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The Ten Commandments


1. "I am the Lord your G-d, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

2. "You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, nor any manner of likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord your G-d am a jealous G-d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children of the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments.

3. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your G-d in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.

4. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord your G-d. On it you shall not do any manner of work -- you, your son, your daughter, your man-servant, your maid-servant, your cattle, and your stranger that is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day, and hallowed it.

5. "Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your G-d gives you.

6. "You shall not murder.

7. "You shall not commit adultery.

8. "You shall not steal.

9. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, his manservant, his maid-servant, his ox, his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor's."
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Latest Comments:
Posted: Dec 5, 2011
No. 5
I think I have always misunderstood this one. As it is written here I'm understanding -live correctly by the commandments - as honouring ones parents. Not, cow-tow to every bit of madness they throw at you!
Posted By Julie, Durham, UK

Posted: Dec 2, 2011
Ben
Just finished reading the book "To Be a Jew" which outlines the ideal of Jewish Practice. Very interesting.
Posted By Julie, Durham, UK

Posted: Dec 2, 2011
Ben Finger and Julie
Thank You Very Much. Now If Only The Catholics could learn the difference.
Posted By Yichiellah, NYC

Posted: Dec 1, 2011
Julie - No. 10
I agree with you.
Better to buy a £20 watch and give the rest of the money to charity.

Judaism is not an ascetic religion however. We are encouraged to be actively involved in all areas of physical material life, its just that we should use those material items for spiritual, holy purposes.

So we can eat meat, drink wine, and have relations, but only in a holy way. (e.g. Kosher food, relations in marriage only, wine on Sabbath to sanctify meals).


Posted By Ben Finger, London

Posted: Dec 1, 2011
10th commandment
When I see someone with an expensive item which is beautiful and desirable I find myself wondering how they aquired it - how they earned the money, what the nature of their livelihood is. Some people make lots of money byr doing things which are not good and create suffering for many. If this is the case it doesn't matter how beautiful their things are, I wouldn't want them for they woud be degraded articles - mere idols with no real value. I think an ethical livelihood is a much greater possession than the objects it can aquire.
Posted By Julie, Durham, UK

Posted: Dec 1, 2011
Yichiella - Not to covet
You should check with a Rabbi, but...

You are right that it is common for people to want things that other people have, and (depending on the item!) this is ok!

This commandment is instructing us not to be jealous - meaning:

"I want what you have - such that you don't have it!

I want your watch and I don’t want you to have it. I am jealous of you and what you have and therefore I begrudge you for it."

It would be ok to say: "Wow, what an awesome watch you have, please G-d I will one day be able to afford that. I wish you well to wear it."

This is borne out by the examples the commandment brings – things which cannot be replicated! Your wife, servant, ox and donkey, are all individual one offs, there are similar alternatives so go after those, don’t desire these things which you cannot have.

This form of jealously leads to a LOT of other negative traits and actions and is therefore a commandment as it encapsulates many other bad behaviours.

But check w/ a Rabbi
Posted By Ben Finger, London

Posted: July 26, 2011
Number 10
It might be just because I've been listening to George Carlin but I think I need further explanation of the Tenth Commandment when it is in human nature to see what other people have and envy it, which leads us to aspire to reach to a point of which we may attain it.
Someone have some further explanation?
Posted By Yichiellah

Posted: June 12, 2011
In reply
Much clearer, thank you everyone who helped.
Posted By Julie, Durham, UK

Posted: June 10, 2011
Response to Julie in the UK
Hi Julie:

I am not a Rabbi. Nonetheless, here is my perspective on these topics.

Question #1:
Each time we pray to G-d, each of us raises the holiness of our own soul a tiny bit closer to the level of holiness that G-d has. So, praying to another god after one prays to G-d would be a totally frustrating experience. G-d is the only One that can increase the holiness of our soul, while our praying to another god would surely lower the level of the holiness of our soul.

Question #2:
A Jewish person is not forbidden to have statues or pictures of various forms of life. However, we are strictly forbidden, in our mind, to ‘imbue’ spirituality or holiness into ‘any graven image or likeness’ and then bow down to it. Only G-d can breathe spiritual life, also known as the ‘soul’, into an otherwise inanimate object. This is how G-d brings each and every instance of life into existence.

Hope these thoughts provide you some insight.
Posted By Steven, Tx, Tx, USA

Posted: June 7, 2011
No gods before me
Julie, my limited understanding of this commandment is that we are not to make something - the image of something - and then bless it and thank it for our life, well-being, etc., "before" or in G-d's "face" so-to-speak. Since He is all present then that would mean no where.
This is to remind us that everything comes from and through HeShem and it is to Him alone we give our praise, blessing, gratitude and petitions.
Hope this helps a bit.
Posted By Eliane, Fossil, OR/USA



 


The Ten: An Overview
The Ten Commandments
The Ten with Commentary
Inside the 10 Commandments
The Meaning in the Order
Ten Commendments or Five?
Not Multiple Choice
Getting Personal
But Does It Speak to You?
The Ten Commandments of Marriage
New Rules
Echo! Echo!
Get Down!
Creator or Liberator?

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