GEN721 The death penalty is first stated in [this verse]. Yet, the Torah does not stop there. It is chock-full of offenses punishable by death. Capital punishment is designated for crimes ranging from intentional murder Exodus 21:12 to sexual offenses Leviticus 20:10-21 to even cursing one’s parents Exodus 21:27; Deuteronomy 21:18-21. It is also prescribed for theological offenses such as idolatry Deuteronomy 5:8, sorcery and witchcraft Leviticus 20:13, and violating the laws of the Sabbath Exodus 31:14. There are at least thirty–six offenses for which the Torah authorizes the death penalty. In modern times it is difficult to countenance such a system. To understand the morality of biblical death penalty law, one must put it in context. In biblical times, there were no prisons. The options for punishment were fairly limited – flogging, execution, or fines. The offenses designated for capital punishment were those that threatened the lives of individuals or the very ethical and religious life of Jewish society. Capital punishment for murder represents the basic ethical principle that each life is valuable. Absent extraordinary circumstances, there is no right to take another person’s life. Executing the offender will not bring back the lost life, but it will reestablish the basic principle that intentional killing is wrong. It will also serve the fundamental practical purpose of preventing blood feuds. Capital punishment for idolatry and certain prohibited sexual offenses serves to save the spiritual life of a community. While one can certain debate which, if any, of the transgressions should still lead to the death penalty today, Judaism recognizes that life serves no purpose unless it is imbued with a fundamental morality. If one wants to be Jewish, one cannot be an idolater. If one wants to be Jewish, one cannot engage in sexual acts that threaten the propagation and moral norms of the Jewish people. Leviticus 20:2. (By Laurie L. Levenson, "Judaism and CriminalJustice" OXFORD 475-6