Defending the Human Spirit: Jewish Law's Vision for a Moral SocietyFeldheim Publishers, 2006 - 485 pages Expanded from the Chief Rabbi of South Africa's doctoral thesis, Defending the Human Spirit explores the Torah's legal system compared to Western law. Using real court cases to demonstrate the similarities and differences between Judaism's view of defending the vulnerable and Western legal practice, Rabbi Goldstein places halacha as truly ahead of its time. Covering such diverse topics as political tyranny, oppression of women, crime, and poverty, Defending the Human Spirit is fascinating, informative and inspiring reading. |
Contents
Foreword | 1 |
Political Power | 31 |
Oppression of Women | 151 |
Criminal Justice | 221 |
Poverty and the Law | 335 |
Afterword | 463 |
Common terms and phrases
according accused appointed authority beggars begging Chajes Choshen Mishpat cited Code of Jewish commandment confession conjugal consent context conviction crime criminal law Deuteronomy Divine example exigency laws Exodus explains fact freedom fulfillment HaEzer Hilchot Melachim Hilchot Sanhedrin Hirsch human rights husband Ibid Igrot Moshe important institution interpretation Israel Jerusalem Jewish law judges judicial torture judiciary justice king law's legal system MacKinnon Malbim marital rape marital rape exemption means ment Midrash Mishnah moral Moshe Feinstein needs obligation oppression Oral Torah orphan perspective political poor person prophet protect punishment Rabbi Rabbi Moshe Rambam rape in marriage Rashi refers regarded Responsa Responsa Igrot Moshe Rishonim rule says scholar Sefer Sefer HaMitzvot self-incrimination sexual intercourse Shabbat society socioeconomic rights South African Constitutional Talmud Sanhedrin tion Torah Tosafot Tosefta Tractate tzedakah vagrancy verse vulnerability principle warning welfare Western law wife women Yoreh De'ah