Bittul makes justice belong to Hashem

ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם במדרש מגיד דבריו ליעקב כו' ומשפטיו לישראל.

"And these are the mishpatim (laws) that you shall set before them" (Shemos 21:1) — in the Midrash, "He tells His words to Yaakov… and His statutes and judgments to Yisrael" (Tehillim 147:19).

The Sefas Emes links the command to set the laws before Bnei Yisrael with the passuk that Hashem entrusts His mishpatim specifically to Klal Yisrael, hinting that there is something unique in their capacity to receive them.

דכתיב המשפט לאלקים הוא ולכן כתיב תשים לפניהם בלבד הגם כי עיקר המשפט לאלקים.

For it is written, "the judgment belongs to Elokim" (Devarim 1:17), and therefore it is written "you shall set before them" alone, even though the essence of the mishpat belongs to Elokim.

Since all true justice ultimately belongs to Hashem, the Torah is careful to say only "set before them" — the judges are channels, not the source of the law.

אבל בני ישראל הם כלים שיוכלו לשפוט ולידע כי המשפט לאלקים הוא שיש להם בחי' הביטול אליו ית'.

But Bnei Yisrael are vessels who are able to judge and yet to know that the mishpat belongs to Elokim, for they possess the quality of bittul (self-nullification) to Him, may He be blessed.

Bnei Yisrael can render judgment while remaining wholly subordinate to Hashem, never imagining the wisdom is their own — this capacity for bittul is what makes them fit "vessels" for divine justice.

וז"ש משפט וצדקה ביעקב אתה עשית כי בשני הדברים אלו מצינו שנבחרו בנ"י שעובדי האלילים הקדמונים יג) מה דעבדין לגרמייהו עבדין לכן חסד לאומים חטאת.

And this is the meaning of "You have performed mishpat (justice) and tzedakah (righteousness) in Yaakov" (Tehillim 99:4), for in these two matters we find that Bnei Yisrael were chosen — for the ancient idol-worshippers, "whatever they do, they do for themselves," and therefore "the kindness of the nations is a sin" (Mishlei 14:34).

Justice and charity are the two arenas in which Bnei Yisrael are set apart, because the nations' acts of kindness are self-serving, rendering even their "chesed" a sin.

ובבנ"י כתיב צדקה תרומם גוי.

But of Bnei Yisrael it is written, "tzedakah elevates a nation" (Mishlei 14:34).

When Bnei Yisrael perform tzedakah it is selfless and directed upward, and so it raises the whole nation rather than serving private ends.

ולכן אין מקבלין שקלים מעובדי אלילים יד) כדכ' ולכם אין כו' וזכרון כו'.

Therefore we do not accept shekalim from idol-worshippers, as it is written, "but you have no… portion or remembrance" (Nechemiah 2:20).

Because the nations' giving is rooted in self-interest, it cannot enter the holy collection of the half-shekel — they have no share in that selfless avodah.

וכמו כן המשפט שהוא עפ"י דעת השופט ואעפ"כ צריך להתבטל אליו ית' לגמרי ולידע כי הכל שלו ואין זה באפשרות בטבע רק בנ"י הם כלים לדברים אלו.

And likewise mishpat, which is rendered according to the judgment of the dayan, and yet he must nullify himself entirely before Him, may He be blessed, and know that everything is His — and this is not possible by nature; only Bnei Yisrael are vessels for these things.

It is paradoxical to use one's own reasoning while wholly negating oneself before Hashem; such bittul is unnatural, and only Bnei Yisrael are spiritually equipped to hold both at once.

וזה עצמו העדות על עצם בנ"י דכ' אדם ובהמה תושיע ה'.

And this itself is the testimony about the very essence of Bnei Yisrael, as it is written, "man and beast You save, Hashem" (Tehillim 36:7).

This dual capacity is the defining proof of who Bnei Yisrael are, alluded to in the passuk that joins "man" and "beast" within the one being who is saved by Hashem.

דרשו חז"ל ערומים בדעת כאדם ומשימין עצמן כבהמה.

Chazal expounded: shrewd in daas (intellect) like a man, yet they make themselves like a beast (Chullin 5b).

The ideal is to possess the full sharpness of human intellect and at the same time render oneself as simple and submissive as an animal before Hashem.

פי' שאין נותנין הדעת רק לזה שיודע שהדעת הוא מתנה מהשמים.

The explanation is that they do not credit the daas to themselves, only to the One who knows — for the daas is a gift from Heaven.

"Making oneself like a beast" means recognizing that one's very intellect is a gift from Above and not a personal possession to take pride in.

ומאחר שניתן לבני ישראל זה עדות שיש בהם בחי' הביטול כנ"ל.

And since this was given to Bnei Yisrael, it is testimony that they possess the quality of bittul, as stated above.

The very fact that Bnei Yisrael were entrusted with daas-with-humility proves they carry the inner trait of self-nullification.

וז"ש משפט וצדקה ביעקב ובהם נגמר הרצון העליון כמ"ש אתה עשית שאינו נפרד משרשו.

And this is the meaning of "mishpat and tzedakah in Yaakov," and through them the supernal ratzon (will) is completed, as it says "You have performed" — for it is not separated from its root.

Because their justice and charity remain bound to their Source, the divine will reaches its fulfillment through Bnei Yisrael; "You have performed" means Hashem's own ratzon acts through them.

ולכן הוזהר על השוחד אפילו לשפוט אמת.

Therefore one is warned against taking a bribe even in order to judge truthfully.

The Torah forbids a bribe even where it would not pervert the verdict, which seems strange if the ruling itself stays correct.

שכל שיהי' לו קצת נגיעה אם כי אינו מטה הדין.

For whenever he has even a slight personal interest, even though it does not bend the judgment —

The problem with a bribe is the faint self-interest (negiah) it creates in the judge, regardless of whether the outcome stays accurate.

אבל הוא נפרד משרשו והמשפט לאלקים הוא כנ"ל:

— but he becomes separated from his root, and the judgment belongs to Elokim, as stated above.

Even a trace of self-interest severs the judge from his Source, and once he is no longer in bittul, the mishpat is no longer truly "Elokim's" — which is the whole point of the prohibition.

Summary: True mishpat belongs to Hashem alone, and Bnei Yisrael are uniquely fit to administer it because of their inner bittul — the ability to use their full daas while nullifying themselves entirely before Hashem; this is why even a bribe that would not distort the verdict is forbidden, for the slightest self-interest severs the judge from his root and the divine will it is meant to express.