Chapter One - Mishna 1 (3)


Be deliberate in judgment
A Jewish Court of Law is quite different from any other. The courts most of us are familiar with have one judge and sometimes a jury of twelve ordinary people who decide if a person is guilty or not. In the Jewish Court of Law there are at least three judges. All are learned in Torah law. Still, the Men of the Great Assembly thought it was important to say: "Be careful when judging. Take your time. Do not rush toward a decision." As you can see from the picture, the two men standing before the judges, are receiving their full attention. The sweat and creased foreheads show how much they are concentrating so they can judge correctly.

The Pirkei Avos series was developed by Pirchei Shoshanim