דברי הימים ב, פרק י״ט, פסוק ז׳

The human justice system does not operate in a vacuum; rather, it functions under the watchful eye of God, who is actively involved in the judicial process. Because God is present in the courtroom, acting both as a judge and as the subject of judgment, human magistrates are required to instill the fear of God within themselves [מלבי״ם]. Recognizing that everything is fully exposed and known to Him [מצודת דוד], judges are called to reflect and repent before they even begin their work [חומת אנך].

The heavy responsibility placed upon a judge demands the exact and proper fulfillment of the laws and commandments [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This duty is divided into two distinct intentions: guarding and doing. "Guarding" requires a judge to carefully avoid violating negative prohibitions, such as taking bribes or showing bias. In contrast, "doing" refers to the active fulfillment of positive commandments, such as the fundamental obligation to judge righteously [מלבי״ם, חומת אנך].

Because God is a direct partner in the administration of justice, He despises corruption in the court, desiring that judges remain free of sin [רש״י], and He will punish those who violate this trust [מצודת דוד]. There are three central flaws that threaten the integrity of a court. The first is general injustice and wrongdoing [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The second is favoritism, which occurs when a judge discriminates in favor of one party [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. When a guilty person stands trial, shame naturally causes them to look down. A judge who improperly smiles or shows favor is conceptually described as lifting the face of the guilty party [מצודת ציון]. Favoritism often leads to a passive failure, where judges simply ignore the plight of the weak. To counter this passive neglect, judges are given the active command to "do" justice [מלבי״ם]. The third flaw is taking a bribe [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Unlike the passive nature of favoritism, a bribe motivates a judge to take active steps to pervert the law for personal gain. To prevent this dangerous temptation, judges receive the strict warning to "guard" themselves [מלבי״ם].