Introduction To The Facts, Kinds, And Historical Essence Of Jewish Bet Din

By Kimberly Murray


It was evident that enforcement of laws and legal systems existed. The authorized person, with an authority and power vested on them, already became instruments on enforcement of various policies and rulings. Even in modern age, these are still applied in every legal decision that they are going to make.

The greatest house of law was first known to be composed of a group of wise men who would gather together in a holy hill. This was known as the Jewish bet din or sometimes spelled out as beth din. It was known to be the supreme and highest authority in both religious and civil matters not just in the holy capital city but in a nation as a whole.

During the old times, there was a convoluted series of courts. They have three known types. The first two are the Sanhedrin and Sanhedrin Ketana. There is no specific name for the third one but this article provides a description of it.

Sanhedrin, the grand judicial court, comprised of seventy one wise men who would gather together on the hill which was known to be the holy place in the old biblical city. At first, there were only seventy wise men that comprised it until a prophet called their attention and invited them to be with him in leading the entire nation. That made seventy one, thereby bringing back the court to him. In that setting, he was recognized as the wisest man who would make a final decision on legal cases. As many years passed, a nasi replaced the wise prophet and took over his position as the wisest.

The little version of Sanhedrin is the one next to the first type. Twenty judges are composing it. The largest cities have been the meeting place of these judges who would come from different courts. This was done to discuss on the important matters related to enforcement of rules and regulations and policies. Monetary and corporal penalties can be imposed. Just like the higher form, these courts can even impose death penalties, if ever there is a very grave violence.

While courts were present in big cities, small villages and tribal communities with exactly or less than one hundred and twenty adult men also had their own judicial courts. Three judges composed them. They cannot be added unless their remaining number is odd. Unlike the larger ones such as Sanhedrin and Sanhedrin Katana, they had no power on imposing death and corporal penalties. Only those that are monetary were vested.

Yes, they are many types of them. Regardless of this fact, this kind of judicial system is more on the religious practices of a population that it governs. These matters of litigations were better known for them as dine Torah. These are a basis for decision and judgment that have been applied in other communities. However, whatever decisions are made, these are also based on varying degrees of authority and a kind of jurisdiction they were having on that community.

Today, the competent rabbinic scholars took over this house of legal affairs and judgment. They are the reason why this still exists. Under their supervision, they make formal decision and judgment on different issues and concerns that may impact the Jewish populace. Such issues include those that are related, but not limited, to divorce.

The bottom line here is that no matter how strict it is, this is still a known instrumentality on the regulations of matters like religious life, family disputes, marriage, and the like. This all just depends on the political, economic, and social conditions of its area of jurisdiction.




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