1. Brief Response
Name the two systems of law that developed during the rise of the Roman republic and compare them. Explain why the Romans developed the second system.
Discussion: sample
Suggested response: The first system of law developed during the Roman republic was called the civil law. It applied only to Roman citizens. The civil law was based on numerous rules and judges’ opinions.
Over time, the Romans expanded into new territories. This created a problem for their system of laws since they needed to cover both citizens and foreign subjects. So the Romans developed a second system of laws based on the laws of nature and reason. This system was supposed to apply to all people. It was known as the law of nations. It grew out of Stoic philosophy and the idea of natural rights.

2. What do you know about Jews or the Jewish Faith?

3. The beginning of the Abrahamic faiths.
Judaism
The beginning of
the Abrahamic faiths.

4. Lecture/Discussion
Material from your reading

5. Why Judaism?
Judaism is the root of the “Judeo-Christian” tradition, believed in by most people in Western Civilization
It is the religion of the Hebrews.
Key ideas include:
Equality (leaders are not “above the law”
Justice
Duty/responsibility
Rule of law

6. Where is Palestine/Israel?
Hebrews were a nomadic people in West Asia,
they settled in the areas of Canaan and Palestine.
(go to Google Earth)

7. Jerusalem: After David became king, a capital was built.
Holy to Jews: for the Temple of Solomon (where the Ten Commandments were kept)
Holy to Christians: Jesus died there and rose to Heaven from there.
Holy to Muslims: Muhammad rose to his god from there.
(go to Google Earth)

8. Founding a Faith Abraham: The one who started Judaism Prophet:
The leader of a religion, who expresses the main teachings
Other spiritual leaders who interpreted the Jewish god’s will
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Moses

9. Founding a Faith
There are three “Abrahamic” religions, because they share the same basic teachings.
EC: The religions include:
Judaism, (started over 5000 years ago).
Christianity (2000 years ago)
Islam (1400 years ago).

10. Freedom and true faith
A modern ideal of Western thinking is that all people will be free and have basic freedoms.
Moses:
The prophet mentioned in the Torah regarding freedom
He is chronicled in the book of Exodus

11. Challenging contemporary religions
Monotheistic:
A religion where there is only one god
Jewish religion has one god,
Surrounding cultures had many gods.
(By Jewish law, saying his name is forbidden. The crime, with a penalty of death, is called blasphemy)
Here we see a comedic skit about it

12. One god one government Jews felt that their one god had one morality.
Those who have need to care for those who have not.
One morality made one system of law that all society lived under, even leaders.
Today, secular and democratic people believe that their government must promote, protect, and practice the basic morality of their society.

13. Government and the governed
Covenant:
An powerful agreement between people
The Torah teaches that the Jews and their god have an agreement:
Jews are faithful and obedient to their god
Their god provides them a homeland and protection.

14. EC: How are Ancient Jewish Laws and modern Western government similar?
Belief in a citizen’s obedience/cooperation with the government
Belief that government’s purpose is to protect the society.
Belief that human leaders must obey the laws just like any other citizen.
Belief in ethics among leaders
Belief in a written code of laws (constitution)

15. Jewish Practices Sabbath (English),
Jews believe that one day, from sunset to sunset, must be free of work and believers must show their faith.
Shabbat (Hebrew)
Prayers and special family dinner on Friday
Temple on Saturday.

16. Review: Why are we studying these people?
Their religion dominates the first half of the Western Christian Bible, believed in by some billion people.
The learnings from their teachings were the early ideas and versions of modern Western civilization and political thinking.
Government
Law/justice

17. The Ten Commandments
"I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
You shall have no other gods before Me..."
"Do not make an image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above..."
"Do not swear falsely by the name of the LORD..."
"Remember [zachor] the Sabbath day and keep it holy"
"Honor your father and your mother..."
"Do not murder"
"Do not commit adultery."
"Do not steal."
"Do not bear false witness against your neighbor"
"Do not covet your neighbor's wife"

18. 12 Secular or Clerical? Are these part of the laws in modern Western cultures? You only need to provide valid evidence for your choice.
Clerical
Clerical/secular
"I am the LORD your God
You shall have no other gods before Me..."
"Do not make an image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above..."
"Do not swear falsely by the name of the LORD..."
"Remember [zachor] the Sabbath day and keep it holy"
"Honor your father and your mother..."
"Do not murder"
"Do not commit adultery."
"Do not steal."
"Do not bear false witness against your neighbor"
"Do not covet your neighbor's wife"

19. Ethics Ethics are very important in the Jewish faith.
EC: Jewish moral standards of behavior.
There are two:
individual
community.

20. Shunned/Attacked by Others
Diaspora:
Events when Jews were taken or driven out of Israel are documented in the Torah.
There were several
Assyria drove all the Jews to its capital as slaves. This is called the
Babylonian Captivity.

