Jewish Law: Finally, a Useable and Readable Text for the Noninitiate

Abstract

Why would anyone not studying religion be interested in Jewish law? It will be surprising for some to learn that some twenty to twenty-five law schools now offer courses in Jewish law. The literature in English is growing year after year. And the area is becoming one of serious study for scholars of law as distinguished from scholars of religion. Jewish law as taught in secular law schools is not that of religious ritual. It is the law of contracts, torts, damages, property, secured transactions, civil and criminal procedure, legal ethics, and consumer protection. In other words, it spans the entire gamut of civil, as distinct from religious ritual, law. Jewish law begins with the old Testament of the Bible, particularly the Five Books of Moses, which contain much of civil and criminal law. The Five Books of Moses Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy provide an outline of a society in which the children of Israel were to live when they arrived in the land of Canaan. For example, they were told how to differentiate one person's real property from his neighbor's; what acts would lead to civil liability; how to measure damages in a personal injury suit; rules of dealings between employer and employee; and what evidence is needed to convict one of a crime. It is not surprising that persons living in an organized society 3000 years ago would be concerned with these issues. But it is surprising to some that these matters are discussed and the rules set forth in the Bible.