49, 50!

We’ve been counting the days since the Pesach (Passover) Seder.   50 days after we were freed from Egypt (Mitzrayim- a place of narrow straits);  we have been  anticipating a major event about to transpire at the foot of Mount Sinai.   (Sorry- Mount Sinai is really NOT found within the “Sinai Peninsula”, more likely it’s part of Saudi Arabia, near an active volcano.)

We had been asked if we would accept the laws of the Supreme Being- to which our reply was “we will do and we will adhere”.  Obviously, that was easier said than performed, because we’ve often failed to follow the 613 mitzvot- and some of us even fail the basic 10 Commandments.

When the 10 Commandments were provided the Jewish people, though our prophet and leader Moshe (Moses),  the words were seen- yes, seen. I admit, until I saw the effects of a rocket plant explosion in Henderson, Nevada, I had no comprehension of what it means to really could see “sound”.   Seeing those sounds explains why those in attendance were totally awed…

But, I digress. Tonight is the Eve of Shvuot, the Feast of Weeks.  We Jews consider that we  will receive the 10 Commandments anew, each and every Shvuot . So, let’s consider what we are about to learn.

1. I am Hashem, your God…
   Why is this the first one? Because without acknowledging that Hashem is ‘it’, nothing else really matters. It’s why we try to be the best we can be.
2. 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 are the most important things in this world.
3. 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.
4. Remember Shabat and keep it holy (which is changed when we get the replacement commandments, the second set (after Moshe breaks the tablets upon seeing the Jews creating and praying to a “golden calf”,  to “keep” Shabat.) You do know that the Ten are listed twice in the Bible- once in the Book of Sh’mot [Exodus] and the other in the Book of D’varim [Deuteronomy]).
   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.
5. 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.

6. 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.
7. You shall not commit adultery
Family life is critical for maintaining our culture. Having an affair with a married woman 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).
8. You shall not steal
This commandment is not discussing theft per se, 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.
9. 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 in the community.)
10. 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.

But, this year, the holiday will be most different.  We won’t be in shul.  Nope.  The Jewish clergy have decided that we won’t have communal services in person until two weeks AFTER our local governments remove the quarantine conditions.  To protect us all from potential harm.

It also means I won’t be staying up all night long studying with my friends and congregants, learning various new rules, practices, and stories.  That’s something I’ve been doing for more than 5 decades- until COVID-19 stopped it.

Happy Shvuot!  Stay safe.

May the Decalogue help guide us all to the best life can offer.

(Oh, you guessed it.  I won’t be posting anything  until Monday- because the holiday ends Saturday night.  And, this is the last major holiday this year.  [Rosh Hashana, coming in September, is already our NEXT year!])

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