21. Shunned Or Attacked by Others
Perhaps the most devastating diaspora was under the Roman Empire.
Rome demanded Jews obey all laws, even those that conflicted with Jewish beliefs
i.e. Caesar is a living god
Jewish insurgents attacked
Romans.
Rome seized Jerusalem and drove most Jews out by 70 CE, sacking and destroying their holy sites
Shown in this victory frieze found in Rome.

22. EC: One might characterize the history of the Israelites ….…..
Jews migrated or were forced in and out of their homeland several times.
They stayed united through their
adherence to the rules of their faith which taught (3)
Equality
Cooperation
Rule of law

23. Thoughtful Review
He who trusts any man with supreme power gives it to a wild beast, for such his appetite sometimes makes him; passion influences those in power, even the best of men, but law is reason without desire Aristotle
Which feature of modern Western democratic government reflects Aristotle’s views as given here?
A direct election of members of the legislature.
The power of the courts to review the law.
The granting of emergency powers to the chief executive.
The requirement that government actions must adhere to the law.

24. Homework and Notes

25. Key Scriptures EC: The main teachings of the Jews are written in the
Torah:
EC: The Torah is also the first five books of the Christian
Bible.
EC: Christians call it the …..
‘Old Testament’

26. Text, p. 29, Standards Check Question
Their history is a series of migrations, including
Abraham’s journey into Canaan.
The exodus from Egypt (led by Moses)
The Babylonian Captivity

27. p. 29, The Western Wall Question
It is both an historic and current symbol of their faith.

28. Freedom and true faith
EC: The Torah writes that ______________was a Jew raised unknowingly by the Egyptian pharaoh.
Moses
EC: It is in the part of the Torah and the Bible called (EC)
Exodus
EC: He was later assigned by his god to free Jews enslaved in
Egypt
Exodus is a story of faith and freedom, as the survivors take 40 years to escape back to Israel.
It also reminds Western people of any belief background that slavery in any form is morally wrong.
“Let my people, go!” , is the famous quote of Moses to Pharoah.

29. Text, p. 30, Standards Check Question Jews believe in one god.
They believe that they had to uphold a covenant with that god to obey the god’s laws.

30. Two Types of Law Modern Western people have two types of law.
made by the people, based on traditions, beliefs, previous decisions, voting, is called ___________________ Law
Secular
Used predominately by most nations today
based on a religious text, that cannot be changed by the people, because it is their god’s commandment, is called ___________________ Law
Clerical
Used by only a few nations today

31. Text, p. 31, Standards Check Question The Ten Commandments
Found in the Book of Exodus
In the Torah

32. Government and the governed
Four thousand years later, in the 1600s CE, English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, called the relationship of government to its people the
Social contract
people are obedient to the law and government
The government provides them a homeland and protection.

33. People and government Religious Concept The Covenant Secular Concept
god protects the people (believers)
People give their faith, sacrifice, and lives to the god.
Secular Concept
The Social Contract
Government protects the people (citizens), rules them
People obey the laws, give up the right to rule themselves.

34. One god, authority over all One law and one morality
EC: How are the Jewish religious ideas about running their society and Western-style government similar?
(3)
One god, authority over all
One law and one morality
Seven Universal (Noahide) Laws : and justice shall be applied to all, not just Jews
(3)
one government, authority over all
A constitution that is supreme to all laws.
modern constitution applies to all in the country, citizen or foreigner
(basis of Ancient Roman “international law”)

35. EC: Ethics
Westerners expect their leaders to be honest, fair, and wise.
These are basic ideas of the RULE OF LAW practiced in Western societies.
EC: Examples of Jewish ethical ideas are: (3)
Equality before the law
Rich have a duty to protect the poor
Leaders must obey the law as everyone else does

36. Shunned/Attacked by others
EC: Jewish leaders felt that their people would forget their religion and so they wrote the book of
Deuteronomy
It has the rules and practices a Jew must follow, no matter where he/she is.

37. Ancient Jews and Western Ideals
Take out a piece of paper and form into count-off groups.

38. Shunned/Attacked by others
Jews fled to many parts of the world, many to Europe.
Over time, Europeans resented the Jews as foreigners.
They suspected them of greed, treachery, and selfishness
When Europeans became Christian, they hated Jews for killing Jesus.
Eastern Europeans forced them to live in separate neighborhoods = ghettos.
And, yet, the European Christian religion was basically Jewish.

39. Text, p. 32, Standards Check Question
It began with the exile to Babylon, 586 BCE (BC).
After which, some Jews chose not to return to Canaan.
Then, the Romans drove out many Jews from “Judea” in 70CE (AD)
As punishment for rebelling against Roman rule.

40. Brief Response
How did the beliefs of the ancient Israelites influence Western views on social organization and the rule of law?