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lundi 18 février 2019

The Role Of A Jewish Bet Din

By Brenda Howard


When it comes to converting to Judaism, it can often be a lengthy process, especially when converting from Christianity. In addition, all conversions must be approved by a Jewish Bet din. In ancient times, a Bet din was the primary building block of the Biblical law of Israel. Also known as the house of judgment, a Bet din is now defined as a rabbinical court for those whom practice Orthodox Judaism.

Bet dins are a court of law in the Jewish tradition which have the legal powers required to oversee religious matters. Whereas, Din Torah is a matter of litigation in local communities and Israel in which a Diaspora provides judgments based on various 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 times, there were three types of courts. These included a grand central court with 71 members and two smaller courts of 23 members each with one having hierarchy over the other. While all towns with a population of 120 to 230 residents, had to have a court of 23 under the jurisdiction of the tribal court.

The Talmud and Mishnah distinguish the area in which a case is tried based on the severity of the infractions. Whether involving money matters, criminal acts or ritual offenses, a Bet din generally rules over all cases. As with other courts, those involving criminal acts often face tougher fines and penalties than lesser offenses.

Later, all modern Bet dins and those which existed in Medieval times were for all practical purposes arbitrators made up of a group of laymen. In most cases, these individuals had more power than others as experienced rabbis often made up the court. Whereas, individuals whom attend a training program or institute, often in Israel can now attain qualifications which allow the individual to become a religious judge, a position which holds the highest court appointed authority in the Jewish religion.

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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