A thought experiment: When cutting a cake, what is the best way to ensure that the cake is cut evenly and fairly? Keep reading for the answer!
This week, the parasha begins with a series of statements to set up courts — with an expressed purpose of judging fairly and without prejudice — culminating with the phrase that has reverberated through the centuries: “Justice, Justice you shall pursue!” “Justice” is a relatively mediocre translation of the Hebrew “Tzedek,” which, might well be translated as “righteousness” — or, in my opinion, “equity.” “Equity, equity you shall pursue.”
In our search for justice and equity, we should seek to learn the needs of each person and do everything in our power to address those unique needs. Justice is about righting what is wrong; justice is about making the world whole.
The rabbis discuss, at length, what it means to seek Perfect Justice. Perfect Justice is the justice that is delivered from on high and it is our job, as described in this week’s parasha, to pursue this Perfect Justice on earth in our humanly pursuits.
As for the cake, in order to ensure it is cut evenly, the one who is doing the cutting must choose last. The cutter must have an incentive to cut fairly, and perhaps to have a piece of cake when the cutting and distribution of cake is done.