Torah or the Law Essay Example for Free

Torah or the legal philosophy EssayTorah or the Law is the substance of deitys covenant and is not entirely the moral code delivered by Moses through the Ten Commandments in Mt. Sinai but also the prescriptive elements the Mosaic Law functioned primarily as the constitution of the ground as basis in determining civil and criminal cases. It also serves a guide to worship, good family and social familys, most of all Israels guide to kind with God.1. Discuss the expression of righteousness in the Torah, prior to the giving of the righteousness AND ten commandments, with special examples. Exodus 19 suggests that the God of judgment is also the God of the law, his judgments express his concern for righteousness (Deut 625) because He is also righteous (Jos 101). The righteousness becomes a command to win the raise of God in response to his glorious act of blessings including the possession of land (Deut 94). To note, The Ten Commandments is a perfect expression of Gods revealed w ill of righteousness (Deut 95).God in the law established a requirement for his people in the highest possible standard. (Exo.138-10, Exo.203-17, Deut.45,9,10 Deut.5 6-21, Deut.64-9, Deut.1118-21, Deut.3246-47). But it is not by the deed that they gain Gods favor. Deut 95-6 states that by nature, men are wicked so they offer sacrifices (Deut 3319) to gain the righteousness that God requires but only by Gods faithfulness and favor that they become righteous.2. Discuss the definition of covenant, and its expression in specific examples in the Torah.Merriam-Websters definition of covenant is a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action. For the Israelites, covenant happened at Sinai through the Ten Commandments (Ex 19-24,Ex 3428 Dt 52-3 99) where the following were revealed (Zondervan Reference Library Software)1. Everyones person is to be secure (Ex 2013 2116-21, 26-31 Lev 1914 Dt 517 247 2718).2. Everyone is to be secure against slander and false accusation (Ex 2016 231-3 Lev 1916 Dt 520 1915-21).3. No woman is to be taken advantage of within her subordinate status in society (Ex 217-11, 20, 26-32 2216-17 Dt 2110-14 2213-30 241-5).4. Punishment for wrongdoing shall not be excessive so that the culprit is dehumanized (Dt 251-5).5. Every Israelites dignity and right to be Gods gratis(p)dman and servant are to be honored and safeguarded (Ex 212, 5-6 Lev 25 Dt 1512-18).6. Every Israelites inheritance in the promised land is to be secure (Lev 25 Nu 275-7 361-9 Dt 255-10).7. Everyones property is to be secure (Ex 2015 2133-36 221-15 234-5 Lev 1935-36 Dt 519 221-4 2513-15).8. Everyone is to receive the fruit of his labors (Lev 1913 Dt 2414 254).9. Everyone is to share the fruit of the ground (Ex 2310-11 Lev 199-10 2322 253-55 Dt 1428-29 2419-21).10. Everyone, down to the humblest servant and the resident alien, is to share in the weekly rest of Gods Sabbath (Ex 208-11 2312 Dt 512-15).11. The marriage kind is to be kept inviolate (Ex 2014 Dt 518 see also Lev 186-23 2010-21 Dt 2213-30).12. No one, however disabled, deprive or powerless, is to be oppressed or exploited (Ex 2221-27 Lev 1914, 33-34 2535-36 Dt 2319 246, 12-15, 17 2718).13. Everyone is to have free access to the courts and is to be afforded a fair trial (Ex 236, 8 Lev 1915 Dt 117 1017-18 1618-20 178-13 1915-21).14. Every persons God-given place in the social order is to be honored (Ex 2012 2115, 17 2228 Lev 193, 32 209 Dt 516 178-13 2115-21 2716).15. No one shall be above the law, not even the king (Dt 1718-20).16. Concern for the welfare of other creatures is to be extended to the animal world (Ex 235, 11 Lev 257 Dt 224, 6-7 254).3. Discuss the track in which the Torah uses family as a narrative perspective.The Israelites in Moses time lived in a patriarchal culture and the law expressed an emphasis on the province of the fathers as head of the family. Their families were confronted with immorality s o the Law (Torah) gave light and direction to preserve the family relations from corruption. As such, marriage was mentioned several times in the Law (Exod 21-22, 34 Lev 18, 21 Num 5, 25 Deut 7, 21-22, 24-25, 27). Within the family, children were to honor and obey their parents (Exod 2012 Deut 516 2118-21 2716).And since the family circle might include servants, slaves, and strangers also referred to them as family (Exod 12, 21-22 Lev 19, 22, 24-25 Num 9, 15, 35 Deut 1, 12, 14-16, 23-24, 27). Family purity and respect were strictly guarded against sex (Lev 201-21 Deut 222021) The law mentioned a perfect relationship between husband and wife, fathers to daughters, sons to mothers, fathers wife, sibling relationships, mother and fathers son or daughters, to own sons and daughters, father and mothers close relative, in-laws and close relative relationships and even with the neighbors (Lev.18). Deuteronomy 440 states a commandment to the Israelites to keep his decrees and commandments to teach and pass to their children and their childrens children with Gods promise of long life in the land.4. Discuss the examples of readings from Genesis and Exodus that deal with issues of gender, race, ethnicity, or social class.Issues in Genesis and Exodus started in the birth of the Jewish race and the descendants of Abraham, the Patriarchs. The Patriarchal era socially classified the authority of the manful and the female and family role. The family is composed of husband, wife, children, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, servants, concubines, friends, and visiting guests and followed some of the marriage practices of the surrounding nations and had more than one wife, a practice known as polygamy. One issue was when Abraham had a son with Hagar, Sarahs slave girl who became a surrogate mother for her mistress.A wife was like a property of his master but she had the highest position in the household. Moreover, birthright and sibling contender issue also arose when Isa ac, son of Abraham from Sarah inherited everything Abraham owned (Gen 255) though Ishmael, son from Hagar was the eldest. Sons of concubines did not normally share evenly with the sons of a mans wife (or wives) and the oldest son was entitled to the birthright, normally a double-share of the inheritance (Wolf, Herbert. An Introduction to the Old Testament Pentateuch, Moody Press, 1991).Same thing happened when Esau sold his birthright to Jacob sons of Isaac. Inheritance issue was also involved between Jacobs wives Rachel and Leah against their father Laban who did not give them the portion of the bride payment usually transferred to the daughters as dowry (Gen. 32). From the wives of Jacob and to his twelve sons the rivalry passed on when the other ten sons envied Joseph and sold him to be a slave of Egyptians but later put him in a better social and political status as Egyptian official.