Introduction Of Jewish Bet Din, Its Kinds, And Historical Importance

By Kimberly Murray


Many years ago, there was already such thing as laws, judgment, or anything which pertains to the legal system. Different provisions and penalties were regulated by authorized people. Until today, these provisions and the legal system itself have become the ultimate basis of judicial decision making.

A large group of wise men gathered at a hill beside the old biblical city. That marked the beginning of the Jewish Bet Din, a home where the law resides. It is said to be vested with an absolute command in matters that are civil and religious in nature. It had taken dominance in all communities and cities of the nation.

Way back many centuries ago, a complex nexus of courts existed. They came in three kinds. The names of the two are known. These are the Sanhedrin and its smaller version, Sanhedrin Ketana. The name of the third one, on the other hand, is not known but is briefly discussed in this article.

Sanhedrin is known as the highest form of court. As written earlier, it was composed of a large group of wise men called the sage who had meetings on a holy mount. The seventy one wise men took over the court until a religious leader and prophet wooed them to join him in governing the whole nation. Thus, he became their leader who is authorized to make a final judgment on specific legal matters. As years went by, a nasi was appointed to replace him and acted as a leader of a group.

Sanhedrin Katana consisted of twenty three judges. These judges would gather in some of biggest cities to discuss on important legal matters and issues. Just like the most supreme court, it had the authority to regulate rulings and impose penalties which are capital, corporal, and monetary in nature.

Even small tribes or towns have courts. This was evident in areas with a population that is not more one hundred twenty. There were only three judges but you could have additional if the remaining number of them is an odd number. It is way far different from the two because in this kind of setting, a judge cannot force enforcement on death or capital punishment and corporal penalty. Only those that are monetary are allowed.

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.

This system was not entirely abolished. Instead, it was under a care of knowledgeable rabbi scholars. Because they have the power to supervise and regulate it, they also have the power to make judicial decisions on different cases, answer questions about some provisions of a law, and address concerns. One example of these concerns is the problem on your marriage life or divorce.

Although they entail lots of curtailment, it is still regarded as a significant component of regulating not just religion but also the adjudication of specific areas of concern in relation to personal and marriage or family life. Furthermore, this is also a center for adjudication of any sorts of disputes. Their applicability is entirely dependent on an economic, political and social state of a particular community.




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