The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments were engraved on the tablets in two groups of
five each. Oral Torah comments as follows:
"Five of the Ten Commandments deal with the honor of the Almighty, the
Creator, whereas the other five address the well-being of humankind.
The commandment to honor father and mother is a part of the
commandments honoring YHWH Himself, since by honoring one's father and
one's mother one honors YHWH because YHWH is a partner in the
formation of any human being.
The ten sefirot parallel the ten fingers….
"We are therefore left with five commandments which address man's
needs and dignity. It appears that one set of five commandments was
engraved on one of the two tablets, and the second on the other. We
are to regard both groups of commandments as equally important. This
corresponds to what is written in the Sefer Yetzirah, that the ten
sefirot parallel the ten fingers, five on each hand, with a covenant
forming the link between them in the center.
"This explains the need for two tablets. Up to and including the
commandment of honoring father and mother, the commandments found on
the first tablet allude to the Written Torah; the commandments found
on the second tablet are an allusion to the Oral Torah. This is what
our sages taught when they said that the reason that there were two
tablets was that one symbolized Heaven whereas the other symbolized
Earth; they symbolised the relationship between bride and groom. They
symbolized the two worlds, the Here and Now and the Hereafter. All of
this is reflected in a single allusion. "Those who can hear, let them
hear."
The two stone tablets…were both of identical dimensions and contained
five commandments each….
Rashi comments on the verse in Song of Songs: "Your two breasts are
like two fawns, twins of the gazelle," (Songs 4:5) that the expression
"two breasts" refers to the two stone tablets. They are described as
"twins" because they were both of identical dimensions and contained
five commandments each. The commandments very much parallel each
other:
The injunction not to murder corresponds to the commandment "I am
YHWH Your Elohim ", for the murderer diminishes the image of Elohim in
this world by destroying His handiwork created in His image.
The commandment not to have other gods corresponds to the prohibition
of adultery, because the adulteress practices infidelity of her
husband, whereas the idol-worshipperpractices infidelity against his
Maker;
The commandment not to use the name of ELOHIM lightly corresponds to
the prohibition of stealing, for in the end every thief will resort to
a false oath to deny his deed;
The commandment to observe Shabbot and keep it holy corresponds to the
prohibition of being a false witness, for anyone who does not observe
Shabbot testifies that ELOHIM did not create the universe and rest on
the Seventh Day;
The commandment to honor father and mother corresponds to the
commandment not to covet, for he who covets someone else's wife will
ultimately sire children who will repudiate and curse him instead of
honoring him.
The commandments: "I am YHWH your Elohim" and "You must not have any
other god" tell us that "I am YHWH your Elohim " is the source of all
positive commandments, and "You shall not have any other god" tells us
that the same Elohim is the source of all negative commandments. -
Thomas Cohen
five each. Oral Torah comments as follows:
"Five of the Ten Commandments deal with the honor of the Almighty, the
Creator, whereas the other five address the well-being of humankind.
The commandment to honor father and mother is a part of the
commandments honoring YHWH Himself, since by honoring one's father and
one's mother one honors YHWH because YHWH is a partner in the
formation of any human being.
The ten sefirot parallel the ten fingers….
"We are therefore left with five commandments which address man's
needs and dignity. It appears that one set of five commandments was
engraved on one of the two tablets, and the second on the other. We
are to regard both groups of commandments as equally important. This
corresponds to what is written in the Sefer Yetzirah, that the ten
sefirot parallel the ten fingers, five on each hand, with a covenant
forming the link between them in the center.
"This explains the need for two tablets. Up to and including the
commandment of honoring father and mother, the commandments found on
the first tablet allude to the Written Torah; the commandments found
on the second tablet are an allusion to the Oral Torah. This is what
our sages taught when they said that the reason that there were two
tablets was that one symbolized Heaven whereas the other symbolized
Earth; they symbolised the relationship between bride and groom. They
symbolized the two worlds, the Here and Now and the Hereafter. All of
this is reflected in a single allusion. "Those who can hear, let them
hear."
The two stone tablets…were both of identical dimensions and contained
five commandments each….
Rashi comments on the verse in Song of Songs: "Your two breasts are
like two fawns, twins of the gazelle," (Songs 4:5) that the expression
"two breasts" refers to the two stone tablets. They are described as
"twins" because they were both of identical dimensions and contained
five commandments each. The commandments very much parallel each
other:
The injunction not to murder corresponds to the commandment "I am
YHWH Your Elohim ", for the murderer diminishes the image of Elohim in
this world by destroying His handiwork created in His image.
The commandment not to have other gods corresponds to the prohibition
of adultery, because the adulteress practices infidelity of her
husband, whereas the idol-worshipperpractices infidelity against his
Maker;
The commandment not to use the name of ELOHIM lightly corresponds to
the prohibition of stealing, for in the end every thief will resort to
a false oath to deny his deed;
The commandment to observe Shabbot and keep it holy corresponds to the
prohibition of being a false witness, for anyone who does not observe
Shabbot testifies that ELOHIM did not create the universe and rest on
the Seventh Day;
The commandment to honor father and mother corresponds to the
commandment not to covet, for he who covets someone else's wife will
ultimately sire children who will repudiate and curse him instead of
honoring him.
The commandments: "I am YHWH your Elohim" and "You must not have any
other god" tell us that "I am YHWH your Elohim " is the source of all
positive commandments, and "You shall not have any other god" tells us
that the same Elohim is the source of all negative commandments. -
Thomas Cohen
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