{"id":50844,"date":"2019-03-06T13:15:33","date_gmt":"2019-03-06T11:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=50844"},"modified":"2023-08-17T08:10:41","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T05:10:41","slug":"the-judiciary-then-and-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-judiciary-then-and-now\/","title":{"rendered":"The Judiciary \u2013 Then And Now"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In the middle of our chapter, we encounter a set of verses that served as the basis for establishing the basic judicial system of Rabbinic Judaism: <\/span><\/p>\n

If a case is too baffling for you to decide\u2026you shall promptly repair to the place that the Lord your God will have chosen, and appear before the levitical priests, or the judge in charge at the time, and present your problem. When they have announced to you the verdict in the case, you shall carry out the verdict that is announced to you from that place that the Lord chose, observing scrupulously all their instructions to you\u2026Should a man act presumptuously and disregard the priest\u2026or the judge, that man shall die\u2026 (17:8-13). <\/span><\/p>\n

The biblical injunction to put to death anyone who \u201cpresumptuously\u201d (be-zadon<\/em>, i.e. intentionally, willfully) disregards and acts in violation of a legitimate verdict serves as the basis for the Rabbinic Sages\u2019 discussion of the zaqen mamre<\/em>\u2019 (the \u201crebellious elder\u201d), an ordained rabbinic sage who \u201crebels against (i.e. personally rejects) a halakhic decision of the majority of the members of the Sanhedrin (the Rabbinic \u201cHigh Court\u201d). \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 11:2, see also Sanhedrin 86b-89a and Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Mamrim,<\/em> Chapters 3-4) details the extensive and exhaustive judicial process for ultimately executing such a \u201crebellious elder\u201d. First there was recourse to a Bet Din (Law Court) situated at the entrance to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. If found guilty, the rebellious elder could appeal to a higher court at the entrance to the Temple Court. A final appeal was possible to the \u201cBet Din Ha-Gadol\u201d (i.e. the full Sanhedrin) meeting in the Temple\u2019s Lishqat Ha-Gazit<\/em> (\u201cHall of Hewn Stones\u201d). <\/span><\/p>\n

Nevertheless, even after having exhausted all possible appeals, the rebellious elder who continued to openly express his own minority opinion was punished only if he falsely claimed that his own view was the generally accepted halakhah and instructed people to act according to his individual opinion that had been decisively rejected by the Sanhedrin. <\/span><\/p>\n

This is similar in structure and practice to the judicial systems in both the United States and Israel. The overall structure of the Israel judicial system consists of a Supreme Court, consisting of fifteen judges. The Israeli Supreme Court oversees courts that have limited jurisdiction and even lower courts that deal with specific matters such as traffic, family, juvenile and labor law. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the extensive discussions of halakhic issues preserved in Talmudic literature, \u201cminority opinions\u201d (de\u2019ot yahid,<\/em> i.e. the views of specific named Sages) are frequently recorded. Similarly, \u201cdissenting opinions\u201d, which differ from the collective decision agreed upon by the majority of judges, are fully recorded in the decisions of both the US and Israeli Supreme Courts. Then and now our legal systems have found a way to ensure the communal agreement of \u201cmajority rule\u201d, while preserving the \u201cminority rights\u201d of individual expression.<\/span><\/p>\n

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