Talmudic Law (2170)

The Talmud was compiled in Palestine and Babylonia during the centuries preceding the establishment of Christianity and Islam, and even today defines the legal system observed by traditional Jewish communities everywhere. A philosophical and historical analysis of the Talmudic foundation of the Judeo-Christian worldview will highlight the practical application of Biblical ethics in a complex and sophisticated world. Primary sources will be used to clarify the relationship between Jewish law and universal morality, potential conflicts between observance of Jewish law and the demands of a secular civil government, and understanding how this legal system could preserve social and moral continuity through centuries of exile despite the absence of common sanctions of enforcement and typical legal remedies. Particular areas of attention will include the Talmudic approach to torts, conveyances, contracts, evidence, inheritance, mediation and adjudication, penal options, redressing judicial errors, credible and perjured witnesses, Noahide vs. Mosaic Law, a comparison of civil and criminal court procedure, difficult cases under secular and Jewish law, and an inquiry into whether ultimate authority for the law is judicial or Divine.