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The document provides an analysis of the Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai. It discusses:
1. The traditional Jewish division of the Ten Commandments into two tablets of five commandments each is examined. While this division is not perfectly symmetrical in length or theme, an analysis of the textual differences shows it is justified based on stylistic differences between the two sections.
2. The first five commandments have a consistent structure where each command is followed by a rationale, and all refer to God as "The Lord your God". The last five are short statements without rationale.
3. Including the commandment to honor parents in the first section worshipping God is justified, as parents' role in one
The document provides an analysis of the Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai. It discusses:
1. The traditional Jewish division of the Ten Commandments into two tablets of five commandments each is examined. While this division is not perfectly symmetrical in length or theme, an analysis of the textual differences shows it is justified based on stylistic differences between the two sections.
2. The first five commandments have a consistent structure where each command is followed by a rationale, and all refer to God as "The Lord your God". The last five are short statements without rationale.
3. Including the commandment to honor parents in the first section worshipping God is justified, as parents' role in one
The document provides an analysis of the Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai. It discusses:
1. The traditional Jewish division of the Ten Commandments into two tablets of five commandments each is examined. While this division is not perfectly symmetrical in length or theme, an analysis of the textual differences shows it is justified based on stylistic differences between the two sections.
2. The first five commandments have a consistent structure where each command is followed by a rationale, and all refer to God as "The Lord your God". The last five are short statements without rationale.
3. Including the commandment to honor parents in the first section worshipping God is justified, as parents' role in one
Parshat Yitro: The Ten Commandments Our parsha describes the revelation at t !inai. It is a most over"helmin# spectacle. The entire $e"ish people are #athered around the mountain. %ire& thunder and li#htnin# envelop the summit. It is on that occasion that "e heard 'od spea( to us directl): *'od spo(e to )ou +ace to +ace on the mountain& out o+ the midst o+ +ire, -.eut /:01. As a national event& this *revelation, "ould never be repeated. 2hat exactl) did "e hear3 2hat did 'od sa) to us on that auspicious occasion3 The Torah reports that "e heard the +amous Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are ma)be the best (no"n o+ all $e"ish la"s. The) are perceived "idel) as a universal code o+ ethics. 2ithin $udaism& the) are one o+ the most prominent s)mbols o+ the +aith& "ith the t"o tablets o+ stone en#raved "ith the Ten Commandments adornin# s)na#o#ues and other $e"ish ritual ob4ects. Clearl) the .ecalo#ue has a ver) central role. This "ee(& "e "ould li(e to investi#ate certain aspects o+ this #roup o+ la"s. 2e "ill tal( about their unusual +ormat and their uni5ue messa#e. !O6RC7! %OR C8A9R6TA !T6.Y :OT7: 7ven thou#h one can understand the shiur "ithout a ;ible<Chumash& the optimal "a) to +ollo" this "ee(=s shiur is "ith a text in +ront o+ )ou. -2e "ill be stud)in# 7xodus Chapter >? in this shiur.1 @. Toda) "e "ill stud) the Aseret 8adibrot. The ten Commandments. Read throu#h !hemot Ch.