INTRODUCTION

The Torah teaches us that the Aseret HaDibrot (Ten Commandments) were on two tablets, the Luchot HaBrit. The midrashim offer several opinions, but in this lesson, we will look at two of them. The most commonly accepted opinion, as is evidenced by the way the Luchot are pictured in art, synagogues, and books, is that the first five commandments were written on one tablet and the second five were written on the other. Another commonly accepted opinion states that the Aseret HaDibrot were written twice, ten on one tablet, and ten on the other.

In this lesson, we will examine Torah texts and two positions in the Midrash and try to understand why the tablets may have been split up in the way they were. This lesson does not try to argue that one opinion is correct; rather, it examines one of the theories to encourage critical and creative thinking on the part of the students.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

1. List the Aseret HaDibrot.
2. Describe the setup of the Aseret HaDibrot according to the Rabbis.
3. Describe the setup of the Aseret HaDibrot according to Rabbi Chanina ben Gamliel.
4. Describe the thematic connection between parallel commandments, according to Rabbi Chanina ben Gamliel’s approach.

SKILLS

• Students will analyze the text carefully.
• Students will compare text sources to Midrashic interpretations.
• Students will apply critical thinking skills to the study of Torah texts and Rabbinic texts.
• Students will consider the evolution of Jewish practice.

VALUES

Students will recognize that:

1. There are shivim panim LaTorah(seventy faces of the Torah), i.e. that there is more than one interpretation of the text.
2. Man’s duties to his fellow man are on an equal pedestal to those of man’s duties to God.

RESOURCES & EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Copies of the worksheet for all students
• Chumashim for all students (or digital links to Torah texts, linked throughout the lesson and worksheet)

 

PROCEDURE

TRIGGER ACTIVITY

The teacher can begin with a trigger question.  This can be done either as an “entrance activity” or “do now” if the questions are in writing and/or digital, OR the teacher can ask the questions.

Questions:

1. How many times are the Aseret HaDibrot mentioned in the Torah?
2. How many Dibrot (commandments) were on each of the two luchot (tablets)?
3. Write down as many of the Dibrot as you can remember.  They don’t have to be in order.

This trigger activity can be followed by a discussion, OR can lead directly to the worksheet.

WORKSHEET

Hand out the worksheet to students and together, work through the questions below. Allow students to work through the worksheet individually, in pairs, or in groups, and stop to review/discuss/elaborate on questions as they work. Alternatively, allow students to fully complete the worksheet before doing a full class review.

WORKSHEET REVIEW: SUGGESTED ANSWERS FOR QUESTIONS

Question 1

The students will probably automatically assume that five commandments were written on each tablet. If this occurs, point out that they should ignore any prior knowledge they may have of this subject and make a decision based purely on what the verses say.

The students should be encouraged to notice the ambiguity–what are the “things”?  How many “things” actually are there?

If this is a higher-level class and time allows, the teacher can have the students look at the text of the Dibrot in Shemot 20, and identify how many possible mitzvot (commandments!) are contained in the text of the 10 Dibrot.  The purpose of this is to force the students to read and evaluate the verses without any biases. It is actually unclear from the verses (hence, the disagreement), how the tablets were laid out. The text merely says that the Ten Commandments were written down on the two tablets.

Question 2

(Optional) Ask the students: How are the two sets DIFFERENT?

The differences are the foundation for the Rabbis’ opinion that the luchot had both sets of Dibrot. This does raise some questions, but they are probably beyond the scope of the lesson. For further reference, see Ibn Ezra on Shemot 20:1. It is worth noting that Rav Saadia Gaon adopts the position of the Rabbis from the Mechilta.

Question 3

1. 5 on one, 5 on the other
2. 10 on one, 10 on the other
3. It seems that this refers to the Dibrot in Shemot and the Dibrot in Devarim
4. The students will hopefully pick up the redundancies and ambiguities in these pesukim.  Most notably, what are “the things” and “the ten things”?

Question 4

This is a “do you think” question, and therefore, any answer the students bring is correct, as long as they have thought about it. The purpose of this question is twofold. First, the students should realize that the commonly accepted opinion is not necessarily the correct one. You could point out that this controversy is argued in numerous other places in the Midrash, sometimes with different rabbis arguing each case. Note also that none of the commentators actually imply that the popular opinion is correct.

Additionally, this is a good time to emphasize shivim panim la’Torah – the seventy faces of the Torah – Torah text can be interpreted in a variety of ways.

Question 5
The 5 and 5–Rabbi Chanina ben Gamliel–is (actually) the minority opinion (a “da’at yachid”).  The “10 on this and 10 on this” is the Rabbis – the majority’s – opinion.

