משך חכמה — לא תטה משפט / לא תטע לך אשרה

Q — What is the connection between the prohibition of אשרה next to the מזבח and the preceding laws of judging (לא תטה משפט, לא תקח שוחד)?

A — The mizbeach is דומם — inert stone — and a living tree may not be placed beside it, to teach that Hashem is not NOURISHED by korbanot; "לחמי לאשי" does not mean He is fed. The korbanot are for OUR sake, not His. Just as Hashem derives no benefit from the avodah, so a דיין must judge with NO personal benefit — not for money, honor, or fear, but solely for truth. The dayan who judges "דין אמת לאמיתו" thereby becomes "שותף להקב״ה במעשה בראשית," mirroring the One who created the world without self-interest.