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.

וְכָל־הָעָם֩ רֹאִ֨ים אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹ֜ת וְאֶת־הַלַּפִּידִ֗ם וְאֵת֙ ק֣וֹל הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר וְאֶת־הָהָ֖ר עָשֵׁ֑ן וַיַּ֤רְא הָעָם֙ וַיָּנֻ֔עוּ וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ מֵֽרָחֹֽק׃

All the people were seeing the thunder, and the lights that glowed like flames, and the blast of the shofar, and the mountain smoking; the people saw these phenomena and trembled, instinctively recoiling, and stood at a distance. They had formerly recognized the prophet as God’s spokesperson, but now, for the first time, they were granted a taste of the process of hearing and receiving a prophecy, and they felt its accompanying terror.

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה דַּבֵּר־אַתָּ֥ה עִמָּ֖נוּ וְנִשְׁמָ֑עָה וְאַל־יְדַבֵּ֥ר עִמָּ֛נוּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים פֶּן־נָמֽוּת׃

Therefore, they, the people, said to Moses: You speak with us and we will hear, and God should not speak with us, lest we die.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶל־הָעָם֮ אַל־תִּירָאוּ֒ כִּ֗י לְבַֽעֲבוּר֙ נַסּ֣וֹת אֶתְכֶ֔ם בָּ֖א הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וּבַעֲב֗וּר תִּהְיֶ֧ה יִרְאָת֛וֹ עַל־פְּנֵיכֶ֖ם לְבִלְתִּ֥י תֶחֱטָֽאוּ׃

Moses said to the people: Do not fear; God will not continue to speak to you in this manner every day, as it is in order to test [ nasot ] you that God has come. You are being tested to see whether you can withstand the experience and accept the word of God. The term for test [ nes ] can also mean a banner, as one who passes the test is elevated like a banner, since he has survived the direct encounter with the Divine and successfully heard the voice of God. And He has also come so that His fear will be on your faces, so that you will not sin. One who has personally heard the voice of God and remembers the unmediated event will find it more difficult to sin.

וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד הָעָ֖ם מֵרָחֹ֑ק וּמֹשֶׁה֙ נִגַּ֣שׁ אֶל־הָֽעֲרָפֶ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ (פ)

Ultimately, the people stood at a distance, as they retreated further back, and Moses approached closer to the place of the lightning and smoke, to the fog where God was. Certainly Moses was afraid as well, but his desire to come close to God and the knowledge that he was representing the entire people helped him overcome his fears.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֥ה תֹאמַ֖ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם כִּ֚י מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי עִמָּכֶֽם׃

The Lord said to Moses: So you shall say to the children of Israel: You saw that from the heavens, from an abstract place, I spoke with you.

לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּן אִתִּ֑י אֱלֹ֤הֵי כֶ֙סֶף֙ וֵאלֹהֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶֽם׃

Since you did not see any sort of image in your encounter with Me, You shall not make with Me, or for Me, any physical image or bodily form; gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. It is permitted to worship God through a ritual that involves physical objects, but only if these fulfill specific conditions:

מִזְבַּ֣ח אֲדָמָה֮ תַּעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֒ וְזָבַחְתָּ֣ עָלָ֗יו אֶת־עֹלֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶ֔יךָ אֶת־צֹֽאנְךָ֖ וְאֶת־בְּקָרֶ֑ךָ בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּֽיךָ׃

You shall make for Me an altar of earth and shall slaughter upon it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I mention My name, every place where I choose to rest My Presence, which will lead you to mention My name, I will come to you and I will bless you. Alternatively, the verse can be explained as follows: When you, man, pray to Me and serve Me, I in turn will be present and mention My name. This is similar to the saying of the Sages that the Divine Presence rests upon every group of ten individuals of Israel. Indeed, this is a general declaration with regard to prayer and the mention of God’s name, which are not restricted to any particular place, just as the presence of God and His blessing are not limited to a specific place.

וְאִם־מִזְבַּ֤ח אֲבָנִים֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֔י לֹֽא־תִבְנֶ֥ה אֶתְהֶ֖ן גָּזִ֑ית כִּ֧י חַרְבְּךָ֛ הֵנַ֥פְתָּ עָלֶ֖יהָ וַתְּחַֽלְלֶֽהָ׃

If you make Me an altar of stone, rather than the altar of earth mentioned in the previous verse, which will be built for the Tabernacle, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for you wielded your sword upon it and profaned it. The traditional explanation of this verse is that the Torah prohibits such stones because it does not want any destructive iron tool to be used in the preparation of the altar, which provides atonement and brings peace. This is supported by the verse: “You shall build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; you shall not wield iron upon them.”

וְלֹֽא־תַעֲלֶ֥ה בְמַעֲלֹ֖ת עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶ֥ה עֶרְוָתְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו׃ (פ)

You shall not ascend on stairs to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed upon it. At that time, people wore gowns or robes of various lengths, and undergarments were not worn at all. Consequently, when one climbed stairs, parts of the body were liable to be exposed. Even if no part of the body of a priest was actually visible due to the trousers worn by the priests under their robes (28:42), the very act of climbing stairs may have appeared to be immodest.