If God would have wanted to tweet the 10 Commandments on Twitter, He would’ve been restricted to 140 characters. As it is, He used 620 letters to write the entire Decalogue on the two tablets He gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. That’s because this magnificent summary of ethical behavior contains the key to all 613 mitzvot meant for the Jewish people as well as the 7 universal laws for mankind – 620 in all.
There has never been a better synopsis for righteous living than this essential text of Torah. Like all of Torah, no matter how much the times have changed the message of the 10 Commandments is timeless.
Here are ten ideas from the Decalogue that come from a contemporary perspective.
1. “I am the Lord your God”
Merriam-Webster added “selfie” as one of the 150 newly adopted legitimate words for 2014. The aggrandizement of self, the preoccupation with ego, the narcissism of our generation needs above all to be reminded that “it’s not all about you.”
“I am the Lord your God” – there is a higher power who created the world, who is in charge of the universe, who gave us laws that need to be observed for the benefit of all of mankind.
No moral system can be based solely on concern with the self. If man is the sole arbiter of goodness then evil will always be rationalized as necessary for personal pleasure and privilege.
As Dostoyevsky so perceptively put it, “Without God, all is permissible.”
“Just do it” may be a good slogan for Nike but it can’t serve as ideal for the behavior of an entire generation.
2. “You shall have no other gods before me”
Did you get caught up in the Kanye West/Kim Kardashian wedding obsession? Sociologists have a name for the idolatry of our times. It’s “celebrity worship syndrome,” It describes the pedestal on which we have put our movie stars, sports figures and famous people, follow their every move, and treat them as modern gods. There is a giant media subculture around the cult of personality. Gossip and news about the rich and famous is big business. Magazines like People and Us Weekly, TV shows like Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight, and a long list of blogs such as Gossip Girl, TMZ.Com, and Perez Hilton have captured our imagination. There are more celebrity magazines than real news magazines in the United States.
And what is the real problem in all of that? It’s that the celebrities of our time have become our heroes, and while I’m sure some of them are fine, upstanding people, no matter how infamous the famous, no matter how devoid of values their lifestyles, these people have become the role models for our youth, the veritable gods of our society.
In The Decline and fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon asserted that there were several factors contributing to the fall of Rome, but prime among them he said "The development of an over-obsessive interest in sport and celebrity was one of the main factors in the collapse of the greatest civilization ever known to man." That’s why God warned us so strongly against worshiping false idols.
3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”
Beware most of those who camouflage their evil motives under the guise of serving a holy cause. The national memorial to the victims of 9/11 just opened. It is a striking and moving testimony to the need for memory to ensure that the tragedies of history not be repeated, that we learn from the past so that we must not be condemned to reprise its horrors.
And what is the message that ought to speak most starkly to us? Those who brought down the twin towers justified their murderous deed with words of praise to their God. Taking God’s name in vain – presuming to act on behalf of the Father of all mankind even while destroying His children – is a sin that strikes at the heart of all religions, capable of bringing God himself into disrepute. All those who justify violence, hatred, and wickedness in the name of the Almighty who clearly abhors these actions stand guilty of profaning the third commandment.
4. “Remember the Sabbath”
There was a time when scholars predicted that technology would grant us the leisure to fulfill ourselves spiritually, to become more than beasts of burden whose lives are circumscribed by the demands of all-consuming work. Instead, the title of a perceptive new work by Brigid Shulte says it all for 21st century Americans: “Overwhelmed: Work, Love, And Play When No One Has the Time.”
The idea of the Sabbath came to teach the world that there must come a time in our lives when we set aside technology for a higher purpose. Remarkably, Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google, felt that this was the most important point he had to make in his commencement address to the graduating class of the University of Pennsylvania. The head of the world's most popular search engine urged college graduates to step away from the virtual world and make human connections. He told them "Turn off your computer. You're actually going to have to turn off your phone and discover all that is human around us." And that is what God told us to do once every seven days.
5. “Honor your parents”
There is great truth in the famous observation of a visitor to the United States who said, “The one thing that impresses me most about Americans is the way in which parents obey their children.”
Children need parenting – and the first step is to demand respect.
The only commandment which has a reward alongside of it is the one that requires children to honor their parents. Our contemporary child worshiping society needs a strong dose of the reminder to enforce the fifth commandment.