>? -to passu( @A1 to +amiliarise )oursel+ "ith them. >. T7: OR OR73 I+ )ou "ere 4ust loo(in# at the text& "ould )ou (no" that there are ten commandments3 You "ill note that these ten commandments are #iven in ten separate *para#raphs, in the Torah text. .o the para#raphs match the commandments3 !ee !hemot A0:>B and .evarim 0:@A +or the source o+ the number @?. A. The traditional division o+ the *dibrot, is +ive and +ive. Can )ou +ind an) T7CT6AD proo+ that this is the "a) that one divides up the commandments3 0. The #emara in masechet ma((ot >0b states that the +irst t"o commandments O:DY "ere #iven b) 'od 1 2hat is implied b) this statement3 2 2hat is the textual support +or this approach3 8o" does this approach divide up the dibrot3 3 !ee Rashi on @E:@E and >?:@ . !ee also the pesu(im @0-@F. 8o" does all this +it in3 4 !ee Ibn 7Gra=s comments to >?:@/ and the Ramban at the end o+ the third commandment. T87 !8I6R !7CTIO: T2O TA;D7T! - T2O !7CTIO:!. The Ten Commandments appear t"ice in the TorahH once in !hemot -7xodus1 Ch.>? and a#ain in .evarim -.euteronom)1 Ch./. The) consist o+ the +ollo"in# commands: @. ;elie+ in 'od >. The exclusion o+ belie+ in and service o+ other #ods A. :ot to use the .ivine name in an improper manner 0. !habbat /. Respect +or parents I. :ot to murder F. :ot to commit adulter) B. :ot to steal E. %alse testimon) in court @?. :ot to covet the propert) or spouse o+ another person. 8o" does this list o+ la"s han# to#ether3 2hat point is 'od ma(in# b) choosin# these la"s in particular3 2hat is its inner lo#ic3 The traditional $e"ish division is to divide the ten into T2O DI!T! o+ +ive. The division into t"o lists allo"s +or the commandments to be split bet"een the T2O TA;D7T! o+ stone. *The Dord spo(e these "ords... to )our "hole con#re#ation at the mountain... 8e inscribed them on T2O TA;D7T! O% !TO:7, -.eut /:@E1 On "hat basis mi#ht "e divide the ten into t"o tablets. Intuitivel) "e "ould su##est a s)mmetrical division and that each list o+ +ive has a di++erent theme. In the concise de+inition o+ :achmanides ->?:@>1 *O+ these Ten Commandments& +ive are +or the honour o+ The Creator& and +ive are +or the #ood o+ man(ind., %or children brou#ht up in a $e"ish educational s)stem this is the most elementar) "a) to see the ten commandments but "hen one thin(s about it there are certain problems "ith this s)mmetrical division. PRO;D7! %irst& loo( into the Torah text and )ou "ill see that the +irst +ive commandments are len#th) and ta(e up @A verses. In contrast& the last +ive are short succinct statements "hich are concisel) contained in > simple verses. This division is an)thin# but s)mmetrical. One list is six times the len#th o+ the otherJ I+ the) "ere to be "ritten on t"o tablets& then one tablet "ould have to be +ar lar#er than the other& or the print much smallerJ At an) rate the) do not match at allJ The /:/ division has a stri(in# imbalance to it. -Althou#h this does not invalidate this method o+ dividin# the commandments& it re5uires us to "or( harder in 4usti+)in# this "a) o+ structurin# this list o+ ten commandments.1 !econdl)& as "e have seen& this division rests on a T87ATIC basis. The t"o lists o+ +ive commands are t"o sides o+ the reli#ion accordin# to the Ramban -:achmanides1. The .ecalo#ue divides into themesH +ive 'odl) la"s and +ive social la"s -bein adam lama(om and bein adam lechavero1. ;ut this thematic division is +ar +rom sel+-evident +or there "ould seem to be certain inconsistencies. In the +irst #roup o+ +ive - the 'od section - "e have the command o+ respect +or parents. Is this reall) a command directed to *the honour o+ The Creator,3 This "ould seem to be a social la" more than a command o+ belie+J !o does the thematic approach "or(3 a)be a 0:I division "ould be better than a /:/ division3 %I97 A:. %I97: !TYDI!TIC .I%%7R7:C7!. The +ive<+ive division "or(s both at a T7CT6AD level and& as re#ards T877 or CO:T7:T . Det us explain. 