Why did the Jews believe in the Rule of Law?

Answer 1

Answer 1

At their most basic, laws are what make us civilised and separate us from animals - whether we agree with all of them, none of them or some of them, they provide guidelines and a framework within which we can live our lives without infringing on the rights of others and ourselves. For example, a law against murder upholds the right we should all have to live and enjoy our lives; a law against theft gives us the right to own our possessions without them being taken away; a law against rape gives us the right to be in control of our own sexuality and to choose with whom we have sexual relations.

Jewish law goes a step further than secular law in forming a framework that guides us in every step of our day-to-day lives and, if followed, makes it second nature to act in a way that the religiously observant view as favourable in G-d's eyes. In some cases, the reasons for Jewish laws are not even known, as is the case with the laws of Kashrut which decide which foods are and are not kosher. Even though some of them seem odd and anachronistic, millions of religious Jews nevertheless abide by them because they believe that they demonstrate the way in which G-d wants his chosen people to live. Non-religious Jews commonly follow Jewish law, including Kashrut, too because over the thousands of years that Jews have existed the framework has been instrumental in shaping who Jews are. Many Jews, religious or otherwise, feel very proud to be a part of a people that despite widespread prejudice and attempted extermination continues to survive and has been responsible for what many people, Jewish and non-Jewish, see as more than their fair share of contributions to human knowledge, ethics and welfare; and so Jewish law remains of crucial importance even to many who no longer believe in the traditional concept of G-d.

Answer 2

One the main differences between Jewish religious law and secular law is that secular law assumes that we can only hold humans to the least common denominator and prevent indecency, while Jewish religious law holds that every person should strive to ennoble their character by holding people to higher standards. The Jewish law serves as a guideline to grow and develop in a way reflective of the Divine Nature in all of us. This pathway and connection to God is what Jews cherish in the law. Because the law is given by god and thus sacred. A bit of the jewish laws found its way into the christian bible - book of moses.

Answer 2

The Torah specifies that all societies must have just courts and laws and that we are to respect the law of the land we're in so long as it doesn't require us to violate halacha (Jewish law). For that reason, there are things that Jews are permitted to do according to Jewish law (polygamy for example) but we don't because that is against the laws of most of the countries we live in. On the other hand, if the country we live in requires us to kill someone without reason, we won't follow that law as it violates Jewish law.

Answer 3

The foundation of Judaism is the belief in God (Maimonides' "Yad," Yesodei HaTorah 1:1). Judaism holds that God created this world purposefully, as a stage upon which all people are tested concerning their use of free-will. Humans possess a soul which lives on after the body dies and is held responsible for the person's actions.Link: Afterlife
Given these principles, it is axiomatic that our lives should be subject to some rules and laws. From the earliest historical times, teachers such as Noah spoke about the proper manner of living; and some even created codes of laws (Eshnunna, Lipit-Ishtar, Hittite Code, Solon, etc.), drawing to some degree upon the original tradition. However, these codes did not receive the imprimatur of Divine approbation; and the societies in which they were disseminated were busy descending into a morass of idolatry and licentiousness.

It was Abraham, the founder of Western monotheistic tradition, who turned back the tide of increasing wantonness. He practiced and taught the ways of God, not just for the creation of a proper society, but as a means of serving and emulating God.

His teachings were later incorporated in the Torah by God himself; and Jews have always seen it as a religious duty and honorable calling, to study, teach and elucidate their tradition and laws. This is the purpose, for example, of the Talmud.

Link: More about Abraham

Link: The Talmud