Mishnah
Mishnah

Musar for Pirkei Avot 4:7

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנוֹ אוֹמֵר, הַחוֹשֵׂךְ עַצְמוֹ מִן הַדִּין, פּוֹרֵק מִמֶּנּוּ אֵיבָה וְגָזֵל וּשְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא. וְהַגַּס לִבּוֹ בַהוֹרָאָה, שׁוֹטֶה רָשָׁע וְגַס רוּחַ:

R. Yishmael, his son, says: One (a judge) who avoids judging [when there is (present) one greater than he, or when he persuades the litigants to compromise] removes himself from hatred [(for one who leaves beth-din liable hates the judge, saying in his heart "He did not try to find things in my favor")], and from theft [Perhaps he incriminated an innocent person and, in effect, robbed him], and from a vain oath, [which he may have wrongly imposed on one not liable for an oath. Or perhaps the tanna calls a false oath a vain oath, as when he (the defendant) [vainly] swore that he did not borrow, when he really did.] And one who is "haughty" in judgment, [judging without adequate review or deliberation] is a fool, an evildoer, and a man of arrogance.

Mesilat Yesharim

HATING RABBANUT: Hating Rabbanut (authority over others) and fleeing from honor: This is an explicit Mishna (Avot 1:10): "love work, hate Rabbanut". They further said: "One whose heart is frivolous in handing down rulings is a fool, wicked and arrogant" (Avot 4:7), and "whoever chases after honor, honor flees from him" (Eruvin 13b), and "'Do not go out quickly to quarrel (Riv)' (Mishlei 25:8) - do not run after rulership, Why not? [the verse continues:] 'for what will you do in the end' (ibid), the next day people will put questions to you, and what will you answer them?" (Pesikta Rabati 22:4);
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