The Evolution of Law in the Bible
Part of the series, The Dynamics of Change
This session has generously been sponsored by Yale Asbell, JTS Trustee.
With Dr. Benjamin Sommer, Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages, JTS
Professor Sommer will use laws pertaining to the Sabbath and Passover to show how ritual law evolved in the Bible. During the session, he will offer examples that provide evidence of legal evolution within the Torah itself. These examples will show how the revision and remaking of Jewish law begins neither in modern times nor with the Rabbis of the Talmudic era but with the sages and scribes of biblical Israel.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Change is an integral part of life and a central feature of the Jewish experience. Join JTS scholars for an in-depth exploration of significant changes—religious, political, and personal—throughout Jewish history and life. Together we’ll consider core questions such as: What inspires change? What circumstances are most conducive to change, and what (or who) drives it? How do we experience change and adapt to its impact? How can Jewish values and ideas inspire us to change the world for the better?
