Derasha 1 on Shoftim 16:20

TT #10 · Parashas Shoftim · First Aliyah · Passuk 20

The Complete Passuk

צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃

Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the Eternal your God is giving you.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Peah 8:9 (Mishnah).

Sefaria · Mishnah Peah 8:9

Core Text of Chazal

כל מי שצריך ליטול מן הצדקה ואינו נוטל עליו הכתוב אומר ברוך הגבר אשר יבטח בה׳, וכן דיין שדן דין אמת לאמתו, שנאמר צדק צדק תרדף.

English: Anyone who needs to take from charity but does not take — of him the verse says “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Eternal.” And likewise a judge who judges a true judgment according to its truth — as it is said “Justice, justice shall you pursue.”

On the daf / in context

The Mishnah equates the self-reliance of one who refuses charity with the integrity of a judge who rules truthfully despite pressure or personal cost.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Mishnah) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The doubled “tzedek tzedek” is linked to the character of a judge who remains faithful to truth.

What Is Learned

A judge who rules truly, without favoritism or fear, is praised in the same terms as one who trusts in God rather than relying on others.