Midrash su Deuteronomio 16:21

(Ibid. 4) "You shall not make for yourself an idol (lit., "a carving")": I might think that he may not make one that projects but he may make one that is flat. It is, therefore, written "any likeness." I might think that he may not make a flat one, but that he may make (an idol of) a planting. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:25) "You shall not plant for yourself an asheirah." I might think that he may not plant one, but that he may make one of wood. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "any wood." I might think that he may not make one of wood, but that he may make one of stone. It is, therefore, written (Leviticus 26:1) "And a covering stone, etc." I might think that he may not make one of stone, but that he may make one of silver. It is, therefore, written (Exodus 20:20) "gods of silver." I might think that he may not make one of silver, but that he may make one of gold. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "and gods of gold." I might think that he may not make one of gold, but that he may make one of copper or tin or lead. It is, therefore, written (Exodus 34:13) "Molten gods you shall not make for yourself." I might think that he may not make for himself the likeness of all these but that he may make one of any form. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 4:16) "Lest you corrupt yourselves and make … of any form." I might think that he may not make one of any form, (of human being), but that he may make one of the likeness of an animal, beast, or bird. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 17) "the figure of any beast, etc." I might think that he may not make the likeness of all of these, but that he may make the likeness of fish, hoppers, reptiles, and creeping things. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 19) "any thing that creeps on the ground." I might think that he may not make the likeness of sun, moon, stars, and constellations. It is, therefore written (Ibid. 19) "And lest you lift your eyes to the heavens, etc." I might think that he may not make the likeness of any of these, but he may make the likeness of angels, cherubs, ofanim and chashmalim (angelic entities). It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 39) "in the heavens." If "in the heavens," I might think that he may not make the likeness (only) of sun, moon, and stars. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "above" — neither the likeness of cherubs or ofanim. I might think that he may not make the likeness of all these, but he may make the likeness of the depths or of darkness. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 18) "which is in the waters beneath the earth." To include reflected images. These are the words of R. Akiva. Others say: To include shavririm (water creatures). So far did the Holy One Blessed be He pursue the yetzer hara (the evil inclination) to give it no pretext for permissiveness (in this area).

Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19): YOU SHALL NOT TURN ASIDE JUSTICE. <Here is> a warning for a wise person not to seat someone beside one who is unfit for jurisdiction. Moreover, if he should so seat someone, it is as though he had planted an Asherah. So near <this verse> is <the following> (in Deut. 16:21): YOU SHALL NOT PLANT FOR YOURSELVES ANY TREE AS AN ASHERAH <BESIDE AN ALTAR OF THE LORD YOUR GOD…. > There is a story about a certain person who had a lawsuit with a king, one of the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty.²⁷Sanh. 19a; cf. Josephus, Ant. 14:168–184, for a similar story about Herod being charged with murder. He came and stood before Simeon ben Shetah. He said to him: I have a lawsuit with the king. Simeon ben Shetah said to those judges who were judging along with him: If I send for the king, will you reprimand him? They told him: Yes. He sent for him. He came and put his throne beside Simeon ben Shetah. Simeon ben Shetah said to him: Stand on your feet and give satisfaction. He said to him: Are they judging the king? He turned to the right, and the judges <on the right> pressed their faces on the ground (to hide them). He turned to the left, and < those on the left> pressed their faces on the ground. The angel²⁸The parallel in Tanh., 5:7 identifies the angel with Gabriel. came and beat them on the ground, until their breath left them. Immediately the king trembled. Simeon ben Shetah said to him: Stand on your feet and give satisfaction, since you are not standing before us but before the one who spoke and the world came into being. He immediately stood on his feet and gave satisfaction. From here it follows that litigants conduct themselves in awe. They are rendering judgment, as it were, before the Holy One. Therefore Jehoshaphat said to the judges (in II Chron. 19:6): CONSIDER [WHAT YOU ARE DOING], SINCE YOU ARE NOT RENDERING JUDGMENT FOR HUMANS BUT FOR THE LORD. R. Hama bar Hanina said: Come and see! If there it no scriptural text written, it is not possible for him to say that flesh and blood judges its creator. The Holy One said to the Judges: Let them conduct themselves in awe, as if you were judging me. How? One fulfills a commandment before me. I have decreed over him to give him a hundred fields. If you pass judgment against him on one thing that I have decreed over him, I will give him other <fields> from what I possess; and I will credit it against you as though you had gotten it from me.

(Deut. 16:19:) “You shall not turn aside justice; you shall not show partiality.” [Here is] a warning for the prince not to place one suited to be low, high; and one suited to be high, low. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice,” because of wealth; “you shall not show partiality,” because of honor, so that a poor person does not stand while a wealthy one sits. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice.” It is a warning to the sage not to seat someone beside him who is unfit for jurisdiction. Moreover, if he should so seat someone [like this], it is as though he had planted an asherah. So near [this verse] is [the following] (in Deut. 16:21), “You shall not plant for yourselves [any tree as] an asherah [beside an altar of the Lord your God…].” (Deut. 16:19) “You shall not turn aside justice.” Let the judges always feel as if the Divine Presence is among them, as stated (in Ps. 82:1), “[God stands in the divine congregation;] he pronounces judgment in the midst of powers.” From here it follows for litigants that they conduct themselves in awe. There is a story about a certain person who had a lawsuit with a king, one of the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty.¹⁴Sanh. 19a; cf. Josephus, Ant. 14:168-184, for a similar story about Herod being charged with murder. He came and stood before Simeon ben Shetah. He said to him, “I have a lawsuit with the king.” Simeon ben Shetah said to those judges who were judging along with him, “If I send for the king, will you reprimand him?” They told him, “Yes.” He sent for him. He came and put his throne beside Simeon ben Shetah. Simeon ben Shetah said to him, “Stand on your feet and give satisfaction." He said to him, “Do we judge a king?” [Simeon ben Shetah] turned to the right, and the judges [on the right] pressed their faces on the ground (to hide them). He turned to the left, and [those on the left] pressed their faces on the ground. The angel came and beat them on the ground, until their souls left them. Immediately the king trembled. Simeon ben Shetah said to him, “Stand on your feet and give satisfaction, since you are not standing before me, but before the One who spoke and the world came into being, as stated (in Deut. 19:17), ‘The two parties to the dispute shall stand before the Lord.’” He immediately stood on his feet and gave satisfaction. Hence the litigants need to conduct themselves in awe and the judges need to conduct themselves in awe; as they are rendering judgment, as it were, for the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore Jehoshaphat said to the judges (in II Chron. 19:6), “[Consider what you are doing], since you are not rendering judgment for humans but for the Lord.” R. Hama bar Hanina said, “Come and see! If there were no scriptural text written, it is not possible for him to say that flesh and blood judges its Creator. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the judges, ‘Let them conduct themselves in awe, as if you were judging Me. How? One fulfills a commandment before Me. [So] I have decreed over him to give him a hundred fields. If you pass judgment against him on one thing that I have decreed over him, I will give him other [fields] from what I possess; and I will credit it against you as though you had gotten it from Me.’”