Is bribery forbidden only when the intent is to pervert judgment?
Bribery is forbidden even if the judge intends to rule correctly. The Torah's prohibition covers all bribery — the corrupting influence operates regardless of intent.
Question 2
Who transgresses the prohibition against bribery?
Both the receiver and the giver violate negative commandments. The Rambam derives this from two separate verses — one forbidding the judge from taking, and one forbidding anyone from placing a stumbling block.
Question 3
If a judge borrowed an object from one of the litigants before the case, what is his status?
Borrowing from a litigant — even before the case — creates a bias relationship. The judge is disqualified from adjudicating that person's case, as the loan is a form of indirect bribery.
Question 4
What attitude should a judge maintain toward litigants who appear before him?
The Rambam says a judge should initially treat both litigants as potential wrongdoers — not granting credibility to either until the full truth is established through evidence and testimony.
Question 5
What spiritual consequence does the Rambam attribute to judges who do not render genuinely true verdicts?
The Rambam teaches that a judge who fails to render a genuinely true verdict causes the Shechina to depart from Israel — highlighting the cosmic stakes of judicial integrity.