[Avodah] The Definition of a Tzadik

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Oct 25, 2020 at 04:58:31PM +0000, Prof. L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
>                                                                      The
> primary meaning of Tzedek is social justice;

Justice, yes, but social justice? Even taking out assumptions now associated
with that idiom, I am not sure tzedaq refers to societal-level justice
more than the one-on-one kind.

After all, "tzedeq tzedeq tirdof" is a command to a litigant to make a point
of looking for an honest court. (Sanhedrin 32, Sifrei, Rashi Devarim 16:20)
And the context in Devarim is right after telling the court not to favor one
litigant nor o take bribes.

It's not an order to the king, or to the Sanhedrin 

> RSRH also writes on this pasuk [Bereishis 6:9]
>> Tamim, on the other hand, is usually construed with halach and
>> derech. The primary meaning of derech is a person's development toward
>> the perfection of his own personality, his gradual progression from
>> step to step. The Tzadik who acts and performs deeds pays no attention
>> to his own personality....

Then how did they become a tzadiq?

I don't see how the 2nd and 3rd sentences work together.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 "I hear, then I forget; I see, then I remember;
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   I do, then I understand." - Confucius
Author: Widen Your Tent      "Hearing doesn't compare to seeing." - Mechilta
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF    "We will do and we will listen." - Israelites