פּירוש אויף דברים 16:20

“Justice, justice shall you pursue” [16:20]. You should properly pursue and seek with your words. You should not speak falsely with your mouth and your heart is not in it. There were six steps going up to King Solomon’s throne. When King Solomon wanted to ascend it, they first called out, “you shall not judge unfairly” [16:19]. At the second step, they called out, “you shall show no partiality” [16:19]. At the third step, they called out, “you shall not take bribes” [16:19]. At the fourth step, they called out, “do not set up a sacred post” [16:21]. At the fifth step, they called out, “do not erect a stone pillar” [16:22]. At the sixth step, they called out, “you shall not sacrifice an ox” [17:1].⁵Deuteronomy Rabbah, 5.6.

צדק צדק תרדף JUSTICE, JUSTICE SHALT THOU PURSUE — go to (search after) a reliable court (Sifrei Devarim 144:14; Sanhedrin 32b).

צדק צדק תרדוף, “Justice, Justice, you are to pursue;” here too the Torah addresses the litigants. [Bechor Shor notes that this warning is addressed to the judges, as well as to the litigants. Ed.]