THE LAW OF THE HEBREWS

The word "law," is translated primarily from the Hebrew word torah', related to the verb ya·rah', meaning "direct, teach, instruct." The Ten Words, or the Ten Commandments, were the basic part of the Law but were combined with about 600 other laws, all of which were of equal force and binding. Ordinary cases were submitted to men appointed as judges, standing before a judge was regarded as standing before God. Damages were awarded if a person's animal or property was missused. If a lower court could not make a decision, the case would go to a higher court, exceptional or hard cases were taken to a priest: At least two witnesses were required to establish the truth. Perjury was forbidden, to deter false, testimony the accuser would receive the punishment of the accused. A deliberate murderer was put to death, the witness would be the first to help in putting them to death. An accidental manslayer could flee to the nearest City of refuge, then a trial would be held in the jurisdiction where the incident occurred. One found to be an unintentional man slayer had to live in a city of refuge until the death of the high priest .

Moses received the Law at Sinai (Exodus 34:28) and delivered it to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the men of the Great Assembly;

Then according to the Talmud, King Alexander Jannaeus left his widow, Queen Alexandra (75-61 B.C.) to succeeded him, she awarded the Pharisees supreme control of the legislature, and they celebrated their victory by burning the Sadducean Book of Edicts and proclaiming the day a half-holiday. The annexation of their country by Augustus, led to them being under Imperial Rome, the Pharisees & Sadducees detested their Roman masters, they had after all spent most of their time as a tributary to one great power after another -Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Syria . The Romans used the Great Sanhedrin, which they recognized as a convenient institution for the preservation of internal peace. The Sadducees headed by the High Priesthood along with the Pharisees, framed the religious laws of Israel, there was, of course, no difference between the secular and religious law - and they tried all offenders against these in the native courts, leaving political cases to the Romans.

The Hasmonean throne, was usurped by Herod and it was in his reign that Jesus's was a child, Hillel, was President of the Great Sanhedrin.and Jesus was of course meticulous in his observance of the Law, he said that the whole Law hung upon the two commandments, the love of God and the love of one's neighbour.

The Oral Law taught by the Pharisees, fell under four categories (The categories are systematically formulated by Professor Zeitlin in Jewish Quarterly Review, Vol. xxxix, pp. 21-28.)

(1) -	Halaka (plural halakot) - usage, or guiding custom - Regulations derived from the Pentateuch. or, based on tradition
	like the ceremonial halakot, which were pre-Pentateuchal .
	The Pharisees made interpretive change's to the Law, for example the Mosaic Law of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" was altered into one of monetary compensation. The Pharisaic law also changed the right of the sole "avenger of the blood ", to a constituted court of no less than twenty-three qualified judges .
(2) -	Gezera - An enactment decreed to cover conduct until it fell into desuetude, independent both of the Pentateuch
	and of accepted halakot.
(3)-	Takkana - an amendment to a Mosaic Law that adapted it to new circumstances.
(4)-	Syag - a " fence" around the Law, of additional requirements, to guard one against infringements of the Law.

Those not under a direct law from God, such as the Law given through Moses, are shown to be "a law to themselves," for their consciences cause them to be excused in their own thoughts. (Romans 2:14, 15)

The Law covenant ended at Pentecost, 33 C.E. ("since the priesthood is being changed, there comes to be of necessity a change also of the law"; Hebrews 7:12-28).

Paul says that the lack of accurate Christian knowledge could result in a weak conscience, one's conscience can be defiled and, therefore, can mislead. (Titus 1:15) : "Go on carrying the burdens of one another, and thus fulfill the law of the Christ." (Galations 6:2)