•

•

Torah Portion

10 Words Or Sayings
To Live By Ethically

Federation's

5hato

cibyl

T

We've been waiting for you.

To welcome new babies to our community, we'd like to offer a
special gift for them, sent with the blessings of the Jewish community,
through the Jewish Federation's Women's Campaign and Education
Department. If you have a new baby in your family or among your
friends, let us know. Simply fill out the form below and mail it to:
Shalom Baby, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit,
P.O. Box 2030, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301

Parent(s) name(s)

Address

E-mail

Phone

Submitted by

L_J Jewish

T his is federation

Federation

Det-At

Visit us online: www.thisisfederation.org

THE BEAUTY OF ALL WHEEL DRIVE
2002 FORESTER L

-

""villftwite*,

$

Automatic, AWD,
keyless entry,
ABS brakes & more!

*36 month lease, 12,000 miles. 1st month $350.00 security deposit. Lease acquisition

fee $595.00 plus tax, title and plates.

IDWIFER

AND

S C) S

248-624-0400

On Maple Rd.. West of Haggerty

- OPEN SATURDAY 10-4 -
www.dwyerandsons.com

CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

WEDDINGS AND BAR/BAT MITZVAHS

"THE UNIQUENESS OF OUR ALBUMS
TRULY ENHANCE THE BEAUTY OF
OUR PHOTOGRAPHS"

2/1

2002

56

applegate center
350-2420

Ten Commandments and not the
Protestant or Catholic versions."
Though we all look to the same Exodus
text, we count the 10 differently. (Our
#1
does not appear in either Christian
Isaiah 6:1-7:6
version; the Catholic version divides our
#10 into two; the Protestant version
his week's portion contains
divides our #2 into their first and sec-
the best known and most
ond.)
affirmed section of Torah —
In addition, I told the researcher to
the Ten Commandments.
look
at Deuteronomy 5 for a second and
Jewish tradition, however, does not
slightly
different set of 10 and to Exodus
identify these verses with that title.
34
for
a
completely different version of
Torah (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13
the
Ten
Commandments.
I also suggest-
and 10:4) calls this collection aseret had-
ed
that
debates
on
the
floor
of the
varim, "the 10 words." Our use of the
Michigan House and Senate,
term reflects a more recent
over which of these three
Western custom.
Torah
texts is the most
Since Jewish tradition
authentic
expression of the
looks to the total 613
Ten
Commandments,
would
mitzvot/commandments as
be
the
most
instructive
to the
the ideal toward that we
rest
of
us
who
struggle
daily
to
should all strive, we have
interpret
biblical
texts.
tended to downplay the
However we choose to
importance of these particular
embrace
these aseret hadvarim,
10. Thus, the Ten
these
"10
words or sayings,"
Commandments do not
there
is
no
question that they
BI
RAB
appear in the daily or festival
have
become
the ethical foun-
JOSEP
H
KLEIN
worship service.
dation
of
our
Western
society;
Specia
1
to
the
What probably happened
our
gift
to
the
world.
Because
Jewis
h
News
was that the early Christian
they have become so impor-
church saw these 10 state-
tant in both religious and sec-
ments, written on tablets and
ular
society,
we should not be surprised
given at Sinai with Divine sanction, as
to
see
these
words
regularly taken out of
the primary commandments. In seeing
the
text
and
held
up
by Western civiliza-
them so elevated by the church, our rab-
tion
as
the
ultimate
statement
of what
bis were fearful that a Jew might say, "I
our
religious
and
cultural
existence
am religious because I observe these 10."
ought to be.
While that worked for a Christianity
Described by many as the "Magna
that demanded faith first, followed by
Carta
of social order," these "words"
minimal laws, for Jews, the priority was
were
obviously
meant to be lifted up
always the full set of 613 laws. Since the
and
out
of
the
text,
to be held alongside
Torah presents these 10 with such great
the
continuing
narrative
as in introduc-
significance, our tradition affirmed that
tion
to
the
statutes
and
ordinances
that
while the 10 are not the whole, they are
follow
and
which
fulfill
these
values.
❑
the summary of the whole. We are to

Shabbat Yitro:
Exodus 18:1-20:22;

understand them as 10 categories that
include and incorporate all expected
behavior of God's covenant people.
I was reminded of the difference last
spring when I heard about House Bill
4226 and Senate Bill 15 before our
Michigan Legislature. These bills would
allow for the Ten Commandments to be
posted in courthouses, schools and other
public buildings. I was contacted by a
legislative researcher and asked for my
comments on the bill.
I responded (tongue firmly in cheek)
that I thought it was a wonderful idea
"as long as it is the Jewish version of the

Joseph Mein is rabbi of Temple Emanu-
El in Oak Park.

Murrqy
Goldenberg

'
Conversations

The Jewish Ten Commandments
begin with a statement, not law
In what way is that significant?
Traditional commentary has
grouped the 10 as two sets of five.
What makes 1-5 a set different
from 6-10? The 10 can only be
grouped as five sets of two (1 and
6, 2 and 7, etc). Though it takes
some imagination to see connec-
tions, can you tie them together as
pairs?