"For Instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the L-rd from Jerusalem." -- Isaiah 2:3

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This page is recommended for searches limited to specific Torah books, weekly portions (parshiot), chapters, verses, and/or sources (authors). For keyword and/or for exact phrase (including verse and source) searches of the entire excerpts database, we recommend using the Search Engine page.  For broadest results, use both pages and alternative search strategies. 

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EXODUS — 21:31 rule

EXOD613 … Israel's laws were unique in the ancient Near East; in biblical law we find no vicarious punishment, no capital punishment for crimes against property, while slaves and bond-servants receive relatively generous treatment. [Vicarious punishment--when the penalty for a wrong is suffered by someone other than the perpetrator--is found in the Laws of Hammurabi 230 and 210, and Middle Assyrian Law A55, found in Martha T. Roth, ed., Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1995). [This verse and Deut. 24:16 prohibit this practice]. Capital punishment for theft is absent from the Bible except for the misappropriation of goods devoted to the sanctuary, called herem (Deut 7:25-26; Josh 7). The Laws of Hammurabi 6–11, 21-22, 25, and Middle Assyrian Law A3 would inflict capital punishment for a variety of property crimes. Regarding slaves, according to Jeffrey Tigay, Deut 23:16-17 "treats the whole land of Israel as a sanctuary offering permanent asylum" for slaves who flee from foreign countries (The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy [Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1996], p. 215). Ancient Near Eastern law collections decreed harsh penalties for harboring fugitive slaves; the Laws of Hammurabi 15-20 mandate capital punishment for giving refuge to runaway slaves. Further, Israelite law, in Exod 21:20-21, 26-27, restricts a slaveowner's abuse of his own property, while ancient Near Eastern law makes no such attempt. (By Elaine Adler Goodfriend, “Ethical Theory and Practice in the Hebrew Bible)

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EXODUS — 21:35 ox

EXOD615 The owner is responsible to pay for damage caused by his animal. If your animal inflicts damage, you are responsible to pay for the damage. This law applies to all animals. The Torah used an ox as an example since that was the most common case. (Choshen Mishpat 389:1). If you own a pet and it damages someone's property, you are obligated to pay even when the person who suffered the damage is not aware of his loss. Your attitude should not be, "If he makes a claim against me, then I'll pay." You should take the initiative to reimburse him for his loss. (See Imre Binah, Parshas Yisro) the laws of how much a person has to pay for damage caused by his animals are dealt with in Choshen Mishpot 389-408).

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