This series will focus on understanding what Torah means according to its ancient Near Eastern understanding and how law and the administration of justice was carried out in ancient Israel.  We will look into the literary genre of law in the ancient Near East and compare it to Greco-Roman law as well as modern law to show how we have frequently misunderstood the intent of Torah.  We will also compare some of the laws in Torah to the Code of Hamurrabi to show the true justice that the Torah provides.  We will also discuss the various courtroom settings, where each was applicable and how justice would be served.  There will also be a lengthy discussion about the legality of the hue and cry and its implications to us today.