Taking The Law Into One’s Hands

We have seen that it is permissible for a beis din, rabbinical court, to use certain forms of social pressure to persuade an individual to abide by its ruling. However, it is forbidden to use social pressure in order to bypass the court process and force a thief to return what he stole. It is wrong to cause the community to take a stand in a monetary issue on the basis of an individual’s word alone; only through the psak (ruling) of a beis din may the community take a stand. Thus, it is correct to ensure that the parties come before a beis din, but it is forbidden to personally orchestrate the enforcement of what one believes to be justice.