the author of the book of Job,(307)
and the Talmudical sages.(308) "Righteousness and justice are the
foundations of Thy throne"(309)--this is the sum and substance of the
religious experience of Israel. At the same time man realizes how far from
his grasp is the divine justice: "Thy righteousness is like the mighty
mountains; Thy judgments are like the great deep."(310)

2. The Master-builder of the moral world made justice the supporting
pillar of the entire creation. "He is The Rock, His work is perfect, for
all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just
and right is He."(311) There can be no moral world order without a
retributive justice, which leaves no infringement of right unpunished,
just as no social order can exist without laws to protect the weak and to
enforce general respect. The God of Judaism rules over mankind as Guardian
and Vindicator of justice; no wrong escapes His scrutinizing gaze. This
fundamental doctrine invested history, of both the individual and the
nation, with a moral significance beyond that of any other religious or
ethical system.

Whatever practice or sense of justice may exist among the rest of mankind,
it is at best a glimpse of that divine righteousness which leads us on and
becomes a mighty force compelling us, not only to avoid wrongdoing, but to
combat it with all the passion of an indignant soul and eradicate it
wherever possible. Though in our daily experience justice may be sadly
lacking, we still cling to the moral axiom that God will lead the right to
victory and will hurl iniquity into the abyss. As the sages remark in the
Midrash: "How could short-sighted and short-lived man venture to assert,
'All His ways are just,' were it not for the divine revelation by which
the eyes of Moses were opened, so that he could gaze into the very depths
of life?"(312) That is, the idea of divine justice is revealed, not in the
world as it is, but in the world as it should be, the ideal cosmos which
lives in the spirit.

3. It cannot be denied that justice is recognized as a binding force even
by peoples on a low cultural plane, and the Deity is generally regarded as
the guardian of justice, exactly as in Judaism. This fact is shown by the
use of the oath in connection with judicial procedure among many nations.
Both Roman jurisprudence and Greek ethics declare justice to be the
foundation of the social life. Nevertheless the Jewish ideal of justice
cannot be ide