6. “You shall not murder”
The Torah makes clear that this commandment is violated not only by those who actively commit the crime but also by those who passively sit by and watch without intervening. In an age of unchecked terrorism threatening civilization, in a time when nuclear capability makes global destruction possible, there is no excuse for failure to be involved in responding, be it to the cataclysmic threat from Iran or the murderous menace of fanatic Muslims.
7. “You shall not commit adultery”
Three of the 10 Commandments are so severe they demand martyrdom to prevent their violation. One of them is sexual immorality – a sin that permeates our culture even as it threatens the sanctity of marriage and the preservation of family life.
According to a major new study, over half of all television programming is filled with sexual content; in prime time, over two thirds of all shows deal with it. Sexual permissiveness is the norm. Chaste behavior is depicted as abnormal, faithfulness in marriage as unrealistic.
The seventh commandment is God’s way of reminding us that happy marriages require commitment and that – in spite of what Hollywood says – it is more than worth it in creating relationships that last a lifetime.
8. “You shall not steal”
In 2008, the widespread corrupt practices of major Wall Street banks triggered a financial meltdown, hundreds of billions of dollars in losses to unsuspecting investors and homeowners, and the worst recession of modern times. Very few top executives were prosecuted in the massive financial scandal. Corrupt politicians, sleazy bankers, crooked business moguls are the cause of much cynicism in our contemporary society. Stealing in all forms, from petty theft to the high echelons of the corporate world, cannot be tolerated.
9. “You shall not bear false witness”
Lying is a sin. Yet remarkably enough a Florida Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that there is no law against distorting or falsifying the news in the United States (see http://www.projectcensored.org/11-the-media-can-legally-lie/). Read how the media, including the New York Times – the supposed Bible of journalistic integrity – cover Israel and those intent on its destruction and you fully appreciate the extent to which truth has become a victim of prejudice and honest reporting a fatality of anti-Semitism.
Consider this quote from John Swinton, former Chief of Staff for the New York Times in an address to the New York Press club: "There is no such thing, at this date of the world's history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it. There is not one of you who dares to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print.”
It is a tragic fact that the media today simply refuses to accept the ninth commandment.
10. “You shall not covet”
There is a multibillion-dollar industry whose goal is to make every one of us covet. It is called advertising. It makes us believe that we can never be happy with what we have, only with what we do not as yet own. It wants us to believe that true joy can only come from having more stuff – and then somehow finding the money to buy ever bigger homes and mansions in which to store it.
The Torah wants us to remember that happiness comes not from what we have but from who we are. Inner contentment is a result of knowing that our lives have meaning because they conform to the values of our creator.
How important are these teachings of the Decalogue? The midrash tells us that the reason God created us with 10 fingers is so that whenever we look at our hands we might constantly be reminded of these 10 truths the Almighty long ago revealed to us at Sinai.
(17) Anonymous, May 24, 2020 4:59 PM
10 commandments and why they are vital today
thank you Rabbi Blech. You are still doing so much for us on Planet Earth. Evidently ha Shem has given me the impetus to study this holy work. You have summed up what they are and why to follow them.
(16) Katerina Katapodi, June 11, 2016 7:24 PM
Comments of the Ten Commandments
I absolutely agree with the Meaning and Siginificance of the 10 Commandments. One friend of mine, had told me in a discussion, -very nice lady, that ''if God considered that we cannot follow the 10 Commandments, he wouldn't have given them on the Mount Sina to Moses. It's because the 10 Commandments were made by God to fit our daily life, to fill it with harmony and even happiness.
On earth there has always been a battle between good and evil, the evil is very strong but it has equal strengt with good in thw world. Love is difficult for others most of the time, and as Satan has a portion in mens's life, he thrives many times. But God does not let eveil get too far, otherwise, humanity wouldn't have survived for millenia. The problem is when we have to decide between good and eveil which way do we choose?.. It's true we endly feel much more happy with love, kindness and tenderness, while feelings for evil and susceptiblity for it, have in the deepness of things are stronger many times, but we then feel more sad. Honesty and responsibility consists in thinking before ''act, but don't regret afterwards''.
The 10 Commandments are the pretext, to Love that comes afterwards. Law and faith go together...
(15) Mikhah, May 21, 2015 1:42 PM
The 10 instructions are also a part of Mussar practice.Toda!!
