Get Think Jewish Delivered to your Home or Office
HOME | CONTACT US | DONATE LoginLOGIN Ask the RabbiASK THE RABBI
Chabad.org - Torah, Judaism and Jewish Info Shavuot
 
Chabad.org » Jewish Holidays » Shavuot » Insights » The "Big Ten" » The First Commandment
  Guide   About   Insights   Recipes   Audio & Video   Kids
PrintSend this page to a friendShare this

The First Commandment

I am the L-rd your G-d...

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


Is G-d an It, an I, or Nothing?
Is G-d an It, an I, or Nothing?
Or: G-d's Sticky Fingerprints
What's the difference between No-thingness with a capital N and vanilla nothing with a lower case n? What makes one Nothing G-d and the other just nothing?
The Miracle that is Israel
The Miracle that is Israel
But G-d the Creator is the G-d that Israel shares with the rest of creation. At Sinai, G-d did not speak to us as the author of nature
The Purpose of the Commandments
The Purpose of the Commandments
the Midrash makes a surprising statement: it says that the first word of the Ten Commandments is in the Egyptian language!
Egyptian at Sinai
Egyptian at Sinai
Any successful speaker will tell you that you need to speak your audience's language. "When in Finland," the saying goes, "start with Finish." But why does G-d start the Ten Commandments in Egyptian?
Understatement
Understatement
"Who took us out of Egypt"?! What about "who created the Heaven and Earth"? Surely stage-managing the Exodus doesn't even approach His role as designer and creator of the universe!
Hello, Am I Home?
Hello, Am I Home?
G‑d is saying: "Let's get one thing straight from the beginning: I am. The stars and the planets, the animals and the green trees and even humanity exist only because I am, and to serve My 'I am.' If you follow these Ten Commandments, you will join me in 'I am.'"
Making Judaism Relevant
Making Judaism Relevant
If G‑d was trying to give His best credentials to His newly acquired nation, why would He choose to mention the exodus? Isn't the creation of the heavens and earth a far greater feat?

The
Expand The Ten: An Overview
The Ten: An Overview
Expand The First Commandment
The First Commandment
Expand The Second Commandment
The Second Commandment
Expand The Third Commandment
The Third Commandment
Expand The Fourth Commandment
The Fourth Commandment
Expand The Fifth Commandment
The Fifth Commandment
Expand The Sixth Commandment
The Sixth Commandment
Expand The Seventh Commandment
The Seventh Commandment
Expand The Eighth Commandment
The Eighth Commandment
Expand The Ninth Commandment
The Ninth Commandment
Expand The Tenth Commandment
The Tenth Commandment