The Jewish Legal Tradition

Ari Mermelstein, Yeshiva University, USA. Ari Mermelstein is an Associate Professor of Bible and Second Temple Literature at Yeshiva University, specializing in the study of ancient Judaism. His publications include Power and Emotion in Ancient Judaism, a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. Suzanne Last Stone, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, USA. Suzanne Last Stone is University Professor of Jewish Law and Contemporary Civilization, Yeshiva University, Professor of Law at Cardozo Law School, and Director of the Center for Jewish Law and Contemporary Civilization and the Israeli Supreme Court Project, both based at Cardozo. She has done pioneering work in Jewish law and legal theory. Yair Lorberbaum, Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Law, Israel. Yair Lorberbaum is a Professor of Law at Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Law, specializing in Jewish law and thought and legal philosophy. His publications include "Disempowered King: Monarchy in Classical Jewish Literature," and "In God's Image: Myth, Theology, and Law in Classical Judaism.”

Introduction Suzanne Last Stone, Ari Mermelstein, and Yair Lorberbaum I. Law and Religious Meaning 1. Rules and Reasons Yair Lorberbaum 2. Law and Ritual Tzvi Novick 3. Jewish Law, Morality, and Natural Law Daniel Statman II. Scope of Halakhah 4. Philosophy of Punishment Amihai Radzyner 5. Philosophy of Private Law Benjamin Porat 6. Philosophy of Family Law Avishalom Westreich III. Internal Operation of Law 7. Adjudication and Judicial Discretion Haim Shapira 8. Legal Interpretation and Legal Reasoning Christine Hayes