משלי, פרק כ״ח, פסוק כ״א

Human nature is constantly tested by temptations, internal drives, and the harsh realities of survival. A profound warning highlights the dangers of bias and the moral fragility that surfaces when people face severe deprivation.

The primary approach among commentators focuses on the courtroom. Showing favoritism occurs when a judge prefers one party or treats them with special honor. This behavior is deeply harmful because it makes the opposing party feel the judge is already biased against them. As a result, the neglected party loses confidence, and their ability to present a clear defense completely shuts down [רלב״ג, מצודת דוד]. The absurdity of corruption is that a judge might betray his duty, ignore the truth, and pervert justice for a bribe as insignificant as a mere piece of bread [רש״י, רלב״ג, מצודת דוד].

Beyond the courtroom, this principle extends to everyday social and economic life. Favoritism is also destructive in the realm of charity. If a person directs all their giving to a single individual while ignoring others in need, it can lead the recipient to sin through excessive flattery. Worse, the recipient might rebel against God by mistakenly believing that the human giver is the source of their survival, forgetting the Creator [אלשיך]. In the business world, a creditor who places heavy financial pressure on a poor person might push that individual to swear falsely about their inability to pay, driven purely by the fear of losing their basic daily food [אלשיך].

There is a sobering reality regarding human strength. Even a strong, righteous, and generally trustworthy person can falter and surrender to their lower urges when backed into a corner by poverty and hunger [מלבי״ם, אלשיך]. The tragedy is that reaching a point where one rebels and sins simply to secure a piece of bread is a deeply negative and painful phenomenon in itself [אבן עזרא].

This deep understanding of human weakness leads to a final realization. While justice must never be corrupted, society and its judges are called to show compassion. When a person is driven to sin out of sheer hunger and a desperate need to survive, their painful circumstances must be taken into careful consideration [ביאור שטיינזלץ].