2e mentioned the disparate siGes o+ the +irst +ive in comparison "ith the last +ive. ;ut there are other textual di++erences. 2hen "e compare them in the Torah text& "e realise that the basis o+ the split is st)listic& each section havin# a distinctive and ver) di++erent st)le. The +irst +ive commandments have a consistent !TR6CT6R7 "hich leads us to believe that the) are a *set,. In these commandments& each command is composed o+ t"o ad4oinin# sections. The +irst section describes the command& and the second #ives it a rationale or incentive. Another hallmar( o+ each o+ the +irst +ive commandments is that the) utilise the same phrase to denote the name o+ 'od : *The Dord )our 'od, -8ashem 7lo(echa1. ;oth these elements are absent +rom the last +ive commandments. Det us examine the evidence and see ho" these points appear in the pesu(im: @. *I am the DOR. YO6R 'O., #ives us the command o+ +aith& but "e add a rational to our commitment to 'od - *T8AT too( )ou out +rom the Dand o+ 7#)pt., >. *You shall not ma(e +or )oursel+ an idol...)ou shall not bo" do"n to them nor serve them., This is the command. ;ut then - * %OR I& the DOR. YO6R 'O. am an impassioned 'od ..etc., A. Command : *You shall not s"ear +alsel) b) the name o+ the DOR. YO6R 'O.,. Incentive - *%OR the Dord "ill not ac5uit one "ho s"ears +alsel)..., 0. *Remember the shabbat da) ... o+ the DOR. YO6R 'O. .... %OR in six da)s the Dord made heaven and earth and sea and ... rested on the seventh da)., Once a#ain a command +ollo"ed b) a rational. /. K8onour )our +ather and mother !O T8AT )our da)s "ill be len#thened on the land that the DOR. YO6R 'O. #ives to )ou.K 8ere +or the +inal time the incentive clause - in this case a positive rather than a ne#ative incentive - and 'odLs name as Kthe Dord )our 'od.K. In contrast& the second *+ive, are short statements "hich mention neither rational nor the name o+ 'od. In this section& onl) the *command, statement is there. %rom the structure o+ these la"s& "e can conclude that the +irst *+ive, are a set and that the t"o tablets contained +ive commandments each despite the variance in the len#th o+ text. CR7ATI:' A: : PAR7:T! A:. 'O.. !o much +or the structure. The structure o+ the +irst +ive dibrot as opposed to the second +ive& leads us to assume that "e have a division o+ +ive a#ainst +ive. ;ut "hat o+ our T87ATIC inconsistenc)3 2h) is the command to *honour, parents located in the section that deals "ith belie+ and 'od3 :achmanides ans"ers this 5uestion. 8e claims that it is correct to include it in the +irst section *+or as I have commanded )ou in ) honour& so I command )ou in the honour o+ ) partners in creation., The !7%7R 8AC8I:6C8 elaborates: *It is correct +or a person to reco#nise and repa) in some measure& the #ood "hich has been o++ered to him ..... A person should realise that his +ather and mother are the cause o+ his existence in this "orld& there+ore it is appropriate that he render them all the honour and do them all the service he can. %or the) brou#ht him into the "orld and laboured #reatl) on his behal+ .... Once a person has adopted and internalised this trait he "ill rise hi#her to a reco#nition and appreciation o+ the #oodness o+ 'od . It is 8e "ho is the cause o+ one=s existence and the cause o+ all one=s ancestors all the "a) bac( to Adam. 8e brou#ht him into the "orld...per+ected his bod) ... #ave him intelli#ence..., -mitGva AA1 2e donLt (no" the source o+ the ethic o+ respect +or parents. In our post- modernist societ) there are voices that 5uestion this patriarchal vie" o+ the +amil) "ishin# to #rant #reater autonom) to children. %rom the perspective o+ societ)-based la"s -the second +ive1 "e mi#ht indeed reach the conclusion that children exist independentl) o+ their parents. Certainl) "hen a child