Deuteronomy 22:8 commands: 'When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.'

Some may wonder how a rule like this applies today, assuming it to be an outdated regulation. However, modern builders do follow the contemporary equivalent. As scholars point out, the flat roof of an ancient house would be used for many practical purposes, such as sleeping in the summertime, various household chores, and entertaining. These chores included drying and storage of produce; even today the roof is used for such things in modern Arab nations.

We do not use our roofs the same way today -- the modern functional equivalent of an accessible, elevated gathering space is a balcony. Modern builders certainly do ensure that balconies have secure railings, following the exact ethical point and safety intent of this biblical rule to the letter.