Tzedek, Tzedek, Tirdof - Justice, Justice, Pursue It.
By Rabbi Min Kantrowitz - Jewish Values #5
Each edition of NMJJ highlights one of the many Jewish values that guide our lives. Each of these values underlies our Jewish community, regardless of any individuals’ religious observances or practices. These values form the ethical structure of the community. They are not presented in order of importance…all of them, together, weave a fabric of support, inspiration and hope for increased compassion and justice in our shared world.
Another core Jewish value based on Biblical commandments is to be actively involved with justice work. It is based on a quote from Deuteronomy 16:20 Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof, which literally translated is “justice, justice, pursue it”. In Hebrew the word for justice, ‘tzedek’ is based on the root concept of righteousness―justice, in Jewish tradition, and is all about doing the right action for the right reason.
The scroll of the Five Books of Moses is hand scribed, using only the Hebrew consonant letters themselves, without any vowels. It’s as if the English word “love” were written “lv” and the reader had to figure out whether the meaning was meant to be, “love” or “live” or “leave” or “lab” (particularly challenging since the Hebrew letter ‘bet’ can be pronounced ‘b’or “v” depending on the grammatical context). In addition to lacking vowels, the Biblical scroll has no upper or lower case—-all letters are the same size (with a few rare exceptions in just a very few places in the scroll). Also, there is no way to emphasize a word, the way there is in most printed material, by using bold or italics or a change in font size to indicate an especially important word or concept. As a result, the tradition sometimes uses the repetition of a word to catch the reader’s attention. That is why the word “tzedek” is repeated twice in this quote from Deuteronomy.
The other Hebrew word in this phrase ‘tirdof” means ‘pursue, run after’. This value requires us not only to respond to injustice and suffering when we see it, but to actively pursue opportunities to act in righteous ways, seeking ways to prevent injustice and oppression.
The fact that many social justice movements and organizations depend on the active involvement of Jewish people-by direct participation, advocacy and financial support- reflects this value in action.
SEE ALL Jewish Values by Rabbi Kantrowitz HERE .
Jewish Values by Rabbi Kantrowitz published here to date:
Jewish Values: Love your neighbor as yourself #1
Jewish Values: B’Tzelem Elohim "in the image of God" #2
Jewish Values: Shmirat ha Adama to guard/protect/watch the earth #3
Jewish Values: Rodef Shalom - Pursue Peace #4
Jewish Values: Tzedek, tzedek tirdof - Pursue justice #5
Rabbi Min Kantrowitz is a Rabbi, educator and author. A 2004 graduate of the transdenominational Academy for Jewish Religion, California, she is the author of “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide” (Gaon Press) and co-author of “One God: Three Paths” a prayerbook written by a Christian and Moslem and a Jew. Rabbi Kantrowitz is a Rabbis Without Borders Fellow who served as Rabbinic Advisor to Congregation Nahalat Shalom and served on the Board of Directors of Hopeworks, and the Steering Committee of Hillel at UNM and as a founding member of the New Mexico Jewish Journal. Rabbi Kantrowitz is a former psychologist, a former architect/planner, a wife, mother and the proud Bubbie of three grandsons.
Meredith Gould is a mixed-media artist in Albuquerque. View her Original Paintings available for purchase, including Purple Dove Sky Dancer featured here, at her website, www.meredithgouldarts.com, Judaica at her Etsy Shop meredithgouldarts.etsy.com, and works-in-progress on Instagram at www.instagram.com/themeredithgould.arts.
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Copyright © 2025 New Mexico Jewish Journal LLC. All rights reserved.
Community Supporters of the NM Jewish Journal include:
Jewish Community Foundation of New Mexico
Congregation Albert
Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque
The Institute for Tolerance Studies
Jewish Federation of El Paso and Las Cruces
Temple Beth Shalom
Congregation B'nai Israel
Shabbat with Friends: Recapturing Together the Joy of Shabbat
New Mexico Jewish Historical Society
Where the North Ends, A Novel by Hugo Moreno
Policy Statement Acceptance of advertisements does not constitute an endorsement of the advertisers’ products, services or opinions. Likewise, while an advertiser or community supporter's ad may indicate their support for the publication's mission, that does not constitute their endorsement of the publication's content.
Copyright © 2025 New Mexico Jewish Journal LLC. All rights reserved.
