Irrational Laws

If I set a law upon you which is clearly irrational, what am I asking? Am I being oppressive and demanding that people follow my rules merely because I said so? Or am I giving people the opportunity to exercise their minds and come up with some way to obey my laws while not making life unbearable for themselves? Clearly, irrational laws cannot be given to people who merely ask for the reason for the laws with an intention to break them if they seem irrational for any reason. These laws also cannot be given to a people who are incapable of rational thought and will thus strangle themselves upon them.