Divorce is not mentioned in the earlier books of the Torah. Here it is. What happens when a marriage breaks down irretrievably? The Torah in this week’s reading and the Talmud both say that if there is a genuine grievance and it is not just frivolous, then one may divorce. One appears before a Rabbinic Court of Law, a Beth…
Author: Jeremy Rosen
Animals and Birds
The Torah contains a surprising number of laws relating to the treatment of animals. “You must not see your brother’s ox or sheep wandering lost and ignore them, but you must return them…and similarly his ass” “Do not look on if you see your brother’s ass or ox fallen by the roadside and ignore it. You must help him raise…
Business Ethics
I have often heard people say that the Torah is so concerned with sacrifices, purity, obedience to rules and regulations, but does not mention business ethics. It might not use that specific expression but there are plenty of laws that govern how we deal commercially and financially with others. Let me just focus on this week’s reading. The Torah forbids…
Legal Process
This week’s reading from the Torah is one of the most important from a legal point of view. Like the Doomsday Book or indeed the American Constitution, it is the basis of Jewish law in terms of principles and foundations. Of course, over thousands of years like all other systems it has changed, advanced and developed. The first principle (Deut.16.18)…
Rabbinic Authority
This week the Torah contains the main elements of the Jewish Judicial process. It includes the important proviso that if there is anything unclear in Jewish law, any unresolved disputes or new issues that have to be decided upon, one approaches the Judicial authorities for a binding “learned opinion.” It is, in its way, like having a Supreme Court. The…
Judges
The Torah insists that a just society should have a system of judges and policemen. Judges establish the law and policemen enforce it. It then goes on to asset that the criteria for both should be that they are committed to justice and do not take bribes or give preference to the rich and powerful over the poor and weak.…