Tomorrow night I will never go to sleep. The day we’ve been waiting for is here. Tomorrow night begins the holiday of Shvuot- the Feast of Weeks.
It’s been 50 days since we’ve been freed from Egypt (Mitzrayim- a place of narrow straits). And, today, after 3 days of preparation at the foot of Mount Sinai (contrary to popular belief, Mount Sinai is not found in the “Sinai Peninsula”, but more likely in Saudi Arabia, near an active volcano), we are going to receive the 10 Commandments. Where the words were seen- yes, seen. I admit, until I saw the effects of a rocket plant explosion in Henderson, Nevada, I had no idea you really could see “sound”. Not surprising that those in attendance were totally awed…
But, I digress. We study all night long, on this Erev (Eve) Shvuot, the time of the granting of the Tora, to commemorate this event. Like Pesach (Passover), where we recreate our release from Pharaoh, tonight we create the receipt of our Tora. We accept its requirements once again.
So, its time to consider what those 10 Commandments provided.
- I am Hashem, your God…
Why is this the first one? Because without acknowledging that Hashem is the real deal, nothing else really matters. It’s why we try to be the best we can be. - You shall have no other gods before Hashem…
Nope, not money. Nope, not prestige. Nope, not stardom. Just Hashem- the only true Supreme Being. So, we can truly understand what is the most important things in this world. - You shall not take the name of Hashem, your God, in vain
So many misguided people believe that Hashem is on their side and they can do no wrong. As they discriminate against others, as they kill innocent people. We have no right to misuse or demean Hashem’s name to justify doing evil. - Remember Shabat and keep it holy (which is changed when we get the replacement commandments; that version says we are to “keep” Shabat).
We are commanded to just rest. Not let the world encroach upon our lives, but instead rejuvenate our spirits and rejoice (and relax) with our families. And, in so doing, we are testifying to others that Hashem matters. - Honor your father and your mother…
This is the 5th commandment- on the first tablet. Because we, as parents, are commanded to teach our children well, to insure they understand their role in the continuing creation and perfection of this world. So, it is manifest on child and parent alike to maintain this continuum. And, because we (you and me) were created by Hashem- with the direct help of our mothers and fathers.
- You shall not murder
Civilization cannot survive if murder is tolerated. And, this is the counterpart to recognizing that Hashem is God- only Hashem may create or destroy life- not us. It also includes destroying another’s reputation. - You shall not commit adultery
Family life is critical for maintaining our culture. Straying from our spouse is no different from straying from belief in Hashem (this is the second commandment on the second tablet- the parallel to the second commandment on the first tablet). - You shall not steal
This is not theft, but the failure to fulfill one’s obligations, where we expect compensation without justification. Where the first five commandments are between Man and Hashem, the second five are the parallels between Man and Man- and this concept of theft, where we don’t live up to our obligations is akin to not taking Hashem’s name seriously- both are failure to meet our promises. - You shall not bear false witness
It’s not just lying in court- but harmful speech, slander, rumors, and gossip that is outlawed by this commandment. And, just like we need to keep the Shabat, so the portal for Hashem to be part of our life and this world is opened, we need to follow the 9th commandment, insuring that the portal never gets closed. (The Torah version of leprosy was not the disease we know by that name today- but a malaise that arose from bearing false witness or engaging in slander- whereby the perpetrator was separated from the community and lost the aura of Shabat within the community.) - You shall not covet
Not only is speech a concern for us, but thought. We need to guard our thoughts from crossing the line- akin to the job our parents provide to teach us right from wrong, to follow the precepts of Hashem. Moreover, when we covet, we fail to realize that there may be enough to satisfy our needs- but never enough to satiate our greed.
Happy Shvuot!
May the Decalogue help guide you to the best life can offer.
