The Decalogue – Division and Design/2

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The Decalogue – Division and Design

Exegetical Approaches

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Traditional Ten

Split "לא יהיה"

The statement "I am Hashem your God..." does not constitute an independent utterance.  The number ten is reached, instead, by dividing "לֹא יִהְיֶה... מִצְוֺתָי" into two.  This position disagrees regarding where to make split:

"אנכי... על פני" and "לא תעשה"

The first utterance consists of both the statement "I am Hashem your God.." and "You shall have no other gods before me". The second utterance begins with "Do not make for yourselves an idol".

"אָנֹכִי י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ" – Command or proclamation? Philo and Josephus read it as acommand
Correspondence between Dibrot and Mitzvot
"לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ " - What is included?
לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ - what is included?
Depiction on tablets

"לא יהיה" and "לא תעשה"

The first utterance consists of only "You shall have no other gods before me", while the second statement begins "Do not make for yourselves an idol". 3

"לא יהיה" and "לא תשתחוה"

The first utterance includes both "You shall have no other gods" and “You shall not make for yourselves an idol", while the second utterance commands both "You shall not bow down" and "You shall not serve them".

Sources:Baal Halakhot Gedolot as understood by RambanPositive Commandments 1About Hasagot Ramban Sefer HaMitzvot

Split "לא תחמוד"

The statement "I am Hashem your God" does not constitute an independent utterance. The number ten is reached instead by splitting "Do not covet" into two.