(14) Don Krausz, June 11, 2014 8:42 PM
Most people worship the Trinity.
Irrespective of what religion one professes, most people worship the Trinity: Pounds, Shillings and Pence.
(13) Orbitar, June 6, 2014 12:44 PM
I am your G-d who ...
I have read many articles about meaning of Shavuot and listen to sermons in synagogues by well-informed rabbis of several denominations. I have noticed that without an exception, the First Commandments remains unfinished and the sentence, “I am your G-d who …” is never completed. The second half of the sentence I am missing is, “I am your G-d who TOOK YOU OUT OF EGYPTIAN SLAVERY. It means that we have received from Hashem not only physical FREEDOM but also a set of instructions HOW TO REMAIN FREE – both physically and spiritually. I assume that those of us who live in a democracy consider abolishing physical slavery an outdated feature. However, we should be aware that even in the USA slavery was still legal until about 150 years ago. I had a good reminder of it by having to survive the Nazis as well as to live afterwards under several totalitarian political systems that practiced slavery in many forms. 3300 years old message from Sinai is still fresh and valid. BTW, this aspect of Judaism is why our enemies hate us most - our imbedded sense of freedom, discipline, morality, peace of mind and creativity. As a consequence come our success and happiness causing envy and jalousy so that there had to be invented a special name for their longest lasting and perpetual hatred ...
scott, June 8, 2014 4:50 AM
good answer
I absolutely agree. I was in a class talking about the shoah where an account of one of Hitlers antisemitic rants was delivered to the author-another Nazi war criminal. Hitler was raving against Sinai. His issue was that it was wrong for a people to have any limits to their loyalty to the people. In this case the people meant Nazism and himself. Any system of values overlying that loyalty had to be destroyed along with its adherents... The Jews.
The rest of the world puts morality up to a vote. They revise their religions to fit the times. They commit atrocities in the name of their god, but never on his command. By not having a god that gives eternal commands they have created not their own gods but mirrors writ large.
They hate us for all the things this commentor listed. But they also hate us because we alone have G*d.
(12) Laura, June 5, 2014 10:35 AM
blessed words to live by
Thank you
(11) Anonymous, June 5, 2014 4:06 AM
What is wrong with me?
Never have I coveted anything from anyone. When something good happens to someone, I always think that they deserved what they got and I am happy for them. Sigh...
(10) Beverly Margolis-Kurtin, June 4, 2014 2:44 AM
The Ten Today
1. Money is your god.
2. It is your only god.
3. Never say bad things about the oligarchs.
4. Work 24-7-365, if you don't, you will be fired.
5. Your parents are fools, make fun of them.
6. If anyone gets in your way, shoot them.
7. If it feels good, do it.
8. Grab what you can whenever you can.
9. Watch Fox News and believe it is true.
10. Whatever your neighbor has, get something better.
Since I lost my life's savings in 2008, my income has been unable to do what I would like to do which is support the charities, etc. that I used to enjoy helping.
The "lesson" I learned from that is to never steal anything small. If I were to steal a loaf of bread because I could not afford to eat, I would wind up in jail, so would most people. But let some large bank or Wall Street trader steal a few billion dollars and they are "too big to jail."
We see CEOs of companies raking in millions of dollars and laughing as they spend a week's pay for the average person on a lunch. Our politicians are doing the same.
I fear for the future of this nation; I also fear that somewhere along the way, Jew are going to be blamed for the possible depression the world will eventually be plunged into.
(9) Rivka, June 3, 2014 2:58 AM
Third one?
OK, Your section about #7 - not committing adultery says there are three which make martyrdom ok. I have always thought it was idolatry and adultery but I am curious what the third is. I guess in a sense I have always melded in my mind #1 and #2. At any rate please clarify the third one which requires martyrdom.
Mom in J-m, June 5, 2014 6:34 AM
#3 = Murder
#3 is murder lit. "spilling blood." One must sacrifice one's life rather than kill another unless that "other" is trying to kill you i.e. self-defense. But if someone stands over you with a gun and says kill so and so or I'll kill you, one must sacrifice his own life - that would not be called self-defense.
