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Israel and The Social Laws and Social System of the Pentateuch


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Israel and The Social Laws and Social System of the Pentateuch

The right to the land in which one lives, that is the strength and success of a people, depends on how people behave towards each other. The Pentateuch <1> states which kind of behaviour gives strength, which provides a good life of high quality, which ensures independence and freedom from oppression and exploitation.

These behavioural guidelines apply to all, and Jewish history proves the matter.


Israel

To the Jewish people, Israel is the promised land, the land which was promised to Jews by God and that it is thus their land.

It is perhaps because this property, this land in which milk and honey flows, has been singled out in such a special way by God, that so many try to benefit from the good life surely granted to all its inhabitants, that so many have struggled and are struggling to own and control this most desirable of all properties.

Persians, Babylonians, Seleucids and Egyptians all had a go as did Macedonians, Romans, Ottomans and Arabs. Christianity and Islam struggled to possess it for many years. Last but not least the Hebrews, the Jews of today, twice gained the country God had promised them only to be driven out later. Returning each time, they have now returned once again and re-established for the third time their rule over the country.

One can understand that such a wonderful gift from God should be in such demand - but how come the land changed hands so frequently, how come the bailiffs came so often and so regularly?


Perhaps it is simplistic to consider that God would enter into a one-sided and unconditional commitment, saying "There it is. It is yours to do with as you please" and then turn his back on subsequent proceedings.

There is the matter of the 'Covenant'. It is this which makes Jews the 'chosen' people. At Mount Sinai, Jews in effect agreed the Covenant, that contract between God and the Jewish people by which Jews agreed to accept and observe the Pentateuch's rules of behaviour and to be held accountable for the extent to which they did so. If they observed these rules of behaviour, then they and their descendants would live secure lives of high quality in the promised land.

So Jews are entitled to stay and use the land but only to the extent to which the Pentateuch's rules of behaviour are followed and observed. The bailiffs have come in so often in the past to expel the land's occupants because these did not observe these essential rules of behaviour

In the language of religion, the land of Israel does not belong to anyone other than God. Those who live in it may use and benefit from the land but only as long as they follow God's laws. If they do not, then in due course the land is repossessed and transferred to someone else. Ignorance is no excuse. Those who stop following the law lose their entitlement to use it and are in due course driven out and persecuted. (See The Right to the Land of Israel)


The Social Laws and Social System of the Pentateuch

The contract document, namely the Pentateuch, was written down at the time, has not been changed, is public knowledge.

It lays down in precise terms a comprehensive social system and rules of behaviour which form the basis of, and ensure, a quality of life and a standard of living which have still not been achieved. It also states clearly the rewards for observing and the dire consequences of ignoring or breaking its rules of behaviour.

We are told that the consequences of one's behaviour are inevitable since they are determined by a scientific and inescapable Cause-and-Effect Relationship (See The Right to the Land of Israel). Hence the right to the land of Israel and the future prosperity of its inhabitants depend on following the social laws and the social system of the Pentateuch. Ignorance is no excuse. What is outstandingly important is that the Cause-and-Effect Relationship applies to all people and at all times, and history clearly and convincingly illustrates the working of the relationship.


The Pentateuch teaches that all are equal and that one may neither exploit nor be exploited, and sets out a social system for ensuring that these laws are applied, for ensuring that rulers and establishments serve their people.

The social system guarantees everyone's personal and material independence with the community supporting those who are in need, supporting those whose independence is threatened or those who wish to establish their own material independence, say by setting up their own enterprise.

The role of the establishment (your leadership, rulers, managers, bureaucracy) is to lead you in the struggle for a better and more secure life of better quality, struggling by your side and for you, living as you do and at your standard of living.

The laws of government in the Pentateuch in effect lay down that it is the establishment which should serve the people and not the other way about.

The establishment may not enrich themselves, may not form enforcing organisations or systems, may not have a better quality of life than that of the community.

However, it is much easier to tell the rich to share their wealth than actually convince them to do so. But history has proved beyond doubt that the consequences of one's behaviour are as stated. The reason some of our lives resemble hell rather than heaven is because we have been unable to ensure that all are equal, because we have allowed some of us to oppress and exploit the others.


In everyday language and in the language of science we know that people are affected and changed by their own behaviour and that communities stand or fall according to their actions, as a result of the behaviour of the community as a whole. Oppress and exploit and your community will get weaker and weaker and fail in the end. Follow a pattern of social behaviour and establish a social system which are based on social fairness and justice and you will gain strength and prosper and this will continue while you are doing so. The people have to be told about the relevance of the social laws and under present conditions.



Sources

See report
The Right to the Land of Israel
from which this theme's information was extracted.

Also see
The God-given Human Rights, Social Laws and Social System.
and
Judaism, Christianity and Islam (Church and State, Government and Religion)


Notes <..>

<1>   The Pentateuch, that is the five books of Moses
(Also called Torah; Part of Old Testament).


Short Descriptions

Title   Description
     
The Right to the Land of Israel   This report proves that the right to the land in which one lives, that is the strength and success of a people, depends on how people behave towards each other. This applies to all.
     
The God-given Human Rights, Social Laws and Social System.   A comprehensive statement of the God-given human rights which underlie all freedom, liberty and independence. They underlie and determine a good life of high quality. See 'Press Notices'.
     
Judaism, Christianity and Islam (Church and State, Government and Religion)   Shows that underlying Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the Pentateuch's benevolent and egalitarian social laws and social system. Reveals for each religion the controversies and conflicts between church and state, between beliefs and practice. See 'Press Notices'.



Manfred Davidmann

Manfred Davidmann is an internationally well-known and respected scientist and author of a number of books and reports which have had and are having considerable impact. His work usually breaks new ground and opens up new understanding and is written in meaningful and easily understood language. Outstanding is that his work is generally accepted as factual, objective and unbiased.



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