The Jewish Legal System
- Business Law
- Criminal Law
- Laws of Damages
- Marriage Laws
- The Jewish King
- The Sanhedrin and the Rabbis
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Self-Defense
Does Judaism permit self-defense? Self-defense not only permissible, but mandatory, because we are commanded to preserve life. As the Talmud puts it (Sanhedrin 72a), "If someone comes to kill you, kill him first".
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Exemption for Scholars
Are scholars exempt from community service? The Talmud (Shab.114a) says that only full-time scholars who have no other occupation are exempt from community obligations. The Talmud (Bava Basra 8a) derives the exemption of scholars from taxes from several verses. The…
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The Right of Succession
Does a son automatically succeed his father? The basic sources on right of succession to public office are Rambam, Hilchos Melachim 1:7, and Rema, Yoreh Deah 245:22. For additional references, including citations from the Israeli courts, see the article on…
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Slavery in the Bible
Why does the Bible recognize slavery? Slavery was a universal thing until a few hundred years ago. The Bible assumes it because it existed when the Bible was written, but slaves were always very well-treated in Jewish society, and in…
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A Bais Din
What is a Bais Din? A Bais Din ("House of Law"; also transliterated "Bet Din" or "Beth Din") is a Rabbinical court that deals with cases involving Jewish law.
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Illegitimacy
Does the Torah say anything about bastards? The Hebrew word usually translated "bastard" is MAMZER (Deut.23:3). A mamzer is a child born from an incestuous or adulterous union; a child born to an unmarried woman is not a mamzer.
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Self-Incrimination
>What does Jewish law say about self-incrimination? Jewish law goes beyond protecting against self-incrimination; a person who confesses to having committed an illegal act is not believed. The Talmudic principle is "ein adam meisim atzmo rasha" — "a man cannot…
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Capital Punishment
Does the Torah allow capital punishment? Four death penalties – stoning, burning, beheading, and strangling – are prescribed for various major sins (Mishnah Sanhedrin 7:1). Administration of these penalties was rare because a person could be executed (or flogged) only…
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Treatment of the Dying
When is a person a TEREFAH? Is it permissible to kill such a person,or a dying person? Maimonides (Laws of Murder and Preservation of Life, 2:7) defines a Terefah as someone who, according to qualified medical opinion, suffers from a…