The Mosaic Law, also known to many as the Law of Moses, was the set of rules that God imposed on the people of Israel through the prophet Moses. It groups the five books of the Hebrew bible or the Torah, as it is called by the Jews.
The five books that make up the Law are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, which for Christians are those writings that are part of the Old Testament.
Representation of Moses talking to God on Mount Sinai. Source: Phillip Medhurst, via Wikimedia Commons.
Since God used Moses as an intermediary to apply these laws in Israel, at first the belief is that the prophet was in charge of their writing. Currently this data has been questioned and it is said that the Torah had many different authors.
Historical background
It is a mistake to think that the Mosaic Law was the first set of laws that existed. Nor was it an isolated creation on the part of Moses. Some historians have even affirmed that the Torah existed long before the prophet, but it is something that has not been proven.
The Mosaic Law encompassed the norms that seek to regulate the action of the Israelis in the moral, ceremonial and civil levels. One of the most important precedents was the Hammurabi code, accepted as the oldest law book in history. It grouped more than 200 laws.
Logically, the norms found in the Torah were represented in some way before in the Code that they used in the Babylonian Empire.
This influence of the Babylonians could be observed in different ways. For example, Jacob was oppressed in Egypt along with other Israelites and this could cause some ideas or concepts in relation to justice to be born.
Moses, for his part, was part of the pharaoh's family, after being abandoned by his mother, and they gave him the necessary education to unite the different peoples. Furthermore, Abraham's departure from Egypt was the central axis for the development of the Mosaic Law.
Origin
In Judaism they refer to the Torah as the Law. The term Mosaic Law or Law of Moses is more used by Christians. It is the Pentateuch or the five books of Moses, and they bear the name of the prophet because it is said that he was the one who wrote it, expressing the words of God.
According to Jewish culture, Moses wrote the Torah 50 days after leaving Egypt, due to the oppression that Israelite communities were suffering. This encounter between the prophet and God occurred on Mount Sinai, which is located between Africa and Asia.
It is made up of more than 600 commandments, although only 10 are considered the fundamental axis to establish the norms that should govern the communities. The Mosaic laws were also written in Hebrew.
Moses
The Hebrews regard him as the figure who freed them from the oppression of the Egyptians. He was also an important character for other religions. Christians called him a prophet and he is holy in various churches. In Islam he is one of the most important characters before the appearance of Muhammad, and he was one of the most named in the Koran.
Moses' brother, Aaron, was the nation's first priest, appointed directly by God. He always acted as an intermediary for Moses.
goals
The Mosaic Law had several objectives when it was created. It featured all kinds of scriptures, from laws, to rites, to celebration and symbols.
To begin with, they wanted to make it clear to Israel that God was a holy figure. It served to make it clear that no man was exempt from committing any sin, but he also spoke of the importance of sacrifice and of giving offerings in search of forgiveness for sins committed.
Among many things, it was a guide for the nation of Israel, which received information about the moral standards (promoted kind and honest actions), ethical and civil standards that they should follow.
A very important goal was to prevent Jews from identifying with paganism. Therefore, followers of the Law of Moses were prohibited from marrying people who did not agree with the laws of the Torah.
characteristics
The Laws of Moses are read three times a week in the synagogues. The readings take place on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The first two days are short texts. During the weekend the main reading of the text occurs during the morning.
Readings are done in order throughout the year. A tone similar to that of speaking is not used but the readings are sung and this action is carried out by someone who received the appropriate training. If this figure does not exist, so can the rabbi.
The scrolls of scrolls to be read are never directly touched.
The Mosaic Law takes 18 months to write, a job that is always done by hand. It is such a sacred text that if it is dropped to the ground everyone must fast for 40 days as punishment.
Oral law
There is evidence of the Mosaic Law thanks to the scriptures attributed to Moses. There has also been talk of the existence of a spoken law transmitted by God.
Initially, the idea was to spread information about the practice of the commandments present in the Torah through word of mouth. The transmission was given from generation to generation until the third century after Christ, which was when the oral law was transcribed in the Mishnah, which are six books made up of more than 500 chapters.
In the Mishna, work was discussed, festivities, the subject of marriage, civil rights, temples and religious laws, and finally delved into the purification of the body.
Curiosities
The Law of Moses is a book that weighs over 10 kilos and cannot be dropped to the ground under any circumstances.
The laws are written on parchments and the writing of all of them occupies more than 60 pages. The Torah can only be written in special black ink.
References
- Cranfield, C., & Dunn, J. (1996). Paul and the Mosaic law. Tübingen: Mohr.
- Leeser, I. (2019). Jews and the Mosaic Law. Philadelphia.
- Mcgee, D. (2016). Mosaic Law. XLIBRIS.
- Rose, H. (1831). Notices of the Mosaic law; with some account of the opinions of recent French writers concerning it… 1831. London.
- Printed for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. (1854). The mercies of the Mosaic Law. London.