Director's Blog

Lesson 1:

What?! They aren’t the Ten Commandments?

Today, we were introduced to the Aseret Hadibrot, commonly translated as the Ten Commandments.  However, as we explored today, oftentimes, the English translations do not accurately depict the depth of the Torah concept.   This is true of the Aseret Hadibrot (lit. 10 Statements); they are not so much ten commandments, but rather they are ten categories of mitzvot. All mitzvot and fundamental Torah ideals can be found in these ten statements or categories.  Hashem* gave us ten general categories; this way it is easier to remember the mitzvot and how we should conduct ourselves in our lives.

Throughout the year, we will be exploring the Aseret Hadibrot and some of the mitzvot and Torah ideals that are derived from them.

*Hashem. In our Hebrew School, we refer to G-d with the Hebrew word ‘Hashem’.  Hashem means ‘the name’. Out of respect, we do not explicitly use G-d’s name, except in prayer. Instead, Hashem is substituted.

Mitzvot (pl)/ Mitzvah (sing) = “commandment” and “connection.” A Mitzvah is a commandment that helps us express and build our connection with the commander, Hashem.

Aseret Hadibrot / = Aseret means 10.  Dibrot means things or kinds. Aseret HaDibrot means 10 kinds of things, 10 categories. There are so many Mitzvot, and they can be put into these 10 categories.  Dibrah (sing)

On Mt. Sinai, when the Jews first became the Jewish nation, Hashem said, “I love you, each one of you. And I want to give each you lots of opportunities to build a strong relationship with me.  When you do what I ask of you, you are building our relationship. I’ll give you many different ways to build a relationship with Me. I will give you the mitzvot, lots of mitzvot.  ”

There are mitzvot specifically for farmers (save some food for the poor); mitzvot for certain times of the year (blow the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah); mitzvot for certain times in one’s life (Chupah for a wedding). And there are lots of mitzvot about how we should treat each other (give to the poor, do not steal, do not kidnap and many others).  In all there are 613 mitzvot – 613 opportunities to connect with Hashem.

Think of a time that you did something that made you feel closer to Hashem.  What did you do? Why did that make you feel closer to Hashem?

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The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways but narrower viewpoints. We spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences but less time. We have more degrees but less judgment, more experts but more problems, more medicine but less wellness.

We have multiplied out possesions but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer spcae but not inner spcae; we've cleaned up the air but polluted the soul; we've split the atom but not our prejudice. We have higher incomes but lower morals; we've become long on quantitiy but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men and short character, of steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace but domestic warfare, of more leisure but less fun, of more kinds of food but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes but more divorce, of fancier houses but broken homes.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom, a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose wither to make a difference....or to just turn the page.

Hi all,

Thank you for visiting my new blog!

I hope you are enjoying the new website.

Please use this space as an open forum to voice your questions, comments or concerns, about Hebrew School or about anything concerning Judaism, Jewish Education or Jewish life.

I will post interesting articles or food for thought from time to time.

Sincerely,

Rivkie