It Could Have Been Eleven

But these go to eleven

This is Spinal Tap

The Prophet Zephaniah- whose book is located in the Hebrew Bible’s Book of Twelve Prophets-delivered some brilliant wisdom. This post-Torah scripture passage is Decalogue-worthy. If the Ten Commandments had not been written in stone and codified in the Torah, this Prophet’s declaration – in the spirit of Spinal Tap – could have been number eleven.

History is not shy to the notion of having “off the books” additions. In popular culture while the rock group the Beatles was a quartet, there was a “fifth” beatle. He was the artist Billy Preston.

Thus, we are free to tackle the fantasy of an eleven. I would contend that Zephaniah’s pronouncement is that good, with universal appeal and interplays so well with the Decalogue, that it cried out to be that eleven.

The Prophet wrote: “Improve yourselves and improve each other.” Zephaniah 2:1.

The Prophet’s wisdom has not been lost over the millenium. Many people live their lives with the philosophy of striving each and every day towards being a better person. Further, many of these people also take time to inspire others to do the same.

Improvement is not only a beautiful thought, it is something that can easily be done. Self Improvement Guru Anthony Robbins’ philosophy is to take every day to make a step forward towards goal achievement. Ironically, it is the Fifth Beatle Billy Preston in his classic “That’s The Way God Planned It” offered the following pertinent line which brought Zephaniah to modernity when he wrote “learn to help one another, and live in perfect peace.”

Zephaniah’s complete sentence, however, carries with it the bigger reality. The entire passage is “Improve yourselves and improve each other, O nation without desire.”

Commentators have stated that the last part applied to a nation that did not desire to return to the Torah. In essense, motivation and commitment play a role within the framework of improvement.

In the end, while we do not live in the Spinal Tap world of the elevens. we are blessed with the Fifth Beatle echoing the Prophet. Improving oneself and others is certainly an eternal goal.

Be well!!

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