But this is not just a passing reminder or secondary moral guideline. So important is this concept that the Torah uncharacteristically repeats itself in presenting the verse Devarim 16:20:
צֶדֶק צֶדֶק, תִּרְדֹּף
(Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue . . . )
The repetition clearly puzzled all of the commentators. The early 1800s Hasidic master Rav Bunam of Peshis'cha interpreted this phrase as meaning that "one should pursue righteousness [only through] righteousness."[1]
This verse comes from the parashas Shoftim (last week's Aug. 28 - Sept. 3) , which deals with topics ranging from the installation of courts, the method for establishing a monarchy in Israel and how the Israelites should conduct themselves during war. Later in the parashah, we note that the legal procedure for instituting the death penalty is given (Deut. 17:1-7).
These portions are used in an interesting parable about Reb Chaim Brisker and his defense of an imprisoned anarchist found at the bottom of Rav Frand's shpiel on Shoftim.
[1] See the note for Devarim 16:20 on page 1025 in Artscroll's The Chumash: The Stone Edition.