reaches adulthood& "e "ill ar#ue& that a parent exerts no +urther po"er over his<her children and that a child is K+reeK o+ his parents control. %or $udaism& parents and our relationship to them enter into a di++erent cate#or). Respect +or parents is a reli#ious command issued b) 'od. oreover& "e believe that as "ell as the obvious bene+it it "ill have +or a parent& it also naturall) leads a person to revere 'od. 8o" so3 I+ respect +or parents is based on the enormous un-repa)able debt that "e o"e them& our ver) existence& +or all their "orr) and care& then "e o"e 'od all o+ that and more. The command o+ reverence +or parents sits "ell in the +irst section. It relates more to a 'od d)namic than to man-based social contract. In this context& let us 4ust 5uote the idrash brou#ht b) the ChiG(uni -!hemot >?:@@1 *The Roman #eneral -the evil1 Turnus-Ru+us once as(ed Rabbi A(iva: 2h) is 'od=s name +ound in the +irst +ive dibrot but not in the second +ive3 Rabbi A(iva "ent to visit his villa . In one room& Turnus- Ru+us displa)ed his spear. In another he sho"ed him his special shield. In a third room "as his armour and his "eaponr). Then Rabbi A(iva lead him to the bathroom. 8e as(ed him: 2h) are none o+ )our "eaponr) displa)ed in here3 Turnus-Ru+us replied that it "ould be inappropriate and indeed disrespect+ul to place his priGe possessions in a place o+ +ilth. Rabbi A(iva said : It is the same "ith 'od=s name. The +irst +ive commandments are nothin# but an honour +or 'od. ;ut the second +ive "hich contain adulter)& murder& robber)& +alsehood and desire +or the propert) o+ othersH 'od did not "ant his name included in that section., O:7 I:!7PARA;D7 28OD7 Rabbi !amson Raphael 8IR!C8 has even stron#er "ords to sa) as re#ards the T87ATIC unit) o+ this division o+ the ten commandments. 8e explains and #ives meanin# to the contents o+ each section b) describin# a +lo" o+ ideas "hich pulses throu#hout these t"o lists& unitin# them in a sin#le idea. 8e "rites: *The demand +or the reco#nition o+ 'O. be#ins "ith a demand +or the mind -Command M@N>: ;elie+ etc.1 but it is not satis+ied "ith mere spiritH it demands the expression o+ this spirit in letter& in control o+ the "ord -MA ta(in# 'od=s name in vain1& o+ activities -M0 !habbat1 and o+ the +amil) -M/1. The !OCIAD DA2! be#in "ith a demand +or letter& +or control o+ deeds and "ords -murder& adulter)& stealin#& +alse "itness1& but are not satis+ied "ith letter onl)& but demand control o+ spirit and +eelin# -M@? .o not covet1. This expresses the important idea: All *reli#ion,& all so called *honourin# 'od in spirit, is "orthless i+ the thou#ht& the idea o+ 'od& is not stron# enou#h to exercise its po"er practicall) in the control o+ our "ords and doin#s o+ our +amil) and social li+e. Our deeds& our "a) o+ li+e must +irst prove that our *reli#ion,& our *honourin# o+ 'od, is #enuine. And on the other hand all social virtue is "orthless and crumbles at the +irst test& as lon# as it aims at letter& at out"ard correctness& is satis+ied "ith bein# considered ri#hteous and honest in the e)es o+ +ello" men& but re+uses inner lo)alt)& does not depend on .... that pure inner conscience that onl) 'od sees and 'od 4ud#es& and "hich has its root and ... nourishment onl) in 5uiet but constant loo(in# up to 'od. All spirit must be developed into letter& into act. All letter& all acts& must have their source in spirit. That is the inspiration that hovers over these +undamental ideas o+ 'od=s Torah and +uses the t"o tabletsH the *reli#ious, and the *social,& into one inseparable "hole., !o in each section "e have a pro#ression. The 'odl) section: ideas -'od - belie+1-"ords-actions. The social la"s: actions-"ords-ideas -conscience - 'od1. The t"o sides o+ the .ecalo#ue are mirror ima#es o+ each other. The) re+lect identical values& +rom di++erent vanta#e points. The .ecalo#ue is a care+ull) balanced collection o+ la"s. It testi+ies to $udaismLs pra#matic approach to the "orld& aimin# to le#islate +or human bein#s "ho +unction in the complicated "orld in "hich "e live. ;ut it insists that our lives be permeated b) 'od and a sense o+ conscience -Yirat shama)im1. 