The Kollel’s Torah for Tycoons (or T4T) monthly lunch and learn, now in its 15th year, continues to offer relevant, thought-provoking discussions on workplace ethical challenges.
April’s T4T class featured Justice vs. Mercy: Is There a
Way to Strike a Balance in a Judicial System? The class was presented by
The Honorable David Richman, judge for the Colorado Court of Appeals, and
Rabbi Mordechai Fleisher, Senior Educator for the Denver Community Kollel. More
than two dozen participants attended the class, which offered ethics and
general CLE credits.
Judge Richman and Rabbi Fleisher focused on the Torah’s description of King David’s judgment as Mishpat, justice, and tzedek, righteousness. Rabbi Fleisher, quoting the great 19th-cetury commentator the Malbim, explained that Mishpat refers to the general law that applies in all cases, while tzedek is the need to take particular circumstances into account when rendering a decision. The discussion focused on how those two things can be balanced in both criminal and civil cases, as Judge Richman described some of the challenges he faces in his secular courtroom and how he tries to strike a balance based on Colorado law, while Rabbi Fleisher brought Torah sources and explained how the Torah expects a bais din (Jewish court of law) to create a balance.
Participants weighed in on many of the sources and ideas raised by the presenters, with a great deal of discussion and debate going on. The discussion can perhaps be summed up by Judge Richman’s emotion-laden closing words: “The job that we do as judges is a very difficult job and we have to walk fine line and make fine gradations… and every day, I want to tell you, I thank Hashem, that I feel He’s in my presence when I’m deciding cases… and I hope I do what’s right.”
The Denver Community Kollel’s April 3rd Torah for Tycoons session focused on justice verses mercy in the judicial system. Justice vs. Mercy: Is There a way to Strike a Balance in a Judicial System? was presented by The Honorable David Richman, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals, and Rabbi Mordechai Fleisher, Senior Educator, Denver Community Kollel. To listen to the class, click here. To download, click here.