(8) Susie Davidson, June 2, 2014 10:00 PM
I especially like number two
I live in Boston, where sports figures are worshipped above all else - I would say probably more than any other city in the US. I seriously think there is a direct correlation between sports worship which, by the way, is also quite prevalent among the Orthodox, and declining attendance at synagogues and houses of worship. When I take public transportation, sit in a restaurant or cafe, or go to social event, sports is literally all I hear talked about. Not the missing girls in Nigeria, not climate change, not recent domestic and international tragedies, not international politics, not even the weather. At a bat mitzvah the other night, my entire table was discussing different teams and stadiums the whole time, so that my boyfriend and I kept to ourselves discussing our own preferred topics. so thank you for addressing this in this article.
(7) Ben, June 2, 2014 11:26 AM
All well and good ... but...
This is all well and good for those of us who are Jewish; however, to those who are not - we should not project our beliefs on them. What is appropriate for one community may be term offensive to another. For example, the lapse of 7th commandment of not committing adultery should not be blamed on television. Rather, it is the fact that we as Jews in general are not keeping the first 4 very well. While I am not orthodox, I do recite the shema 3 times a day, I daven, and keep shabbos to the best of my abilities. However, I can also sit back and watch a show like Game of Thrones and read the books which are filled with sex, violence and etc - knowing it is not real. Perhaps if we as a Jewish community put more emphasis of being with our families, celebrating shabbos, and being a part of a community - we wouldn't have the larger issue of the Jewish community imploding.
CG, June 3, 2014 3:12 AM
Are you kidding? Do you know why commercials are so expensive? Because they influence people. How can the same media claim that actual shows, which are longer than commercials and are not ostensibly selli anything, do not influence people's behavior? It's absurd! Of course sexual promiscuity and immorality are influenced by the media. (Now they're inserting same-sex couples into everything - even children's books! - to create the impression that this is normal, to take it our of the realm of "anathema" into the realm or normal. Ugh! And it's working for the most part, no doubt about that.)
Anonymous, June 3, 2014 5:44 PM
oh dear, Ben
I was wondering if you live in a Jewish community and if you have children. Let's not even talk about children. Adults have become corrupted, dishonest, shameless, unfaithful, etc., where did this come from?
Would you be okay if your child stole a candy bar from a store? Would you be okay if your 16 year old daughter got pregnant? Would you be ok if your wife (if you have one) ran away with another man? Where does a person draw his limit? HE CAN'T. Humans want bad stuff - that's how they are.and they teach the same thing to their children. The Torah teaches us self control. It teaches us how to behave in public. It teaches us how to dress in public. It teaches how to speak and not call attention. It teaches us how to GIVE.
Look at the children of the world. They want and want and want and give NOTHING. THAT COMES FROM TELEVISION AND MOVIES. Our children learn about chesed, mitzvos, prayer, faith in g-d. Which world do you want to be part of?
Ben, June 6, 2014 6:06 PM
Dear - Anonymous (why to hide yourself)
Dear Anonymous,
I am glad you asked whether I live in or near a Jewish community - because I do. In fact, I attend Chabad in my local town (although I am not a Chabadnick), have children and married a Jewish woman. Imagine that! Adults have not been "corrupted" as you put it; rather, people like yourself choose to think of it that way. You are assuming the worst of people, when clearly it isn't the fact.
You're right in saying that the Torah teaches us self-control; however, it is up to us to transmit it to our children (which I do have). Humans do not want "Bad stuff" and we are all born inherently good. Rather it sounds like you ascribe to the goyisha that people are born with original sin.
Ultimately, I can read, watch, listen to whatever I choose - and still understand it is not reality. I can appreciate beauty and the world outside, without losing myself in it. When you mention that the children of the world are "greedy" - the only people who have to blame is yourself. Again rather taking responsibility in raising your own kids, it sounds like you rather blame television, books and etc for your own failing. Yes Torah provides us the framework, but it is up to you as a parent to teach from it and explain it.
anon, June 10, 2014 7:53 PM
I find your confidence interesting
you write:
I can also...read the books which are filled with sex, violence and etc - knowing it is not real.
(implying it has no effect )
It reminds me of a woman I know who was living within 100 KM of Chernobyl when it had the nuclear accident. Her government did a good job of not letting folks know about it.
She got a call a few days later from her sister in the US, asking how she was and replied fine.
In retrospect she had noticed it had been strange that suddenly they had begun washing the outsides of
buildings.
Perhaps ignorance IS bliss?
