Question

Mosaic law taught "an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth," which seems an antiquated form of justice. In the very first chapters of the Torah, Judaism also taught about the origins of humanity. In 100 to 150 words, describe which basic human right is outlined, and discuss how it was different from other classical teachings on the rights of humanity.

A) The right to retaliation and the concept of proportionate justice.
B) The right to life and the emphasis on valuing all human lives equally.
C) The right to property and the establishment of ownership rights.
D) The right to freedom and the recognition of individual autonomy.

Answer 1

The Torah outlined the right to life and taught the value of all human lives equally, introducing the revolutionary idea of essential equality which set it apart from other ancient laws that varied according to social status.

Step-by-step explanation:

The basic human right outlined in the first chapters of the Torah is B) the right to life and the emphasis on valuing all human lives equally. This was radically different from other classical teachings, which often discriminated based on social class or status. Hammurabi's code, for instance, applied the principle of 'an eye for an eye' differently depending on social hierarchy. In contrast, Jewish teachings proposed the revolutionary idea of essential equality among all humans before God, as seen in the egalitarian laws of the Torah and later in the Talmud. This emphasis on equality differed from the notion of varying rights and laws for different social strata, which was common among other ancient civilizations.