'O. OR O!7!3 A >:B .I9I!IO:J ;ut this division does not exhaust our examination o+ the structure o+ the commandments& +or there is a +undamental division that "e have not )et mentioned. A stran#e transition occurs bet"een the second and third commandment. The commandments s"itch their #rammatical +orm as i+ the narrator has chan#ed. The text o+ the commandments s"itches +rom +irst person to third person +orm. Det us ta(e a loo(. *And 'od spo(e all these "ords& sa)in#: -@1 I am the Dord )our 'od "ho too( )ou out o+ the land o+ 7#)pt .... ->1 You shall have no other #ods beside 7.... You shall not bo" do"n to them or serve them +or I am an impassioned 'od ... sho"in# (indness to the thousandth #eneration o+ those "ho love 7 and (eep Y commandments -A1 You shall not s"ear +alsel) b) the name o+ the Dord )our 'od& +or the Dord "ill not ac5uit .... -01 ... +or in six da)s& the Dord made heaven and earth ...., The +irst t"o commands appear as i+ 'od 8imsel+ is tal(in#. It is in the +irst person. 'od tells us ho" he sho"s +avour to those "ho *love 7,. 8e tells us ho" *I .. too( )ou out o+ ...7#)pt,. ;ut then& in the third commandment and subse5uentl)& "e tal( about 'od as i+ there is an outside narrator. 'od is re+erred to in the third person. 2hat is the cause o+ this dramatic shi+t "ithin the ten commandments. .id 'od not tell us ADD o+ the commandments3 .id 'od 4ust spea( the +irst T2O3 i+ so& "ho said the other ei#ht commandments3 And "h) did 'od not complete the entire #roup o+ ten3 The Talmud -ma((ot >0a1 be#ins our understandin# o+ this issue "hen it posits that 'od 8imsel+ uttered onl) the +irst t"o commandments and that oses "as responsible +or transmittin# the others. 2h) "ere the ten commandments divided in this "a)3 %7AR O% 'O.
Rashi turns to the passa#e "hich immediatel) +ollo"s the Ten Commandments. There "e read: *The people "itnessed the thunder and li#htnin#& the blarin# sound o+ the sho+ar and the mountain smo(in#& and "hen the people sa" it the) +ell bac( and stood at a distance. OYou spea( to us&= the) said to oses& Oand "e "ill obe)H but let not 'od spea( to us lest "e die.= oses ans"ered the people & O;e not a+raidH +or 'od has come onl) to raise )ou hi#h and to ensure that )our +ear o+ 8im ma) be ever "ith )ou& so that )ou do not #o astra). !o the people remained at a distance& "hile oses approached the thic( cloud., ->?:@/-@B1 The experience o+ .ivine revelation "as too over"helmin# +or the people. The) thou#ht the) "ould die i+ the) heard 'od communicate "ith them *%or "hat livin# mortal has ever heard the voice o+ the livin# 'od spea( out o+ the +ire& as "e did& and live3, -.eut /:>A1. The idrash animates this stor) b) describin# ho" the people ran and ran& +leein# +rom the mountain. ;ut "hen did this happen3 ;e+ore the Ten Commandments3 A+ter"ards3 RA!8I proposes that this actuall) happened in the middle. A+ter t"o commandments& the people +led& the) could not bear the intensit) o+ the spectacle be+ore them. oses mana#ed to convince them to continue but on one conditionH that oses "ould spea( to them& actin# as mediator bet"een them and 'od. The) did not "ant to hear 'od directl). This explains "h) the +irst t"o commandments are +rom 'od and the other ei#ht via oses. It "as not planned this "a) but the reaction o+ the people made it a necessit). 'od dictates the last ei#ht commandments to oses and ampli+ies his voice -see @E:@E and Rashi there1 but the people hear 'od in onl) the +irst t"o commandments. CDO!7:7!! ;ut this is not the impression that "e #et +rom the lead-up to the revelation. In the three da) mobiliGation +or this momentous event& a barrier has to be set up encirclin# the mountain so that no person ma) ascend. The indication is that "e are expectin# to experience a push on the part o+ the people to ascend the mountain. People are clamourin# at the +oot o+ the mountain. The) "ant to connect "ith their 'od. %urthermore "e see the +ollo"in# exchan#e bet"een 'od and the people:
