דברים, פרק ל״ב, פסוק ד׳

As Moses prepares to depart from the world, his final song opens with a profound theological declaration that establishes the absolute justice of God. The primary purpose of this introduction is to clarify that any future calamities to befall the Israelites are the direct result of their own choices, preventing them from blaming God or random chance for their suffering [אבן עזרא, הטור הארוך, רשב״ם, מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, Moses uses this principle to justify his own painful decree of not entering the Land of Israel, accepting his fate with love [צרור המור]. God is depicted with dual imagery in this context. On one hand, He represents absolute strength, refuge, and an unchangeable stability that never falters [אבן עזרא, ספורנו, רבנו בחיי, ביאור יש״ר, שטיינזלץ]. On the other hand, He is the ultimate artist and creator of all existence [רבנו בחיי, הכתב והקבלה, רש ר הירש, צאינה וראינה]. The blending of these two ideas highlights a striking contrast: although God possesses absolute power and could instantly punish those who violate His will with overwhelming wrath, He restrains His anger. Instead, He operates with moderation, wholeness, and strict adherence to justice [רש״י, מזרחי, גור אריה, רבנו בחיי, בכור שור].

Unlike human actions, which are always flawed and dependent on existing materials or higher powers, God's work is entirely complete, independent, and devoid of any deficiency [אבן עזרא, רבנו בחיי, רש ר הירש, חזקוני]. This raises a fundamental question: if God's creation is so flawless, how is it possible for humanity to sin and corrupt its ways? The answer lies in the realization that the perfection of divine action is precisely expressed in the creation of humanity with free will. If a person were programmed to do only good, they would act out of mere necessity, rendering them undeserving of either reward or punishment. Therefore, the inclination toward sin and corruption stems exclusively from human choice, while God's creation remains utterly perfect and without blemish [כלי יקר, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם].

God's governance of the world is never arbitrary, nor does it fluctuate based on the momentary needs of His creations. Every aspect of His leadership, whether it is revealed to humanity as profound mercy or as harsh and exacting judgment, is rooted in a uniform and true standard of justice [אבן עזרא, ספורנו, תולדות יצחק]. Even in moments when it appears that God is depriving a person or taking something away, it is not a random loss. Rather, it is a necessary completion and correction of justice, much like a judge who confiscates stolen property from a thief in order to restore balance and order [העמק דבר].

This absolute justice directly addresses the complex reality of reward and punishment, particularly the painful dynamic where the righteous suffer while the wicked prosper. The primary approach among commentators is that God is completely faithful to reward the righteous in the World to Come. Even if their compensation is delayed in this world, He will ultimately validate His promises. At the same time, He commits no injustice against the completely wicked. God ensures that the wicked are rewarded in this world for the few good deeds they may have performed, deliberately leaving them with no remaining merit in the World to Come, thus executing perfect justice without depriving anyone of what they have earned [רש״י, מזרחי, תורה תמימה, שפתי חכמים, אור החיים, צאינה וראינה]. A complementary perspective suggests that God is simply remaining faithful to the oath He swore to the forefathers of the nation, meaning there is no injustice in the calamities He is forced to bring upon future generations when they inevitably sin [ספורנו].

Ultimately, the absolute righteousness and uprightness of God can be understood in two distinct ways. The first approach focuses on God's own attributes: He is righteous in that He judges the world according to a strict and uncompromising standard of truth, yet He is also upright in that He acts beyond the letter of the law, receiving His creations with mercy when they repent and plead before Him [אור החיים, ביאור יש״ר]. The second approach shifts the focus entirely to the human response. Because God cannot truly be described using human concepts of acquiring justice, His uprightness means that all creations ultimately justify the divine judgment upon themselves, acknowledging that their punishment is fair and appropriate [רש״י, מזרחי, קיצור בעל הטורים, גור אריה]. At the moment of a person's passing, when all of their life's deeds are laid out before them, they concede to the truth and admit that they were judged beautifully, thereby proving the absolute integrity of God's justice in practice [תורה תמימה].