Dayan and Shofet

[tonibaruch]

They both are translated as "judge", but which is the precise difference
between the two terms?

(I assume that ha-shofet is a kind of political chief, while ha-dayan is
the judge in a court, but I cannot elaborate much more than this)

Tb

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 23:01:49 +0000 (UTC), tonibaruch <***@despammed.com> wrote:
: They both are translated as "judge", but which is the precise difference
: between the two terms?

: (I assume that ha-shofet is a kind of political chief, while ha-dayan is
: the judge in a court, but I cannot elaborate much more than this)

I would assume similarly -- a shofeit has lawmaker responsibilities, while
a dayan metes out local law.

In the US, a Supreme Court justice is both shofeit and dayan, but the
judge of the local courthouse is a dayan alone.

And then from there, we get the usage we find in the book of Shofetim
(Judges), of a leader who isn't necessarily the head legal authority.

:-)BBii
-mi