Sunday 17 February 2019

A Jewish Bet Din Then And Now

By Brenda Howard


When it comes to converting from a different religion to Judaism, it can often take a great deal of time. For, all conversions must be approved by a Jewish Bet din also known as a Jewish court of law. In ancient time, a Bet din was often considered the primary building block associated with the Biblical laws of Israel. While a Bet din was also once known as a house of judgment, it is now referred to as a rabbinical court.

Bet dins in the present are invested with the legal powers to oversee a number of matters related to the religion. Din Torah, or matter of litigation in Israel and Jewish communities in the Diaspora provides judgments which hold varying levels of authority.

Original Bet dins were first inspired by Moses and Jethro, the first to be given such powers. After which, the courts were affirmed by God in a direct commandment to the people to institute officers inside the gates of the community. Whereas, recommendations that rulers delegate powers to lower level courts can also be found in the Torah.

In ancient Israel, there were three types of rabbinical courts. These included two smaller courts of 23 appointees, one having hierarchy over the other and one grand central court of 72 appointees. Whereas, communities with populations between 120 and 230 residents were required to have a Bet din of 23 appointees though final judgments were handed down by a local tribal court.

In the Jewish religion, the Mishnah and Talmud determine the difference between cases involving money matters, rituals or criminal acts. Like other courts, those involving criminal activity often have more stringent punishments than others. Regardless, Bet dins ruled in all these and other types of cases. Whereas, Bet dins still rule over all types of cases though are now much smaller and often focus on issues effecting the local community.

Since the suspension of Semicha in ancient practice, all Bet dins which existed in Medieval or modern times are in theory a court overseen by laymen acting as arbitrators. In most cases, these individuals are provided greater powers than others and are often composed of rabbis whom are experienced when it comes the rules and regulations set by the Bet din. When an individual desires to attend a training institute, especially in Israel to acquire qualification as a religious judge, the individual is considered superior to those of normal rabbinical qualifications.

While an Orthodox Bet din requires a minimum of three men whom are knowledgeable in Jewish Law, these individuals can often be difficult to locate. As such, the law now provides that even one Orthodox Jewish man can establish a Bet din. In addition, as each community is required to establish a dedicated Bet din, communities can choose how many judges to place on the court.

Individuals selected to make up a Bet din need to be capable of instructing others with regards to Jewish law pertaining to the case at hand. While this is the case, rabbis do not necessarily have to have expertise in all areas of law, just that pertaining to an ongoing case or cases. For example, when reviewing and approving a conversion, the rabbi would only need to understand the laws necessary to complete the process.




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