In the American legal system, punishments meted out in criminal cases almost never involve compensation for the victim—often leading victims or their families to follow up criminal prosecutions with civil suits. By contrast, notes Jeremiah Unterman, biblical and talmudic law make both punishment for the wrongdoer and restitution for the victim priorities in the sentencing of criminals. Just as stark is the contrast between Jewish law and its ancient competitors: Unterman notes that Hammurabi’s code of 282 laws contain not a single statute for the protection of the poor, while the Pentateuch constantly cites the needs of paupers, widows, orphans, and strangers.
In a wide-ranging interview by Dru Johnson, Unterman discusses these subjects, along with his own career, his experiences in the Six-Day War, and much else.
Read more on Center for Hebraic Thought: https://hebraicthought.org/podcast/jeremiah-unterman-ethics-in-the-bible-cht-fellow/