If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.
#exodus 22:5 #mishpatim

This man stole from his neighbor by letting his animal graze in the other's field. Since the animal ate indiscriminately, the restitution is not simply double what the animal ate, but the same amount of the best of the thief's crops. This is comparable to double restitution.

If a thief is caught breaking in at night, you may assume he is there to hurt someone. If you kill him while defending your house, it's not murder in God's eyes. If you render him helpless or he escapes, you can't then kill him. It's no longer defense of self or others at that point.
#exodus 22:2-3 #mishpatim

Original Hebrew Scripture from Psalm 31 Original Hebrew Scripture from Psalm 31

"I have hated the keepers of vanities of falsehood: and I to Yahweh have trusted."

שָׂנֵאתִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַבְלֵי־שָׁוְא וַאֲנִי אֶל־יְהוָה בָּטָחְתִּי

"But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Re 21

Why do rules about restitution for theft follow immediately after rules about slavery in #exodus? Two reasons come to mind.

1) Poverty often leads to theft, and a thief might have to sell himself into slavery to make restitution.
2) Biblical slavery was regulated to act as a social safety net for the very destitute. It's better to become a slave than a thief.

Shalom dear fellow Shofar Blowers and Listeners!

Here is your Meeting Link:
https://dateful.com/eventlink/2753910087

Feel free to invite others using this link:
https://tube.ttn.place/v/KmZMaD


Please let us know if you would like to lead worship in one of the next meetings, or know someone that would.

We are greatly Looking forward to sounding the Shofar with you in Jerusalem!

Shalom,
Camp Ephraim

Shalom dear fellow Shofar Blowers and Listeners!

Here is your Meeting Link:
https://dateful.com/eventlink/2753910087

Feel free to invite others using this link:
https://tube.ttn.place/v/KmZMaD


Please let us know if you would like to lead worship in one of the next meetings, or know someone that would.

We are greatly Looking forward to sounding the Shofar with you in Jerusalem!

Shalom,
Camp Ephraim

God's prescription for theft is restitution, not imprisonment. Locking people up for stealing just costs the victims even more money. How does prison actually solve the problem? It doesn't. Prison is like tech school for career criminals.

Punitive damages for theft should be given to the victim, not the court, and they generally shouldn't be modified according to the wealth or poverty of the thief. If the perp can't pay, they can work it off.

#exodus 22:1-4