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HIDDEN
LDS/JEWISH INSIGHTS #23
Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Supplement by Daniel Rona
Weekly E-mail Reminder
<< MORE THAN ONE WITNESS >>
Alma 8–12
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(1.) ORDER IN THE COURT!
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Alma refers to
the "order of the Church." The Lord always had an order of governing
the dealings with his children. Modern Judaism struggles with a lack of
religious order evident by disputations about interpretations of Jewish law, yet
the State of Israel provides a framework for religious freedom. "Israel's
Declaration of Independence guarantees religious freedom and the safeguarding of
holy places for all peoples ‘without distinction of creed, race or sex’ . .
. each religious community has its own courts with jurisdiction over personal
matters, and their own community schools, should parents opt for a religious
education." ("Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(2.) DOES BIBLICAL LAW AFFECT MODERN JEWISH
LAW?
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The State of Israel has established a legal system based on Biblical
law yet it is greatly influenced by the British system of Law established during
the Mandate period prior to Israel becoming a state. Some modern/biblical
considerations of legal terms follow. The first includes information about
witnesses. That is followed by some insight about lawyers and
"pleaders."
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(3.) WITNESSES:
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"The laws involving
witness are many. Not all people are qualified to testify before the court.
Among those not admissible are slaves, minors (before bar mitzvah), lunatics,
the deaf and dumb, the blind, criminals who have not repented their crime,
relatives of any party involved in the case or the judges, one who stands to
gain from his testimony . . ." ". . . The Bible declares that in order
to convict, the evidence must be given by at least two witnesses . .
." "Halakhic requirements of the marriage ceremony include: the huppah
(canopy); the giving of the ring by the groom to the bride in the presence of two
valid witnesses;" (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(4.) LAWYERS AND JUDGES:
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The term
"Rabbi" used to mean one trained in the law, or in other words, a
lawyer. The higher degrees of Rabbi would have been the judges and court
leaders. "During the 19th century, the functions of the rabbi began to
change and many communities demanded that their leaders be versed not only in
Talmud and Jewish law but also in secular studies. To meet these new conditions,
rabbinical seminaries were organized, issuing a variety of ‘rabbinical
degrees.’" "The Torah stresses that justice must not be meted out by
the parties themselves but must be administered by impartial judges."
(Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(5.) JEWISH "DISPUTATIONS:"
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"The history of disputations or polemics is common in Judaism, both biblically
and in more recent times. The arguments, proving and disproving, appeared both
positively and negatively, for and against, the Jews. It is human nature, yet
more so, a characteristic of Jewish culture to have two-sided debates.
"Throughout history Jews have often been called on to defend their faith
against non-believers in public debates known as disputations or polemics. Often
these disputations were conducted in friendly atmospheres of mutual respect, but
all too often these debates took on aspects of bitterness." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(6.) JEWISH/CHRISTIAN DISPUTATIONS:
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"The developing rift between Christianity and Judaism and the animosity
after their final split in the second century C.E. produced many great
disputations . . .(c. 135 C.E.) between the Christian Justin Martyr and the Jew
Tryphon . . . the argument became bitter." ". . . Muslim-Jewish
debates . . . in the 10th century, developed as well . . . Jews questioned the
Koran's value and attacked Muhammad in the process." "Disputations
still occurred in the 20th century." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(7.) LEARNING THE OTHER’S POINT OF VIEW:
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These kinds of disputations
have drawn Jews away from dialogues with believers in Jesus, the Messiah.
Disputations require some learning of the other’s point of view. In the last
days, more and more Jews are becoming aware that religious order was restored
from time to time throughout history and that there may need for a final
restoration that has to happen in these latter-days. These restorations
consistently review the "beginning to the end," the plan of salvation,
the true order of God.
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