Priests and Judges
Priests
There are 3 types of Priest mentioned in the Torah.
Priests: Kohen/Kahan (Exodus 19:6, Exodus 28:1)
Priests in the order of Melchizedek: Kohen L'El Elyon/Kohen Dibrati Malkizedek (Genesis 14:18, Psalms 110:4)
Levite Priests: Kohanim Halevim (Deuteronomy 18:1, Deuteronomy 24:8, 1 Chronicles 15:2)
Priests are bestowed duties in relation to the Temple, as well as several other roles.
Priests are to minister in the name of Yehova (Deuteronomy 21:5), perform duties related to the Tent of Meeting (Numbers 18:3), bless the people (Leviticus 9:23) and deal with diseases and plagues (Leviticus 13-16).
It's important to note that Priests have sometimes failed to follow the law (1 Samuel 22:18, Jeremiah 5:31).
The power given to the Priests by the Torah to decide controversies about Jewish Law is a central element of the IsraelAlia Theory.
This is what Yehova of Hosts says: "Ask the Priests the law (Torah). If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?" "No" replied the Priests. Haggai asked, "If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?" "Yes, it becomes defiled" the Priests answered.
And you shall be for Me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation.
Concerning Levi, Moses said, "He will teach Your judgements to Jacob and Your law to Israel".
Judges
And I charged your Judges at that time, saying: 'Hear the causes between your brothers and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
Furthermore, select capable men from among the people. Yehova-fearing, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. Let them judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they shall judge.
In Exodus 18, Jethro the Priest advises Moses to appoint 'Leaders' over the people, to help him with the judging.
In Exodus 18:13-16, Moses describes the process of judging as involving, 'making known' the statutes and laws (Torah) of Yehova. This is arguably the alleged basis for the Oral Torah - words that were spoken by Moses regarding the Law.
Judges: Shophet (Deuteronomy 17:9)
List of every Torah entry for 'shaphat' (Englishman's Concordance and Strong's Hebrew)
'Dictionary' style list of different uses of the word 'shaphat' (NAS Exhaustive Concordance)
Dictionary/synonym style word list for 'shaphat' (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance)
Biblehub word 8199 ('shaphat') (Biblehub Summary)
How the Priests and Judges Resolve Jewish Law
And you shall come to the Priests the Levites and to the Judge that shall be in those days and inquire and they shall declare to you (untranslated word) the words of judgment.
And you shall do according to the terms of the words which they shall declare to you from that place that Yehova shall choose and you shall observe to do according to all that they teach.
According to the law which they shall teach you and according to the judgment which they shall tell you you shall do you shall not turn aside from the words which they shall declare to you to the right hand nor to the left.
Verse 10 states they will "declare unto thee
... the terms of the words .. from that place which Yehova shall choose" and uses the word יַגִּידוּ, which is a conjugation of the
word וְהִגִּידוּ found in Verse 9.
Verse 11 says עַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּךָ, which is translated in some Torah versions as meaning "according to the law which they shall teach thee", although translates more literally as "according to the command of the Torah they will teach you". Verse 11 also says וְעַל הַמִּשְׁפָּט אֲשֶׁר יֹאמְרוּ לְךָ, which is translated in Torah versions and literally as "according to the judgment which they shall tell thee".
The 'words' to be 'declared' (Verse 10) are identified as the words of judgement in Verse 9. A question exists as to what law may be 'taught'. Verse 11 suggests to me that the only law that may be taught is that which is relevant to the controversy, "according to the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do".
Verse 11 then states, לֹא תָסוּר מִן הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יַגִּידוּ לְךָ יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל, translated as, "thou shalt not turn aside from the words which they shall declare unto thee, to the right hand, nor to the left". This requirement is directed to the Israelites and obliges them to follow the judgements exactly as prescribed.
The Authority of the Priests and Judge is an interactive and living system of law because people are always able to approach the Priests and Judge at any time, whenever there is controversy.