Overview
Biblical Judgments invites readers to consider today's timeless dilemmas of law and government, social justice, and human rights, through the perspective of a text that has helped shape western society: the Hebrew Bible. By focusing on biblical narratives and literature rather than on traditional interpretations of biblical law, Daphne Barak-Erez is able to look beyond historic norms to concentrate on what Old Testament stories can reveal about the ""big"" issues. She discusses questions such as: What can modern-day governmental regulation learn from the exercise of food rationing in Egypt as a response to Pharaoh's dream of a future famine? How does social distancing in the time of Covid-19 compare with people sent outside the camp as a precautionary measure against bible-era plagues? What can promoters of social justice glean from the demands made to Moses that daughters should also inherit from their father when biblical law did not recognize inheritance rights of women? Rather than offering a historical study, Barak-Erez draws upon famous court decisions from around the world to root her analysis in modern law. Organized by subject matter, Biblical Judgments analyzes how the themes of law and government, judging and judges, human rights and social justice, criminal law, private law, and family and inheritance law are presented through a number of different stories. In recounting the compelling narratives of the Hebrew Bible, Biblical Judgments exposes their inherent legal tensions and what we can learn about legal dilemmas today.
Full Product Details
Author: Daphne Barak-Erez
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press
Imprint: The University of Michigan Press
Weight: 0.272kg
ISBN: 9780472056583
ISBN 10: 0472056581
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 31 January 2024
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
This is an excellent introduction to law through biblical stories. At the same time, it is also a wonderful introduction to the Hebrew Bible through legal thinking. - Vered Karti Shemtov, Stanford University . . . takes well known biblical stories and trains the attention onto their legal significance, thereby offering a fresh and fascinating way of understanding them. Barak-Erez' deep and deft analysis challenges us to think about the legal issues as if they happened today, understand their intricacy, and reflect upon the outcome. - Pnina Lahav, Boston University
Author Information
Daphne Barak-Erez is a Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel. She was formerly Dean and Professor of Law at the Faculty of Law of Tel Aviv University.
