In an era where the rule of law is touted as the bedrock of civilization, a closer look at headlines from 2025 and early 2026 reveals a stark reality: judges around the world are mired in corruption, bias, and misconduct.

From the highest courts in powerful nations to obscure benches in developing countries, the judiciary is riddled with figures who prioritize power, politics, and personal gain over righteousness and fairness.

This isn’t hyperbole—it’s substantiated by a litany of scandals that span continents, proving that no judge, regardless of location or reputation, can truly be deemed just or righteous. They all falter, often spectacularly, under the weight of systemic flaws and human frailty.

Europe: There Is No Free Speech

Let’s start in Europe, where Romania’s judiciary has been exposed as a hotbed of systemic abuses. Over 500 judges and prosecutors denounced entrenched corruption, including politically appointed chief judges exploiting loopholes to secure unethical acquittals and punish whistleblowers.

This comes after the EU lifted monitoring in 2023, only for anti-graft efforts to stall—highlighting how even under international scrutiny, judges enable corruption to thrive. In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused judges of “doing politics” amid corruption probes targeting his family and allies, while progressive judicial groups admitted to partisan misuse of the judicial process. These aren’t isolated; they’re symptomatic of a continent where judicial independence is a facade.

America, Washington DC What Judge Has Ingerity

Shifting to the Americas, the United States—often self-proclaimed as a beacon of justice—saw its judiciary weaponized in political battles. President Trump repeatedly called for impeaching “corrupt judges” who blocked his policies, with allies like Elon Musk amplifying these attacks.

Judges faced threats and harassment, while the administration dropped corruption cases, like that against New York Mayor Eric Adams, in what a federal judge called a “bargain” for political cooperation. In Argentina, a federal judge barred media from publishing leaked audio recordings linked to President Javier Milei’s sister amid bribery allegations, shielding the powerful from scrutiny.

Mexico: The Cartel Runs the Judges

Mexico’s judicial elections included candidates with cartel ties and criminal records, including an ex-convict jailed for meth smuggling—fueling fears of organized crime infiltrating the bench. South of the border, El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele urged cracking down on “corrupt judges,” echoed by U.S. MAGA figures, blurring lines between reform and authoritarianism.

Africa’s judiciary fares no better, with scandals eroding public trust. In Australia—often grouped with global trends but highlighting Pacific influences—former inquiry head Walter Sofronoff lost his bid to overturn a finding of “serious corrupt conduct” for leaking reports.

But in true African contexts, Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index showed entrenched issues in the Middle East and North Africa, with weak institutions and shrinking civic space enabling judicial corruption.

South Africa, It Is Dangerous To Be White

South Africa’s 2025 was marked by unprecedented misconduct cases against judges like Mbenenge (sexual harassment) and others for delays and gross misconduct, prompting calls for reform. Indonesia, in Asia, plummeted 10 places in corruption rankings due to weakened oversight, allowing judicial bribery to flourish.

Even international bodies aren’t immune. The U.S. sanctioned ICC judges and staff with “terrorist-grade” measures for investigating war crimes, labeling human rights work as threats. The ICC itself faced turmoil, losing its prosecutor amid misconduct allegations and member states over perceived bias.

These examples from 2025-2026—spanning Romania’s systemic rot, U.S. political purges, Mexican cartel infiltration, and global declines in anti-corruption efforts—illustrate a universal truth: judges are products of flawed systems, susceptible to corruption, bias, and external pressures. None escapes unscathed; righteousness remains an ideal, not a reality. Until radical reforms dismantle these structures, trust in any judge is misplaced.

An Outline of Mishpatim

I. Introduction to Justice and the Parsha of Mishpatim

• Justice is often seen as an external societal mechanism (e.g., courts), but it profoundly shapes individual character and daily life.
• Parsha Mishpatim shifts from the inspirational revelation at Sinai to practical civil laws, covering topics such as contracts, damages, property rights, and monetary disputes.
• This transition highlights how justice governs the “messy” aspects of human interactions, preventing chaos.

II. The Transition from Revelation to Civil Law and Its Significance

• The move from spiritual highs to legal details might feel anticlimactic, but Midrash teaches that the entire Torah hinges on Mishpatim, as these laws infuse justice into the world.
• Sub-outline:
  • Society’s survival depends on justice: Reference to Pirkei Avot, Chapter 1, Mishna 18 – Raban Shimon ben Gamliel states the world endures through justice, truth, and peace.
  • Rambam’s code (Hoshen Mishpat) underscores this, noting judges who deliver true justice partner with God in creation.
  • Without justice, anarchy reigns: Reference to Pirkei Avot, Chapter 3, Mishna 2 – Pray for government welfare, lest “one man swallow his fellow alive.”

III. Justice Beyond Order: Morality and Righteousness in Law

• A legal system alone isn’t enough; it must incorporate morality, ethics, and decency to avoid becoming a tool for injustice (e.g., Nazi Nuremberg laws or South African apartheid).
• Sub-outline:
  • Perversion or delay of justice leads to societal downfall: Reference to Pirkei Avot, Chapter 5, Mishna 11 – War arises from distorted or delayed justice.
  • Judges must administer law with truth and ethics: Multiple references in Pirkei Avot, including Chapter 1, Mishna 8 (careful judgment); Chapter 1, Mishna 9 (avoiding favoritism); and various in Chapter 4 emphasizing humility and patience.
  • Ramban explains Pirkei Avot’s placement in the Nezikin (damages) order after Sanhedrin: Righteous laws require righteous people with strong character (midot).

IV. The Structure of Torah: Righteous Judges, Laws, and Character

• The Torah appoints righteous judges, provides righteous laws, and bridges them with ethical teachings.
• Sub-outline:
  • Midrash: Torah is flanked by justice on both sides.
  • Justice opposes “might makes right” and protects the vulnerable.
  • Personal halakha (Jewish law) applies ethics to business and relationships: The Heavenly court’s first question concerns honest dealings (see Pirkei Avot; general emphasis in Chapters 3 and 4 on good deeds as mitzvot).

V. Emulating God: Self-Restraint and Integrity

• God, though all-powerful, binds Himself to justice, modeling self-restraint.
• Sub-outline:
  • Mitzvah to emulate God: Reference to Pirkei Avot, Chapter 3, Mishna 21 – Without decency, Torah lacks value.
  • Link to Ten Commandments: Mishpatim counters coveting by setting boundaries.
  • Attitudes toward property: Reference to Pirkei Avot, Chapter 5, Mishna 13 – Selfish mindset (“mine is mine, yours is yours”) vs. saintly generosity (“mine is yours”).
  • Additional ethics: Pirkei Avot, Chapter 2, Mishna 15 (honor others’ dignity); Chapter 2, Mishna 17 (value friends’ property as your own); Chapter 3, Mishna 8 (generosity, as all belongs to God).

VI. Integrity as the Core of Justice

• True integrity means ethical behavior even when unobserved, recognizing God’s constant oversight.
• Sub-outline:
  • Heavenly accountability starts with business honesty and extends to all areas of life.
  • Justice as fulfilling one’s divine purpose: Live transparently for judgment (din v’cheshbon).
  • Judgment references: Pirkei Avot, Chapter 4, Mishna 29 (all face judgment before God, incorruptible); Chapter 1, Mishna 1 and Chapter 2, Mishna 1 (awareness of divine scrutiny); Chapter 3, Mishna 1 (accountability).

The lecture concludes that justice fosters personal growth, replaces jealousy with generosity, and demands unwavering integrity in both public and private spheres, mirroring God’s ethical self-restraint. It urges living with pride in one’s accountability.

Hazan Gavriel ben David