Why the Civil Laws Were Given First to Make Peace

"And these are the ordinances" (Exodus 21:1). Rabbi Ishmael says: These [the civil laws] add to the earlier ones [the Ten Commandments]; just as the earlier ones were from Sinai, so too the later ones were from Sinai. Rabbi Akiva says: "And these are the ordinances" - why is it said? Because it says elsewhere, "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them" (Leviticus 1:2) - teach it twice and three and four times until they learn it, as it is said, "and teach it to the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 31:19). One might think they should learn but not repeat it; the verse teaches, "put it in their mouths" (same). Or that they should repeat it but not understand it; the verse teaches, "And these are the ordinances" - arrange them before them like a set table, as it is said, "You have been shown, that you might know" (Deuteronomy 4:35). Rabbi Judah says: "And these are the ordinances" - they were spoken at Marah, as it is said, "There He made for them a statute and an ordinance" (Exodus 15:25). Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah says: But consider the nations who judge according to the law of Israel - I might hear that their rulings should stand; the verse teaches, "And these are the ordinances" - you judge their cases, but they do not judge yours. From here they said: a coerced bill of divorce is valid when [the coercion is] by Israel, but invalid when by heathens. Yet among the heathens they may beat him and say to him, "Do what Israel tells you." Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says: What did the laws of justice see fit to precede all the commandments in the Torah? Because when there is a dispute between a person and his fellow, there is strife between them; once the case is decided for them, peace is made between them. And so Jethro said to Moses, "and also all this people will come to their place in peace" (Exodus 18:23).