Responsibilities Of A Jewish Bet Din

Publié par Unknown on mardi 19 février 2019

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.

Currently, rabbinical courts are provided the power to oversee a number of issues related to the religion. For, a matter of litigation or Din Torah in Israel and Jewish communities around the world are judged by a Diaspora of differing authority levels.

Original Bet dins were inspired largely by Moses and Jethro, for these were the first two men to have such powers. Later, God provided a direct commandment to the Jews to appoint judges and officers which were to reside inside community gates. In addition, it is also recommended in the Torah that rulers delegate powers of judgment to lower courts.

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.

When selecting these men, communities need to choose individuals which can instruct others in Jewish law. At the same time, rabbis serving as members of a Bet din do not need to have a complete understanding of all laws, just those which pertain to a specific case. For example, if sitting on the court for a conversion review, the rabbi would only need expertise in the area of the conversion process.




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