Chayeh Sarah, A Ten Commandments’ Teaching Moment

You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain, for the Lord will not hold blameless anyone who takes His name in vain. exodus 20:7 the prohibition of using god’s name in vain is one of the most puzzling of the ten commandments. the torah portion chayeh sarah, however, may assistContinue reading “Chayeh Sarah, A Ten Commandments’ Teaching Moment”

A Ten Commandments’ Hero?

unwillingness to accept ignorance is a horrible human trait. we should all be able to accept the fact that we are not all knowing. the world contains much enlightening information that could either prove us wrong or supplement our understanding. as such, we need courage to either open up our smart phones and “google” toContinue reading “A Ten Commandments’ Hero?”

The City of Babel? The Torah Portion Noah

the city? yes, the city. while the “tower of babel” story is referred to as the “tower of babel”, the torah portion also references the “city of babel”. why is the “city of babel” also included? the reason is that cities play a unique role in the torah. in the “city and tower of babel”Continue reading “The City of Babel? The Torah Portion Noah”

Philo & The Ten Commandments

philo, the jewish author and philosopher from antiquity, composed an essay “the decalogue” on the ten commandments. philo’s writings are valued by both jews and christians as his writings cover theological matters during the roman occupation of the holy land. some of the writings were around the time when jesus lived. philo’ss writings offer muchContinue reading “Philo & The Ten Commandments”

Egyptian Iconoclasm & The Ten Commandments

from oxford languages, iconoclasm is defined as “the action of attacking or assertively rejecting cherished beliefs and institutions or established values and practices; or, the rejection or destruction of religious images as heretical.” in the ten commandments, exodus 20:4, indicates that “you shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness which is in the heavens above, which is onContinue reading “Egyptian Iconoclasm & The Ten Commandments”

The Most Honorable Star Trek Episode?

actor leonard nimoy made television history when he transformed the kohen priestly blessing sign into the iconic star trek vulcan greeting. the sign, an open hand with the two fingers on each side forming a “v”, combined with the words “live long and prosper”, capped his artistry to create a moment that audiences at largeContinue reading “The Most Honorable Star Trek Episode?”

Will A Presidential Candidate’s Two Tablets Save America?

in a nypost.com article, presidential candidate mr. vivek ramaswamy went old school. he, like the united states’ founding fathers, ventured back in time to the exodus and mt. sinai. in doing so, he produced his ten commandments for america. mt. sinai- historically- represents the first moment a freed people embarked to create a new typeContinue reading “Will A Presidential Candidate’s Two Tablets Save America?”

The Ten Commandments’ Significance To Americans

we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness declaration of independence the declaration of independence’s powerful line does not happen without mt. sinai and the ten commandments. the united states-Continue reading “The Ten Commandments’ Significance To Americans”

The Ten Commandments’ Significance For Jews

the ten commandments’ significance for jews is complex. while they are a centerpiece within the torah, they are among a total of six hundred and thirteen commandments. exploring commandments outside of the ten illuminates the ten’s importance. “decalogue” is the greek word used to describe the ten commandments. beyond the ten commandments, scholars also recognizeContinue reading “The Ten Commandments’ Significance For Jews”

Liberal Judaism’s Ten Commandments?

two recent events shed light as to liberal judaism’s core features. do these beliefs or positions suggest that there is a distinctive ten commandments applicable to the liberal communities? food plays a central role in judaism. the dietary rules of kosher can both shape and bond communities. outside of religious practice- services- butchers, bakers, marketsContinue reading “Liberal Judaism’s Ten Commandments?”