Sanhedrin 6B

נגמר הדין, אי אתה רשאי לבצוע.

Once the verdict of the judgment has been issued, it is not permitted for you to mediate a dispute.

סרמ״ש בנק״ש סימן. רבי אליעזר בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר: אסור לבצוע, וכל הבוצע ⁠– הרי זה חוטא, וכל המברך את הבוצע ⁠– הרי זה מנאץ. ועל זה נאמר: ״בצע ברך נאץ ה׳״.

The Talmud presents a mnemonic device alluding to the names of tanna’im in the coming discussion: Samekh, reish, mem, shin; beit, nun, kuf, shin. The Tosefta cites several statements of tanna’im related to compromise and the term botze’a. R' Eliezer, son of R' Yosei HaGelili, says: It is prohibited to mediate a dispute; and anyone who mediates [habotze’a] a dispute is a sinner; and anyone who blesses the mediator is cursing God. And of this, it is stated: “And the covetous [botze’a] blesses himself, though he despises YHWH” (Psalms 10:3).

אלא יקוב הדין את ההר, שנאמר: ״כי המשפט לאלהים הוא״. וכן משה היה אומר: יקוב הדין את ההר. אבל אהרן אוהב שלום ורודף שלום, ומשים שלום בין אדם לחבירו, שנאמר: ״תורת אמת היתה בפיהו ועולה לא נמצא בשפתיו בשלום ובמישור הלך אתי ורבים השיב מעון״.

Rather, the judge must assure that the true judgment will prevail at all costs and metaphorically pierce the mountain, as it is stated: “For the judgment is God’s” (Deuteronomy 1:17). And similarly, Moses would say: Let the judgment pierce the mountain. But by contrast, Aaron, whose role was not that of a judge, was a lover of peace and a pursuer of peace, and he would apply peace between one person and the other, as it is stated: “The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity” (Malachi 2:6).

רבי אליעזר אומר: הרי שגזל סאה של חטים, וטחנה ואפאה והפריש ממנה חלה, כיצד מברך? אין זה מברך אלא מנאץ. ועל זה נאמר: ״ובצע ברך נאץ ה׳״.

The Tosefta cites several other interpretations of the above-mentioned verse from Psalms. R' Eliezer says: If one stole a se’a of wheat and ground it and baked it and separated ḥalla from it, i.e., separated the portion of the dough that must be given to the priests, how can he possibly recite the blessing on the mitzva of ḥalla? He is not blessing; rather, he is cursing God. And of this offense it is stated: “And the covetous [uvotze’a] blesses himself, though he despises YHWH,” interpreted homiletically as: And whoever blesses upon breaking [botze’a] the bread despises YHWH.