Rabbi Tarfon and some elders were reclining in an upper chamber in the house of Nitza in Lod when this question came up: Which is greater, study or action? Rabbi Tarfon spoke up and said: Action is greater. Rabbi Akiva spoke up and said: Study is greater. The others then spoke up and said: Study is greater because it leads to action.
"There are those who are asking the devotees of Civil Rights, 'When will you be satisfied?'...No!, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until 'justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream'."
--Martin Luther King, "I Have a Dream" (1963)
Thus said the LORD: For three transgressions of Damascus, For four, I will not revoke it: Because they threshed Gilead With threshing boards of iron.
שִׂנְאוּ־רָע֙ וְאֶ֣הֱבוּ ט֔וֹב וְהַצִּ֥יגוּ בַשַּׁ֖עַר מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אוּלַ֗י יֶֽחֱנַ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יוֹסֵֽף׃ ... שָׂנֵ֥אתִי מָאַ֖סְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָרִ֖יחַ בְּעַצְּרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ כִּ֣י אִם־תַּעֲלוּ־לִ֥י עֹל֛וֹת וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֣א אֶרְצֶ֑ה וְשֶׁ֥לֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֥א אַבִּֽיט׃ הָסֵ֥ר מֵעָלַ֖י הֲמ֣וֹן שִׁרֶ֑יךָ וְזִמְרַ֥ת נְבָלֶ֖יךָ לֹ֥א אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ וְיִגַּ֥ל כַּמַּ֖יִם מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה כְּנַ֥חַל אֵיתָֽן׃
Hate evil and love good, And establish justice in the gate; Perhaps the LORD, the God of Hosts, Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph...I loathe, I spurn your festivals, I am not appeased by your solemn assemblies. If you offer Me burnt offerings—or your meal offerings— I will not accept them; I will pay no heed To your gifts of fatlings. Spare Me the sound of your hymns, And let Me not hear the music of your lutes. But let justice well up like water, Righteousness like an unfailing stream.
Let justice well up like water, as it is written "the acts of justice and righteousness are more treasured to God than the offerings." Justice refers to the manner with which humans interact with one another, righteousness refers to the manner with which humans interact with God.
Justice is implanted within the mindset of every human being. Knowing that humans seek justice by their very nature, it is an essential ingredient in the sustainability of every moral society. Therefore, justice is compared to a well of water, whose source is internal and whose impact on the surroundings is incredible. Likewise, the source of justice is within each of us and we are meant to radiate that justice outwards.
Righteousness, in contrast, is not ingrained within every human, rather we nurture and develop that trait through our experience and relationship with God. This is similar to a stream, whose waters are not internal in nature, but rather gather there from the mountains and other external sources. Likewise, the source of righteousness is from without. Additionally, the waters of a stream are not expected to be the source for other bodies of water, rather they remain internally focused. Similarly, righteousness is meant to be developed and expressed as a form of ones personal religious journey...
In this light, the true purpose of the festival pilgrimage and offerings are the development and strengthening of justice and righteousness, not the offerings.
That very day the LORD spoke to Moses: Ascend these heights of Abarim to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab facing Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving the Israelites as their holding. You shall die on the mountain that you are about to ascend, and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his kin; for you both broke faith with Me among the Israelite people, at the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, by failing to uphold My sanctity among the Israelite people. You may view the land from a distance, but you shall not enter it—the land that I am giving to the Israelite people.
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!
Martin Luther King Jr, "I've Been to the Mountain Top", 1968