CIVIL LAW
The
Civil Law is covered in the Old
Testament Books of:
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Leviticus
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Deuteronomy
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Exodus,
and
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Numbers
These books discuss every aspect of
the Jewish relationship with others. There are 613 Mitzvoth or Commandments
under the Law which covers, God, signs and symbols,1
prayer and blessings,2 love and
brotherhood, the poor and unfortunate,3
treatment of Gentiles;4
marriage, divorce and family,5 times
and seasons,6 forbidden sexual
relations,7 dietary laws,8
business practices,9 employees,10 servants and slaves vows,11 oaths and swearing.12
The
Sabbatical and Jubilee Years,13 the
court and judicial procedure;14
property and property rights,15 injury
and damages,16 criminal laws,17 punishment and restitution,18 idolatry, idolaters and idolatrous practices,19 prophesy,20 clothing21 first born,22 agriculture,23 animal husbandry.24 Kohanim and Levites T’rumah,25 tithes and taxes.26 The temple,27 the sanctuary and sacred objects,28 sacrifices and offerings,29 ritual purity and impurity,30 lepers and leprosy,31 kings,32
war33 and Nazarites.34
Laws are at the heart of Judaism and
Judaism as a religion is a religion of love and brotherhood.35 It depicts the perfect relationship
between man and his neighbors. The civil
law is a body of laws that said Jews was to follow out of obedience to
God. Through these laws, the
Jews were commanded to love both Jew and strangers. They were to give aid to
the poor and needy, and not to wrong anyone in:
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Word
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Deed,
or
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In
business36
The acts of love and kindness were so
much a part of Jewish Law that the word mitzvah (meaning commandment) is
commonly used to mean any good deed. Included in the 613 Jewish Laws are rules that include:
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How
Jews were to deal with their neighbors in business transactions, and
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How
they were to behave in society in general
The Jewish law is the blueprint for a
just and ethical society, where no one is harmed in any way; and everyone
gives, helps, and protects one another. God spelled out the means for fulfilling
these ideals in the 613 commandments that He gave the Jews. The Ten
Commandments goes much deeper requiring Jews to protect their fellow man. Jews
were to construct their homes in ways that prevent people from being harmed.37
They were to help persons whose life
was in danger, as long as their own life was not jeopardized.38 The commands regarding preservation of
life were so important in Judaism they overrode ritual observances. The Jews
Commandments commanded them to help those in need, both physically and
financially.
They were commanded to love and help a
neighbor with his burden, and help load or unload his beast. The Jews were
obligated to give money to the poor and needy, and not to turn them away empty
handed.39 The civil Laws forbade Jews from
cheating or taking advantage of another.40
Every aspect of the Jewish law and practices were extensive.
Included in these laws were regulated
conduct between a businessman and his customers. The businessman had to operate
honestly, not using false weights and measures. He was obligated to deal
honestly in buying and selling, commanded never to charge interest to Jews. The
commands between a businessman and his employees were to pay wages promptly.41
If Jews had employees working in the
fields, they were allowed to eat the produce harvested, but were not to take
produce other than what he could eat while harvesting from the employer. These
are only a speck of the judgments of Jewish government that covers the various
aspects of Israel’s day-to-day life within the nation of Israel; these
judgments were given separate from the Ten Commandments.42
1(Genesis
17: 12; Leviticus 12: 3)
10(Exodus 21: 2-6)
11(Deuteronomy 23: 17)
12(Deuteronomy 23: 24)
13(Exodus 23: 11; Leviticus 25: 2)
14(Deuteronomy 1: 17)
15(Leviticus 25: 23)
16(Deuteronomy 25: 12)
17(Exodus 20: 13)
18(Deuteronomy 22: 24)
19(Exodus 20: 20)
20(Deuteronomy 18: 15)
21(Deuteronomy 22: 5; Deuteronomy 22:
11)
22(Exodus 13: 13; Exodus 34: 20; Numbers 18: 15)
23(Leviticus 19: 19)
24(Leviticus 19: 19)
25(Exodus 28: 2)
26(Exodus 12: 44-45; Leviticus 22: 10;
Exodus 22: 28)
27(Exodus 30: 7)
28(Deuteronomy 12: 2-4)
29(Exodus 13: 2; Deuteronomy 15: 19)
30(Leviticus 11: 29-30)
31(Leviticus 14: 1-7)
32(Deuteronomy 17: 15)
33(Deuteronomy 3: 22; Deuteronomy
20: 3)
34(Numbers 6: 3)
35(Leviticus 19: 18)
36(Deuteronomy 10: 19; Exodus 22: 20;
Leviticus 19: 9)
37(Deuteronomy 22: 8)
38(Deuteronomy 22: 8; Leviticus 19: 16)
39(Exodus 23: 5)
40(Leviticus 25: 14)
41(Deuteronomy 24: 15; Leviticus 19:
13)
42(Exodus 21)
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