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1)INTERPRETATIONS OF THE PASUK 'U'VOTZEYAH BERECH NI'ETZ HASHEM'
ר״א בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר אסור לבצוע וכל הבוצע ה״ז חוטא וכל המברך את הבוצע הרי זה מנאץ ועל זה נאמר בוצע ברך נאץ ה׳ אלא יקוב הדין את ההר שנאמר כי המשפט לאלהים הוא וכן משה היה אומר יקוב הדין את ההר אבל אהרן אוהב שלום ורודף שלום ומשים שלום בין אדם לחבירו שנאמר תורת אמת היתה בפיהו ועולה לא נמצא בשפתיו בשלום ובמישור הלך אתי ורבים השיב מעון ר׳ אליעזר אומר הרי שגזל סאה של חטים וטחנה ואפאה והפריש ממנה חלה כיצד מברך אין זה מברך אלא מנאץ ועל זה נאמר ובוצע ברך נאץ ה׳ רבי מאיר אומר לא נאמר בוצע אלא כנגד יהודה שנאמר ויאמר יהודה אל אחיו מה בצע כי נהרוג את אחינו וכל המברך את יהודה הרי זה מנאץ ועל זה נאמר ובוצע ברך נאץ ה׳ רבי יהושע בן קרחה אומר מצוה לבצוע שנאמר אמת ומשפט שלום שפטו בשעריכם והלא במקום שיש משפט אין שלום ובמקום שיש שלום אין משפט אלא איזהו משפט שיש בו שלום הוי אומר זה ביצוע
Translation: R. Elazar, the son of R. Yosi haGlili, says: It is forbidden for a judge to make a compromise (Botze'a), and any judge who makes a compromise is a sinner. And whoever praises such a compromiser despises Hash-m, and it is said about him: 'One who blesses a compromiser despises Hash-m.' (Tehillim 10:3) Rather, let justice cut through the mountain! (Rule with strict justice.) As it is said: 'For the judgment is God's.' (Devarim 1:17. And no court has the right to tamper with it.) And also, Moshe would say: Let justice cut through the mountain! But Aharon loved peace, and pursued peace, and made peace between a man and his friend, as it is said: 'The Torah of truth was in his mouth, and fraud was not found on his lips, he walked with Me in peace and uprightness and he turned many away from sin.' (Malachi 2:6) R. Eliezer says (a different interpretation of the earlier Pasuk): If one stole a Se'ah (a measure) of wheat, and ground it, and baked it, and separated challah (the Kohen's share of the dough. See Bamidbar 15:20-21.) from it, what blessing does he recite (over the mitzvah of separating challah)? This person would not be blessing Hash-m, but cursing Him, and about this person it is said, 'The thief (Botze'a; see Mishlei 1:19) who recites a blessing, curses Hash-m.' (Tehilim 10:3) R. Meir says: 'Botze'a' was said only about Yehuda, as it is said: 'And Yehuda said to his brothers, What gain (Betza) is it if we kill our brother?... Come, let us sell him to the Yishmaelites.' (Bereishis 37:26) And whoever praises Yehuda, this person despises Hash-m, and about him it is said: ''One who blesses a compromiser (Botze'a) despises Hash-m.' R. Yehoshua ben Korchah says: It is a mitzvah to make a compromise, as it is said: 'Judge truth and the justice of peace in your gates.' (Zechariah 8:16) Is it not so, that where there is justice there is no peace, (The strict application of justice does not always make peace between the parties.) and where there is peace, there is no justice? Rather, what is justice that has an element of peace in it? I would say: This is compromise.
(a)Why did Chazal choose to describe Moshe's approach as 'Let justice cut through the mountain'?
1.Maharsha: The Gemara in Succah 52a describes the Yetzer haRa - the evil inclination to pursue wealth in a dishonest way, as a mountain. Moshe's method was to pierce the Yetzer haRa and not allow it to succeed.
(b)What is the reason that Aharon had a different approach than Moshe to compromise?
1.Iyun Yaakov: Aharon understood that unlike other people, his specific role was to bring peace. The Kohen's role is to bring sacrifices to 'make peace' between Yisrael and their Father in Heaven, despite their behavior being worthy of death. Instead of them dying, Aharon and his sons would bring animals that are sacrificed as a replacement for Yisrael themselves.
(c)What is the connection between the three ways the Chachamim interpreted the Pasuk 'u'Votzeyah Berech Ni'etz Hashem'?
1.Toras Chaim: In all three, although one might have thought that a Mitzvah was done, it was a Mitzvah haBa'ah B'Aveirah - a Mitzvah done through doing an Aveirah, and it is not a Mitzvah at all. (When a judge makes a compromise; when a person steals flour and when Yehuda saved his brother from death, by selling him.)
