וַיֵּ֧רֶד יְהוָ֛ה עַל־הַ֥ר סִינַ֖י אֶל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר וַיִּקְרָ֨א יְהוָ֧ה לְמֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָהָ֖ר וַיַּ֥עַל מֹשֶֽׁה׃

The Lord descended upon Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain; the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, while all the people listened in order to hear the exchange between them, and Moses ascended.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה רֵ֖ד הָעֵ֣ד בָּעָ֑ם פֶּן־יֶהֶרְס֤וּ אֶל־יְהוָה֙ לִרְא֔וֹת וְנָפַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ רָֽב׃

The Lord said to Moses: Descend, and again warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to see. When they realize that this is no ordinary fire, the smoke is unusual, and the shofar is unlike any other shofar they have heard, they might be drawn to the place out of curiosity and yearning for God. And if they do come near, many of them will fall, either because there are guards stationed there, instructed to stop anyone who attempts to approach, or due to divine retribution for this infraction.

וְגַ֧ם הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים הַנִּגָּשִׁ֥ים אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה יִתְקַדָּ֑שׁוּ פֶּן־יִפְרֹ֥ץ בָּהֶ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃

Also the priests, those who perform the sanctified rites and who approach the Lord and stand in front of the people at the foot of the mountain, shall sanctify themselves, lest the Lord burst out against them.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל הָעָ֔ם לַעֲלֹ֖ת אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינָ֑י כִּֽי־אַתָּ֞ה הַעֵדֹ֤תָה בָּ֙נוּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַגְבֵּ֥ל אֶת־הָהָ֖ר וְקִדַּשְׁתּֽוֹ׃

Moses said to the Lord: Why do I need to warn them a second time? After all, the people will not be able to ascend Mount Sinai, as you have already warned us, saying: Demarcate the mountain, and sanctify it.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֤יו יְהוָה֙ לֶךְ־רֵ֔ד וְעָלִ֥יתָ אַתָּ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן עִמָּ֑ךְ וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהָעָ֗ם אַל־יֶֽהֶרְס֛וּ לַעֲלֹ֥ת אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה פֶּן־יִפְרָץ־בָּֽם׃

The Lord said to him: Go, descend, and you shall ascend, and Aaron with you. Your brother shall accompany you part of the way. It is evident from the verses below that even those close to Moses, who were permitted to ascend higher than the rest of the people, were not permitted to reach the spot of the encounter itself, where Moses alone ascended (see 20:18). God again warns: But the priests and the people shall not advance and break through to ascend to the Lord, lest He burst out against them.

וַיֵּ֥רֶד מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶל־הָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲלֵהֶֽם׃ (ס)

Moses descended to the people, and said God’s repeated warning to them. Apparently, he then ascended the mountain again.

וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֵ֛ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ס)

God spoke all these matters, saying: It is unclear from the continuation of the account whether the entire people heard all the precepts directly. In any case, they certainly heard the first section from God.

אָֽנֹכִ֖י֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֣֥ית עֲבָדִֽ֑ים׃

I am the Lord your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. According to some commentaries, this is not a separate command, but the Speaker presenting Himself, since without the acceptance of this basic identification of God there is no meaning to the commands that follow. Others maintain that this is a command to believe in God and to know Him.

לֹֽ֣א יִהְיֶֽה־לְךָ֛֩ אֱלֹהִ֥֨ים אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים עַל־פָּנָֽ֗יַ

The previous declaration leads to the demand for exclusivity: You shall have no other gods before Me, together with Me. There is no other god but Me.

לֹֽ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה־לְךָ֥֣ פֶ֣֙סֶל֙ ׀ וְכָל־תְּמוּנָ֡֔ה אֲשֶׁ֤֣ר בַּשָּׁמַ֣֙יִם֙ ׀ מִמַּ֡֔עַל וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩ בָּאָ֖֨רֶץ מִתַָּ֑֜חַת וַאֲשֶׁ֥֣ר בַּמַּ֖֣יִם ׀ מִתַּ֥֣חַת לָאָֽ֗רֶץ

Furthermore, faith alone is not enough. You shall not make for you an idol to worship, nor any item that is an image of that which is in the heavens above, or that which is on the earth below, or that which is in the water beneath the earth, anywhere on earth. The phrase “that which is in the water beneath the earth” might also allude to large, primeval sea creatures, which were considered powerful beings that people would worship.

לֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּחְוֶ֥֣ה לָהֶ֖ם֮ וְלֹ֣א תָעָבְדֵ֑ם֒ כִּ֣י אָֽנֹכִ֞י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵד עֲוֺ֨ן אָבֹ֧ת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֹׂנְאָֽ֑י׃

You shall not prostrate yourselves to them, and you shall not worship them, because I am the Lord your God, a zealous God, and cannot stand another god to be worshipped together with Me. I am He who reckons the iniquity of the fathers against the children, against the third generation, grandchildren, and against the fourth generation, great-grandchildren, to My enemies. I recall transgressions and even punish one’s descendants to the fourth generation, in accordance with the wicked deeds of the fathers, if the descendants continue on their evil path. For a lengthy description of this principle, see Ezekiel 18 and Berakhot 7a. Some maintain that this principle applies only to the severe transgression of idolatry, whose worshippers are called “My enemies.”

