How to understand the requirement for Supreme Judge to be tall and handsome?

Question

Just as the members of a court of law must be cleared with respect to uprightness, so must they be clear of any physical defect. Every effort should be exerted in an intensive search for sufficiently mature candidates, who are tall and handsome, easily articulate, and conversant with most of the spoken tongues, so that the Sanhedrin may dispense with an interpreter. Hil. Sanhedrin 2

I'm having difficulty understanding this particular ruling: the requirements that relate to the judge's ability to exercise justice and wisdom are easy to agree with, but height and handsomeness don't sound like a Jewish tradition to me. I recall R' Yochanan being women-like beautiful but besides that, I couldn't connect physical appearance to intellectual qualities.

In addition, Rambam seems to insist heavily on that requirement.

Please help to understand this ruling.

Answer 1

Rambam is quoting the gemara in Sanhedrin 36B:

דתני רב יוסף כשם שב"ד מנוקין בצדק כך מנוקין מכל מום אמר אמימר מאי קרא (שיר השירים ד, ז) כולך יפה רעיתי ומום אין בך

The Gemara then continues:

ודילמא מום ממש אמר רב אחא בר יעקב אמר קרא (במדבר יא, טז) והתיצבו שם עמך עמך בדומין לך

While there are multiple ways of reading this gemara (see Rashi to the parallel piece in Kidushin), it seems Rambam would read it in the way it is translated on Sefaria:

The Gemara asks: But perhaps you should say that this is referring to an actual blemish, that one who has a physical blemish may not be appointed to the Sanhedrin. Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: It is not necessary to derive the halakha that one who has a physical blemish may not be appointed to the Sanhedrin from this verse, as the verse states with regard to the transfer of the Divine Spirit from Moses to the Elders: “That they may stand there with you” (Numbers 11:16), and the phrase “with you” is explained to mean: With similarity to you, teaching that the members of the Sanhedrin must be whole in body like Moses.

Moshe's height is attested to in several midrashim. In terms of him being handsome, this article gives several sources that attest to that, but I have not had time to investigate them further: https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11049-moses#anchor20

Answer 2

The Rambam first states that we are only permitted to appoint a judge that has the following qualities:

א אין מעמידין בסנהדרין, בין בגדולה בין בקטנה--אלא אנשים חכמים ונבונים, מופלאין בחכמת התורה, בעלי דעה מרובה, ויודעין קצת משאר חכמות, כגון רפואות, וחשבון תקופות ומזלות, ואיצטגנינות, ודרכי המעוננים והקוסמים והמכשפים והבלי עבודה זרה וכיוצא באלו, כדי שיהיו יודעין לדון אותם.

We appoint to a Sanhedrin - both to the Supreme Sanhedrin and to a minor Sanhedrin - only men of wisdom and understanding, of unique distinction in their knowledge of the Torah and who possess a broad intellectual potential.

Which is to say that wisdom and understanding are mandatory prerequisites for appointment to the position without which appointment is altogether improper.

He later states:

וצריך להשתדל ולבדוק ולחפש שיהיו כולן בעלי שיבה, בעלי קומה, בעלי מראה, נבוני לחש, ושיהיו יודעין ברוב הלשונות כדי שלא תהיה סנהדרין שומעת מפי התורגמן.

An effort should be made that they all be white-haired, of impressive height, of dignified appearance, men who understand whispered matters, who understand many different languages so that the Sanhedrin will not need to hear testimony from an interpreter.

These qualities, concerning appearances and knowledge of many languages, ought be searched for ("an effort should be made"), but if they are found to be lacking are not preventative of appointment to the position. They are ab initio preferences, but ultimately not mandatory. The Kesef Mishneh and Lehem Mishneh confirm this reading (משמע דהנהו לא הוו לעיכובא אלא לכתחלה צריך לבדוק אחר אלו)

The mandatory qualities of paramount value are and remain the individual's wisdom and understanding, not their appearance.

If your question, concerns why appearance ought factor in at all - even ab initio, consider the fact that for various reasons (psychological, evolutionary, conditioning, etc.), people are programmed to trust and listen to attractive people more than unattractive people (as is confirmed in many studies). Given that this is so, it would make sense to attempt to appoint justices to whom we are instinctually disposed towards. When not just their wisdom and understanding appeals to people but the entirety of their persona draws people to heed their decisions.

Armed with this understanding, we see that it is not that we are placing aesthetics on a pedestal, but rather it is an attempt to speak to and exploit the natural human condition, in order to effectuate the needs of justice. A handsome judge is preferred (though not mandatory) because quite simply, people are more likely to heed his directives and it thus makes him more effective at his job, which is to effectuate changes in human behavior.

Answer 3

Tall and handsome usually denotes intelligence and competence. Although, sometimes looks may be deceptive. For example, Samuel chose David's brother because he was good-looking. G-d said, while man judges by the outer apprentices, the L-rd judges by the heart. This is the basic meaning of the enactment.