Alex, I’ll Take Ten Commandments for $500, The Answer is “Rainbows, Circumcisions, & The Sabbath” A Ten Commandments’ Tale

the answer is “what are signs of a covenant.”

in the torah, with the story of noah and the flood, the master of the universe evoked the “rainbow” as a sign of the covenant between the master of the universe and the creator of the universe. genesis 9:13-16″ my rainbow I have placed in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between myself and the earth. and it shall come to pass, when i cause clouds to come upon the earth, that the rainbow will appear in the cloud. and i will remember my covenant, which is between me and between you and between every living creature among all flesh, and the water will no longer become a flood to destroy all flesh. and the rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will see it, to remember the everlasting covenant between god and between every living creature among all flesh, which is on the earth.”

with the story of abraham, circumcision would be the sign of the covenant. genesis 17:7-11 states ” and i will establish my covenant between me and between you and between your seed after you throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant, to be to you for a God and to your seed after you. and i will give you and your seed after you the land of your sojournings, the entire land of canaan for an everlasting possession, and i will be to them for a god.” and god said to abraham, “and you shall keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. this is my covenant, which you shall observe between me and between you and between your seed after you, that every male among you be circumcised. and you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be as the sign of a covenant between me and between you.”

the sabbath has been viewed as the sign of the covenant established between the master of the universe and the children of israel. exodus 20:8-11, states “

the sabbath has been viewed as the sign of the covenant established between the master of the universe and the children of israel. exodus 20:8-11, states “

the sabbath has been viewed as the sign of the covenant established between the master of the universe and the children of israel. exodus 20:8-11, states “remember the sabbath day to sanctify it. six days may you work and perform all your labor, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the lord, your god; you shall perform no labor, neither you, your son, your daughter, your manservant, your maidservant, your beast, nor your stranger who is in your cities. for [in] six days the lord made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day. therefore, the lord blessed the sabbath day and sanctified it.”

in comparing covenants, there is a marked difference. each sign mark a progression toward a partnership in the world. the “rainbow” presents as a unilateral act. the “circumcision” present itself as a unilateral act. the act, itself, however, is performed by humanity and not the master of the universe. the sabbath, as a sign, is one in which there is a partnership between the master and humanity. jokingly, the master provides the day and humanity provides the shabbat candles, wine and challah. in reality, we have the seventh day as a sign along with humanity acting in accordance and refraining from labor. as such, when one steps outside on the sabbath, the world should appear to be quite different than the average work week.

in sum, the torah captures the evolving relationship between humanity and the master of the universe. it describes the ever increasing role and responsibilities that mankind have to participate in the great experiment of creating the universe.

be well!!

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