{"id":86009,"date":"2021-01-05T14:30:10","date_gmt":"2021-01-05T12:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=86009"},"modified":"2021-01-05T14:30:10","modified_gmt":"2021-01-05T12:30:10","slug":"pronouncing-judgment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/pronouncing-judgment\/","title":{"rendered":"Pronouncing Judgment"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Our psalm opens with a paean to God (\u2018<\/em><\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em>) who \u201cstands in the divine (\u2018<\/em><\/span>el<\/span><\/em>) assembly; among the divine beings (\u2018<\/em><\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em>) He pronounces judgment\u201d (1). It condemns those who \u201cjudge perversely, showing favor to the wicked\u201d (2) and implores them: \u201cJudge the wretched and the orphan, vindicate the lowly and the poor, rescue the wretched and the needy; save them from the hand of the wicked\u201d (3-4).<\/span><\/p>\n

Its most striking linguistic feature, however, is the fourfold repetition\u2014in only 8 verses\u2014of \u2018<\/em><\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em>, a multivalent word we have remarked upon on several previous occasions. (See, for instance, <\/span>our comments on Ezekiel 1:1<\/span><\/a>, regarding <\/span>mar\u2019ot \u2018elohim<\/span><\/em>.) It is used here twice to refer to God (1a, 8); its other two uses (1b, 6) invite further inquiry.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, note that both those appearances, rendered here as \u201cdivine beings,\u201d occur in conjunction with pronouncing judgment. Indeed, one of the several meanings of \u2018<\/em><\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em> is magistrates as in: \u201cHis master shall present [an indentured servant] to the magistrates (\u2018elohim<\/em>)\u201d (Exodus 21:6) and \u201cThe matter shall come before the magistrates (\u2018<\/em><\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em>); whomever the magistrates (\u2018<\/em><\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em>) convict shall pay double to the other\u201d (Exodus 22:8).<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, Rashi, Rashbam, and Radak all interpreted them here as magistrates (<\/span>dayanim<\/span><\/em>); Ibn Ezra treated them as angels and Robert Alter, who translated them as \u201cgods,\u201d noted that \u201cThe efforts of traditional commentators to understand \u2018<\/em><\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em> here as \u2018judges\u2019 is unconvincing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The use of \u2018<\/em><\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em> to designate human magistrates is reminiscent of the rabbinic adage that the Tetragrammaton represents God\u2019s attribute of compassion (<\/span>midat ha-rachamim<\/span><\/em>) while \u2018elohim <\/em>represents that of justice (<\/span>middat ha-din<\/span><\/em>). If we recall, too, that the divine name that is used throughout Genesis 1 is \u2018<\/em><\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em>,<\/em> we can gain an insight into the talmudic dictum: \u201cAny magistrate who makes a truly accurate legal ruling is regarded as God\u2019s partner in Creation\u201d (Shabbat 10a).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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