וְעֹ֥֤שֶׂה חֶ֖֙סֶד֙ לַאֲלָפִ֑֔ים לְאֹהֲבַ֖י וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֺתָֽי׃ (ס)

And conversely, I am also a God who engages in kindness for the thousands of generations, as in the verse: “Who maintains the covenant and the kindness to those who love Him and those who observe His commandments, for one thousand generations.” God’s loving-kindness extends far beyond the four generations that apply in the case of a sinner. This kindness is for those who love Me and observe My commandments. God’s zealousness, which demands exclusivity, entails both the negation of all competitors as well as a great love for the faithful.

לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לַשָּׁ֑וְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יְנַקֶּה֙ יְהוָ֔ה אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־יִשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ לַשָּֽׁוְא׃ (פ)

The previous precept of not worshipping other gods leads to the requirement to honor and fear God: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, by swearing falsely or mentioning it for no reason. This is a severe prohibition, as the person who does so disrespects the honor of the one Ruler of the entire world. As the Lord will not absolve one who takes His name in vain. It is difficult to achieve atonement for the desecration of God’s name. In general, the Ten Precepts deal with the laws themselves, not the punishments for those who violate them. The desecration of the name of God is an exception in this regard, as the punishment for the violator cannot always be administered by the court or society, and it is far more serious than other sins. Not even Yom Kippur and suffering can atone for the damage to one’s very relationship with God. The Sages have said that if there is any remedy for the desecration of God’s name, it is through the opposite type of act, of increasing the sanctification of the name of God.

זָכ֛וֹר֩ אֶת־י֥֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת לְקַדְּשֽׁ֗וֹ

The next precept is one that creates the basic framework for Jewish life: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. The Sabbath was already given to the Israelites (16:23–30), but here it is granted the lofty status of a uniquely holy day. One of the ways in which this precept is fulfilled is through the recitation of Kiddush, the blessing of Sanctification, on the Sabbath, in which the day is praised and its special value underscored. In the Kiddush of Friday night, one welcomes the holy day. The remembrance of the Sabbath day and its sanctification are also fulfilled through other customs and halakhot , such as the choice food one eats and the wearing of fine garments.

שֵׁ֤֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים֙ תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד֮ וְעָשִׂ֖֣יתָ כָּל־מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ֒

Six days you shall work and perform all your labor. The six weekdays are for people to work and accomplish all their necessary tasks.

וְי֙וֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔֜י שַׁבָּ֖֣ת ׀ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑֗יךָ לֹֽ֣א־תַעֲשֶׂ֣֨ה כָל־מְלָאכָ֡֜ה אַתָּ֣ה ׀ וּבִנְךָֽ֣־וּ֠בִתֶּ֗ךָ עַבְדְּךָ֤֨ וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֜֙ וּבְהֶמְתֶּ֔֗ךָ וְגֵרְךָ֖֙ אֲשֶׁ֥֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶֽ֔יךָ

The seventh day is Sabbath for the Lord your God. On this day God rested, as related at the beginning of the Torah. You, too, Israel, who are entering a covenant with God, shall not perform any labor on this day. This applies not only to you personally, but also to the members of your extended household: And your son, and your daughter, your slave, and your maidservant, and your animal, and your stranger who is within your gates. Since the Sabbath belongs to the entire nation, all are prohibited from performing labor on this day,

כִּ֣י שֵֽׁשֶׁת־יָמִים֩ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶת־הַיָּם֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֔ם וַיָּ֖נַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י עַל־כֵּ֗ן בֵּרַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ׃ (ס)

because in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, as the day on which the labor of creation was completed. And furthermore, He set aside the Sabbath and sanctified it from the beginning of creation.

כַּבֵּ֥ד אֶת־אָבִ֖יךָ וְאֶת־אִמֶּ֑ךָ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יַאֲרִכ֣וּן יָמֶ֔יךָ עַ֚ל הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ (ס)

Honor your father and your mother. Honoring one’s parents does not involve a ritual act, but is a requirement of daily life, so that your days will be extended on the land that the Lord your God gives you. The reward for one who honors his parents is a long life in this world. In addition, in a society where the elderly generation is respected, there will be long life, as aging parents will be confident that they can rely on the younger generation, and they will be valued as important members of the family and the wider society.

לֹ֥֖א תִּֿרְצָֽ֖ח׃ (ס) לֹ֣֖א תִּֿנְאָֽ֑ף׃ (ס) לֹ֣֖א תִּֿגְנֹֽ֔ב׃ (ס) לֹֽא־תַעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁקֶר׃ (ס)

You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. This prohibition of adultery is defined by Jewish law and the traditional commentaries as pertaining to the relationship of a married woman with a man other than her husband. The commands against taking the life of another and damaging his family structure are followed by a prohibition against taking his property: You shall not steal. Following the absolute prohibitions that define the basic behavior required toward one’s fellow man, such as murder, adultery, and theft, the Torah presents a command that is seemingly less severe than the previous ones, but which refers to a common social situation: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. The halakhic definition of this prohibition is the submission of untrue or invalid testimony over the course of a trial in court. Such testimony undermines the trust between people.

לֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד בֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ לֹֽא־תַחְמֹ֞ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֗ךָ וְעַבְדּ֤וֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ֙ וְשׁוֹר֣וֹ וַחֲמֹר֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְרֵעֶֽךָ׃ (פ)

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his slave, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s. This coveting is the notorious, unshakable sin of envy, which has not disappeared in more than three thousand years since the Torah was given.