Chapter One The Necessity for Biblical Law According to the rabbinic reckoning, the Torah has 613 laws. In terms of Christian tallies, the number is somewhat less because the ancient rabbinic count sometimes divides a single statement into more than one law. Whichever approach to counting laws is used, a very significant fact emerges. God’s purpose is that all of society, and all men and nations, be governed by His law. Now the laws of any particular state or nation in our present world order cannot