In this week’s perasha, Shofetim, the Torah commands us to appoint a court system, a set of judges to administer justice, investigate, and, when necessary, dole out punishment. In the previous week’s perasha, Re’eh, Moshe informed us about the blessing and the curse, and how we can be worthy of one or guilty of the other. Still, the Torah commands that we must take matters into our own hands and establish courts to judge the people.
The Gemara in Sanhedrin teaches that even a town with as few as 120 people, it must appoint a court. Included in this misva, the Torah warns judges not to accept bribes, not to show favoritism, and to remain completely unbiased in order to litigate cases with true fairness and clarity.
You might think this is obvious. What kind of court would it be if judges took bribes and looked the other way? Clearly, the Torah is teaching something deeper. The Gemara in Ketubot explains that while monetary bribes are certainly forbidden, even “verbal bribes” are prohibited. Compliments, flattery, or kind words can subtly sway judgment. That sounds perplexing, could something so small really change the outcome of a case?
The Gemara illustrates this with the case of Shemuel. Once, he was having difficulty crossing a rope bridge, and a man offered his hand to help him across. When Shemuel asked why the man happened to be there, he explained that he had a case pending in Shemuel’s court.
Immediately, Shemuel disqualified himself from judging the case, recognizing that even such a simple act of kindness could affect his impartiality. Rav Pam once asked: Are we really to think that Shemuel and other great sages of the Gemara were so easily swayed by something so minor? Did he truly lack the strength to remain objective?
Of course not. The lesson is not about judicial weakness but about hakarat haTov or gratitude. Shemuel and other great sages like him were so sensitive that they felt indebted even for the smallest favor. What seems trivial to us registered deeply for them, because they trained themselves to recognize every kindness.
For us, such small acts often don’t even register as favors. We take them for granted. But people who are highly sensitive to being grateful see every kindness, however small, as something that deserves appreciation.
If only we would train ourselves to recognize even the smallest favors in our marriages, our friendships, our communities, and with G-d, the entire world would be a far better place.
Returning to the question we posed earlier: could something so small really change the outcome? The answer is yes! Small measures of gratitude and thanks, to a spouse, a sibling, a friend, and most certainly to G-d go a very long way.
The Torah in Shofetim reminds us that justice depends on sensitivity, and life itself is elevated by gratitude. When we stop seeing small favors as “small,” and instead embrace them as opportunities for gratitude, we transform both our relationships with people and our service of G-d.
Kindness and gratitude cost nothing, yet they enrich everything. The world is judged with greater kindness when we choose to live with greater appreciation.