Radical Justice
If you have spent time with children, you know that fairness seems to be one of their primary concerns. Children intuit that treating others equally is an inherent part of being a good person. Yet, as we get older, we know that being a good person is not quite that simple.
Luckily, we have the words of K’doshim to guide us in how to live our lives. The stakes are high: we must act in a holy way and emulate God in our actions. Beyond being kind to others, God requires of us to act with justice. We must ensure those without means can eat and maintain their dignity, we must protect the most vulnerable, and we must not let money or wealth taint our judgment.
As people, we learn a sense of what is right, but it takes the Torah to remind us that holy, God-like justice is radical.
Rabbi Avi Fine