Torah vs. Code of Hammurabi

       The Torah is both very similar and very different to the Code of Hammurabi.  One similarity between them is the lex talionis principle that we see a lot. In the bible we see the saying, "an eye for an eye" which is also carried through in the Code of Hammurabi. They tried to match the punishment as closely to the crime as possible. They also are showing guidelines for how the people should live their lives. The Code has many guidelines for how others should treat each other, and what should happen in many given circumstances, and the Torah tells a lot about how the Jews should act, and how to sacrifice for instance, and what rules there are for how you should act. There are also many differences between these documents too. The Code of Hammurabi for instance is very focused on justice, and how punishments should be carried out, and many of those punishments are a death penalty for things that do not endanger the lives of others. The Torah does not focus nearly as much on the punishments, but focuses on showing you how you strive to live, and helping you to get there. The Code of Hammurabi is more of a judgement book, and the Torah is a law book. Also, the Code of Hammurabi is set in place by a king so it is obviously not perfect, however the Torah came straight from God so it is perfect, and you can follow it without wondering if it is really the right way to live.