jews who are committed to social action: "Justice, justice you shall pursue, that you may live and inherit the land which Adonai your God gives you" (Deuteronomy 16:20). This verse is read as a clarion call for doing everything in our power to fight for what is right and to deplore evil. What could go wrong with fighting for right over evil?
Plenty. We should be careful about our certainty that we always can tell the difference. In our zeal, we sometimes forget that even the pursuit of righteousness must be conducted with righteousness.
Rabbi Zev Wolf of Zbaraz, a 19th century Ukrainian chassidic leader, had a novel interpretation of the verse to remind us of this truth. He read the doubling of the word "justice" as a sign of self-righteous zeal. He said:
There are many ways that our evil inclination conspires to ensnare us. Just as we sometimes trick ourselves into acting maliciously, we sometimes also entice ourselves into sin by being excessively righteous. We try to be "holier than thou." This is why the Torah warns, "Justice, justice—meaning, excessive justice—you will pursue." You must chase away that inclination, for sometimes that, too, is the way of the evil inclination. Do not be too righteous. (Itturei Torah, vol. 6, p. 110)
Be careful with your zeal. Remember that your rivals also are human beings who believe that they are pursuing justice. The moment that we cast ourselves in the role of the holier-than-thou exemplar of justice and righteousness, we become victims of our desire to win and to be right, rather than servants of what is truly just.
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