Dayanim Law, 5715-1955
חוק הדיינים, תשט"ו-1955
Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More
This English text was translated from the official Hebrew using a range of translation tools, and it undergoes ongoing checks and updates. It is not a certified translation.
Despite these checks, it may contain errors, omissions, or imprecise renderings of legal terminology and cross-references, and it may not yet reflect the latest amendments. It cannot be relied upon as a legal text.
The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.
This translation is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For use in legal proceedings, request a certified Expert Legal Opinion.
Definitions§
In this Law –
"dayan" – a member of a Rabbinical Court within the meaning of the Palestine Order-in-Council, 1922-1947, the Rabbinical Courts (Validation of Appointments) Law, 5712-1952, and the Rabbinical Courts Jurisdiction (Marriage and Divorce) Law, 5713-1953;
"Chief Rabbinate Council" – within the meaning of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Law, 5740-1980 (in this Law – the Chief Rabbinate Law);
"the Minister" – the Minister of Justice;
"the Commissioner" – the Public Complaints Commissioner on Judges appointed pursuant to section 3 of the Public Complaints Commissioner on Judges Law, 5762-2002.
Subject of the Law§
This Law deals with the dayanim of the Great Rabbinical Court, which serves as a court of appeals, and of the regional Rabbinical Courts.
Qualifications of Dayanim§
A person who has been authorised to that effect by the Chief Rabbinate Council within two years before the appointment is qualified to be appointed as a dayan. The conditions and procedures for authorisation shall be prescribed in Regulations that the Minister shall make with the consent of the Chief Rabbinate Council.
Citizenship§
Chief Rabbis, Local Rabbis§
The Chief Rabbis of Israel shall be dayanim by virtue of their office.
Mode of Appointment§
Dayanim shall be appointed by the President of the State upon the proposal of the Committee for the Selection of Dayanim (hereinafter – the Committee), which shall be brought before the President by the Minister.
Committee for the Selection of Dayanim§
Restriction on Appointment of a Dayan§
The Committee shall not propose the appointment of a dayan if the candidate has been convicted of a criminal offence which, in the circumstances of the case, involves moral turpitude.
Voting in the Committee§
A member of the Committee shall vote according to his own discretion and shall not be bound by the decisions of the body on whose behalf he is a member of the Committee.
Procedure of the Committee§
Presidents, Presiding Dayanim and Composition of Courts§
Determination of Panels, Dates and Place of Service§
Appointment in an Acting Capacity§
Associate Dayan§
Oath of Allegiance§
A person appointed as a dayan is required, before sitting in judgment, to make the following declaration before the President of the State and in the presence of the Chief Rabbis of Israel:
"I undertake to bear allegiance to the State of Israel, to adjudicate the people with righteous judgment, not to pervert justice and not to show favour."
Validity of Appointment§
Where a dayan's appointment has been published in Reshumot (Official Gazette), there shall be no appeal against his appointment.
Independence of Dayanim§
A dayan is subject to no authority in matters of adjudication other than the authority of the law under which he adjudicates.
Appeal§
Administrative Procedures§
Term of Service of Dayanim§
The service of a dayan shall commence on the day on which he made his oath of allegiance and shall not terminate except in one of the following:
Resignation§
A dayan may resign from office by submitting a letter of resignation to the Minister, and his tenure shall cease upon the expiry of three months from the submission of the letter of resignation, unless the Minister agreed to a shorter period.
Pension§
Termination of a dayan's tenure§
A dayan's power to conclude proceedings§
Salary and other payments§
The salary of a dayan and the other payments to be paid to him during his term of office shall be determined by a decision of the Knesset, which may authorise the Finance Committee to do so. Decisions under this section shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette).
Declaration of assets§
Sections 21a to 21h of the Courts Law [Consolidated Version], 5744-1984, shall apply to a dayan, with the necessary modifications and with the following modifications:
Exclusivity of office§
A dayan shall not be a member of the Knesset or of a council of a local authority or of a religious council; however, with his consent and with the consent of the Minister and the President of the Great Rabbinical Court, he may temporarily perform another function on behalf of the State or perform another public function, if in their opinion this does not detract from his standing as a dayan.
Transfer of a dayan to another place§
If the Minister considers it necessary, for administrative reasons, to transfer a dayan permanently to a Rabbinical Court situated in another place, he shall first obtain the consent of the President of the Great Rabbinical Court to such transfer.
Grounds for disqualification§
for the purposes of this subsection –
"family member" – a spouse, parent, parent of a spouse, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, and also a child or spouse of any of the foregoing, and including a person who was a guardian or who served as a foster family of the dayan or whose guardian the dayan was or for whom the dayan served as a foster family;
"first-degree family member" – a spouse, parent, child, sibling, and also a child or spouse of any of the foregoing, and including a person who was a guardian or who served as a foster family of the dayan or whose guardian the dayan was or for whom the dayan served as a foster family;
"key witness" – a witness whose credibility requires assessment for the purpose of determining the proceedings.
Dayanim ethics rules§
The President of the Great Rabbinical Court, with the consent of the membership of the dayanim of the Great Rabbinical Court and after consultation with the Minister, may prescribe ethics rules for dayanim.
Ethics committee§
Disciplinary court§
Complaint against a dayan§
Disciplinary measures§
The disciplinary measures that the disciplinary court is competent to impose are:
Findings of the disciplinary court§
(Repealed — תשע״ג)
Suspension of a dayan§
Publication in Reshumot (Official Gazette)§
Notice of the appointment of a dayan and of the end of a dayan's tenure, and likewise notice of the determination of the President of the Great Rabbinical Court as referred to in section 8, shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette).
Criminal charge§
Transitional provisions§
Implementation and regulations§
Repeals§
(Repealed — תשל״ב)
Need to cite this law in a foreign court?
Eli Shimony Israeli Attorneys-at-Law provides certified Expert Legal Opinions on Israeli law within 24–48 hours, accepted by courts worldwide.
Contact Us →Read the entire law on one page — continuous text, no page breaks, plus PDF downloads.
חוק הדיינים, תשט"ו-1955
Dayanim Law
Dayyanim Law
Judges Law 1955
religious judges Israel
rabbinic court judges
Dayanim appointment
Jewish court judges
halakhic judges law