(6) chana, June 2, 2014 10:42 AM
comtempary golden words
beautifully put !
(5) Izzy, June 1, 2014 9:59 PM
thanks!
Amazing article!
(4) Rex, June 1, 2014 8:47 PM
Defence of the Faith
In the United States the ACLU is attacking 10 Commandment Monuments put on Government Property. They promoted the teaching of evolution in the Famous Scopes Trial. Evidently they are Humanistic in doctrine but they are promoting a Satanic Monument to be placed at the Oklahoma State Capitol because Oklahoma said no to doing away with it's 10 Commandment State Monument. Is the ACLU anti-Semitic, you decide.
(3) Anonymous, June 1, 2014 4:47 PM
The eight commandment vs the tenth commandment
Your comment of blaming Wall Street for the financial melt down in toto is naive. True, people made excessive money by questionable means. :However, you are ignoring people violating the tenth commandment -coveting. When people by homes that they cannot afford, because they want to keep up with their friends, they are coveting. Not only that, they are stealing (the eight commandment). If one borrows money that they know, or should know, they will not be able to repay, that is stealing. The bankers on Wall Street may have used questionable practices in making loans. They conformed to the laws of the time. This still does not excuse personal responsiblity for making bad decisions.
Beverly Kurtin, June 5, 2014 4:01 AM
Who started the collapse?
Wall Street were combining sub-prime mortages and selling them even though they KNEW those mortgages were not the paper they were printed on.
Out and out, unabashed GREED caused the problem.
My life's savings were lost in 2008, but never got bailed out. Wall Street took t the money, then gave themselves BONUSES!
Rachel, June 10, 2014 1:36 PM
It isn't as simple as you say
Financial institutions were required to make home mortgages available to the credit unworthy in the name of "affordable housing". They ran the risk of government finding against them for discrimination if they didn't make these loans. President GW Bush tried to prevent the crisis by strengthening the standards, especially at Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae, but Congress wouldn't permit it and excoriated him for being an alarmist. When the mortgages were sold and bundled, it became too difficult to assess which loans were junk and which were worthy. A few smart investors shorted the market by buying credit default swaps. Anonymous, above is correct and you are oversimplifying the issue out of your own anger. The use of capital letters screams out rage, not thoughtfulness.
I wonder why few ever figured out that the easy money and the resulting housing bubble that burst in 2008 made housing so much more unaffordable for most. Now we're repeating the same mistakes in housing and also with student loans that the taxpayer will have to absorb. Psalm 37: The wicked borrows but will not repay...
(2) Anonymous, June 1, 2014 3:46 PM
Total # of Mitzvos
I was under the impression that the "7 Universal Laws for Mankind" were included in our 613.
Anonymous, June 2, 2014 5:44 PM
This is a beautiful article and so brilliantly written. The 7 universal laws for mankind are not included to the 613 commandments of the Jews.
(1) scott, June 1, 2014 6:41 AM
The first three are the thing.
I don't think there are many people that have a problem with the last seven, it's the first three that are going to become the subject of the comments here. Personally, I think the first three are the most important. They're pretty much well the whole ball of wax.
The first three command Jews (that's the audience) that G*d is G*d, he is the only G*d we should worry about and that we should treat him and his name with respect. Because he is who he is, the remaining seven become natural law. Without the first three commandments, the last seven are merely good ideas for every society that man has more or less figured out for himself. Wouldn't it be better for man to figure things out for himself? Why does he need G*d to set these rules in stone (literally)?
Because laws made by man can be disregarded by man. When a king or despot decides to violate them by fiat or a country by vote decides to go around them, man made laws are set aside. These cannot be. We did not make them so we cannot change them.
If you really want to know why Jews have survived 4,000 years, it's because our sense of right and wrong and our mission in life hasn't materially changed for over 3,000 years.Our values were right them and they're right now. The rest of the world puts everything to a popular vote with every new historical development. Mostly for the better, but sometimes for the worse (Nazi Germany, Soviet and ChiCom barbarity, the foul things happening in Africa.)
As a society we don't do those things because they violate the last seven commandments. The last seven are safeguarded by the first three.
Dan Gold, June 1, 2014 3:42 PM
Yes we do
"As a society we don't do those things..". I beg to differ. Today's society does all these things, which is the point the author is making. Each of the 10 Commandments is as important as the other, in my estimation.