*And the Dord said to oses O I "ill come to )ou in a thic( cloud& in order that people ma) hear "hen I spea( to )ou...= Then oses reported the people=s "ords to the Dord., -@E:E-@?1 Ori#inall)& the plan "ould seem to have been 'od tal(in# to oses and the people listenin# on. Instead& 'od tal(s to them directl). 2h)3 ;ecause o+ the messa#e sent b) the people to 'od. Accordin# to Rashi& the people tell 'od: *Our true desire is to see our (in#J, There is a #enuine heart+elt desire on the part o+ the people to +eel a closeness "ith 'od. The) "ant to see 8im& to experience 8im +irst hand& to run up the mountain and approach 8im in person. 2hat happens3 2h) did the people #et scared3 Apparentl)& the intensit)& the li#htnin# and thunder& the #eneral +eelin# o+ 'od=s presence "ith all 8is po"er& "as to over"helmin# +or them to bear. The) had to move into reverse. The) ran a"a) because 'od=s presence "as too overpo"erin# an experience +or them. The) #enuinel) desired 8is closeness but in the +inal account& it proved too much +or them. DO97 A:. %7AR This chan#e o+ pace "hich& accordin# to Rashi& occurs in the midst o+ the revelation - bet"een the second and third commandment - represents t"o ver) important $e"ish modes o+ reli#ious approach. 2e sometimes tal( o+ Dove o+ 'od& an attractive +orce "hich dra"s us close to 'od. It is a +eelin# that "e o+ten experience "hen "e +eel a pro+ound attraction to reli#ion& and to 'od. Our love o+ 'od expresses itsel+ in our #enuine identi+ication "ith 'od=s la" and its values. 2hen "e earnestl) identi+) and enthuse in our Torah and mitGvot& "e experience this sense o+ Dove o+ 'od. On the other hand ho"ever& is the concept o+ %ear o+ 'od. 8o"ever much "e ma) desire to come closer to 'od& "hen "e trul) perceive 8is #reatness and over"helmin# po"er& "e experience a +eelin# o+ intense humilit)& inade5uac) and even +ear. 2e stand in a"e o+ 'od& stripped o+ an) pretences. 2e are in the presence o+ the ultimate bein#. 2e experience this "hen reli#ion becomes +ri#htenin#. a)be "e experience this *+ear, too "hen $udaism as a "hole looms lar#e as an un-masterable burden. The revelation at !inai is T87 encounter "ith 'od. It is there that "e be#in a covenant "hich has lasted to this da). It "ould ma(e sense i+ that covenant "as a true re+lection o+ the realities o+ +aith. In our relationships "ith 'od "e experience somethin# o+ a dialectic bet"een the love and +ear o+ 'od. At times "e experience a +ear& an apprehension about reli#ion and "e run a"a)& onl) to loo( bac( +rom a distance. At times "e are attracted to 'od and all that is hol). 2e "ish onl) to bas( in the li#ht o+ the divine and connect "ith 8is path. This existential realit) is also the stor) o+ the Revelation at !inai. On one hand& there is a barrier to retain the excited cro"ds& there are demands to *see, 'od& to experience 8im in a direct "a). And then& there is the +ri#ht o+ 8is enormous po"er. 2hich "a) "ill "e accept Torah3 That is up to us. 2ill "e relate to 'od in the +irst person or in the third person3 ;oth options are possibleH up close and at a distance. a)be +or us& in our lives& "e have to aim at combinin# both sidesH (eepin# both the ma#nitude o+ 'od in mind& "hile at the same time& "antin# to #ain a closeness to 8im. !habbat !halom.