2)KING DAVID'S APPROACH TO JUSTICE
וכן בדוד הוא אומר ויהי דוד עושה משפט וצדקה והלא כל מקום שיש משפט אין צדקה וצדקה אין משפט אלא איזהו משפט שיש בו צדקה הוי אומר זה ביצוע אתאן לת״ק דן את הדין זיכה את הזכאי וחייב את החייב וראה שנתחייב עני ממון ושלם לו מתוך ביתו זה משפט וצדקה משפט לזה וצדקה לזה משפט לזה שהחזיר לו ממון וצדקה לזה ששילם לו מתוך ביתו (וכן בדוד הוא אומר ויהי דוד עושה משפט וצדקה לכל עמו משפט לזה שהחזיר לו את ממונו וצדקה לזה ששילם לו מתוך ביתו) קשיא ליה לרבי האי לכל עמו לעניים מיבעי ליה אלא (רבי אומר) אע״פ שלא שילם מתוך ביתו זהו משפט וצדקה משפט לזה וצדקה לזה משפט לזה שהחזיר לו ממונו וצדקה לזה שהוציא גזילה מתחת ידו
Translation: And also about David, it says: 'And David did justice and righteousness.' (Shmuel II 8:15) But where there is justice there is no righteousness, and where there is righteousness, there is no justice! Rather, what is justice that has an element of righteousness in it? I would say: This is compromise. We now come back to the First Tanna (of the Baraisa, who prohibits compromise): When judging a case, David would acquit the innocent, and condemn the guilty; but when he saw that a poor man was found guilty to pay money, he would give him money to pay, out of his own property. This is what is meant by doing 'judgment and righteousness': justice to this one and righteousness to the other one. Justice to this one, by returning his money, and righteousness to the other one, by giving him money to pay, out of his (David's) own property. (And also about David it says: 'And David did justice and righteousness': Justice to this one, by returning his money, and righteousness to the other one, by giving him money to pay, out of his (David's) own property.) Rebbi had the following difficulty: Is this 'towards all his people'? It should have said 'towards the poor'! Rather, (Rebbi said:) even if he did not pay out of his own property, it is justice and righteousness. Justice to this one and righteousness to the other one. Justice to this one, by returning his money, and righteousness to the other one, by removing a stolen item from his possession.
(a)Why is the order of the words 'justice and righteousness' opposite to the way it is expressed in the Pasuk about Avraham Avinu, where it says (Bereishis 18:19), '...that they should keep the way of Hash-m, to perform righteousness and justice...'? (Yafeh l'Lev of Rav Yitzchak Falagi - Choshen Mishpat)
1.Avos D'R. Noson (Perek 33): When two people came before Avraham with a dispute, and one claimed the other owed money, Avraham would first give the claimant his own money, saying, "Make your case." If it was found that one owed the other, he would tell the defendant, "Give the money to your companion." If no debt was owed, he would say, "Split what you have and go in peace." But King David acted differently. He first delivered justice, and only then did Tzedakah, as the Pasuk says, "David did justice and righteousness for all his people." When two people came before him with a dispute, David would hear their case and, if one was found to owe the other, he would give his own money only after the judgment. If no debt was proven, he would tell them, "Go in peace."
2.Meshech Chochma (Bereishis 18:19): The Gemara taught earlier that Dayanim may not compromise in a Din Torah. However, this is only in a Jewish court (like that of David haMelech) where they rule according to the Torah. Only if the law is not clear, they can compromise. But in a gentile court (like that of Avraham Avinu - as before the Torah was given, everyone were Bnei Noach) they have a Mitzvah of 'Dinim' - setting up law courts and ruling based on their human logic. For them, even if they know which litigant is right, they have a Mitzvah to come to a compromise. So, when referring to David, the Pasuk says 'justice and righteousness', meaning that the correct way is justice, but if it is not possible, then they can come to righteousness, meaning compromise. But for Bnei Noach, the Pasuk reverses the order, as the more ideal conclusion is compromise, and second to that is justice.
(b)Based on this Gemara, what is the meaning of the Pasuk in Tehillim (119:121), " עשיתי משפט וצדק בל תניחני לעשקי" - " I performed justice and righteousness; do not leave me to my oppressors"?
1.Maharsha: Since David would '(do) justice to this one, by returning his money, and righteousness to the other one, by giving him money to pay, out of his own property', he was concerned that people would be dishonest and claim poverty to take advantage of him. So he would pray that when he does follow this practice, this concern would not materialize.