Question 6

Review the chart and their answers.  The students will likely be able to fill in the chart based on what they know/have seen.  If there are uncertainties (because some Dibrot contain more than one mitzvah), you can briefly discuss this inconsistency.  Nevertheless, the “10” (particularly #2 of “no other gods”, #3–do not use My Name in vain, and #4–Keep Shabbat) are still “the 10”.

Point out to students that each commandment is merely a headline for all that it contains, a plethora of other commandments. Prepare an overhead projector and a slide with the answers in advance of the lesson.

• Belief in God                                 *Forbidding Murder
• Forbidding Idol Worship           *Forbidding Adultery
• Forbidding Blasphemy               *Forbidding Theft (Kidnapping)
• Observing Shabbat                      *Forbidding Perjury (Lying Testimony)
• Honoring Parents                        *Forbidding Coveting

Question 7
 Allow students to reflect on whether this was easy/challenging and WHY.

Question 8

This is another thought question; therefore, any suggestion the students give can be correct as long as they justify it properly. Ask the students to be creative in their responses. A natural division of the Ten Commandments, according to the Hertz commentary, is into man’s duties towards God and man’s duties to his fellow man. Students may question why “Honoring Parents” appears in man’s duties towards God section. You could merely say that honoring one’s parents “is among the Commandments engraved on the first tablet, the laws of piety towards God because parents stand in the place of God, so far as their children are concerned” (Hertz on Shemot 20:12).

If more detail is necessary, show students the following source: “We have learned: There are three partners in the creation of a fetus in its mother’s womb: the Holy One, blessed be He, the father, and the mother. The father fertilizes the egg with white cells that form the brain, the fingers, the whites of the eye, the bones, and the ligaments. The mother fertilizes it with red cells, which form the blood, the skin, the flesh, the hair, and the black of the eyes. Then God gives it the following ten things: a spirit, a soul, the shape of the face, the looks, the auditory ability, the power of speech, the hands and feet motor movements, wisdom, understanding, perception, knowledge, and strength.” (Midrash Rabbah, Kohelet Chapter 5)

This division explains why the first five commandments all have a rationale for the commandment. The second five commandments need no explanation, for it is obvious that murder, adultery, etc, are forbidden. By inscribing them on separate tablets adjacent to each other, the Torah is placing man’s duties to his fellow man on an equal pedestal to those of man’s duties towards God. The commandment forbidding murder is not commandment number six, but number one, on an equal footing as “I am the Lord your God”. This division proclaims that the duties between man and his fellow man are of equal importance as those duties between man and God.

Question 9

The Midrash explains that the adjacent commandments are related to each other. In brief, keeping the laws between man and God will have a positive effect on one’s relationships with one’s fellow man and vice versa, while breaking either type of law will have a negative effect on the other.

Question 10

Students can share their answers, but make sure that the students really understand the nimshal (the lesson of the mashal, or parable).

Question 11

The following explains the relationship between each adjacent commandment. The explanations are based on the Midrash but may not fit in exactly with the explanations that the Midrashbrought. Some of these explanations may also be hard to justify. Remind the students that this explanation was offered by Rabbi Chanina ben Gamliel and that it provides us with some interesting parallels. However, if they cannot come to terms with it, they may prefer the Rabbis’ opinion.

• (i): Belief in God– Corresponds to –(vi): Murder. Man was made in the Image of God, hence, someone who defiles another person, is in effect, also defiling God. So too, someone who shows no respect for God’s authority might also show no respect for the authority of Man.
• (ii) Forbidding Idol Worship– Corresponds to –(vii) Forbidding Adultery. Both of these commandments are related to loyalty and betrayal. Betraying God is as “hurtful” to God as a betrayal of one’s spouse is to the spouse.
• (iii): Forbidding Blasphemy– Corresponds to — (viii): Forbidding Theft. The connection between these two commandments is less obvious than that of the other. Attacking God’s name is akin to attacking His reputation, i.e., what belongs to Him, His property. Therefore, one must respect what belongs to others, i.e., their property.
• (iv): Keeping Shabbat– Corresponds to— (ix) Forbidding Perjury. Keeping Shabbat is giving testimony and showing faith that God created the world. Breaking Shabbat is, therefore, tantamount to bringing false testimony.
• (v): Honoring Parents — Corresponds to — (x): Forbidding Jealousy. It is very difficult for people not to be even slightly jealous of another’s success. However, parents always delight in their offspring’s success and dream of them being even more successful than they were. Just as parents are delighted in their children’s success, so too must they be delighted in the success of others. Students may ask why jealousy is forbidden when God proclaims Himself to be a Jealous God (2nd Commandment). Concerning that type of jealousy, the Torah uses the root “ק.נ.א” whilst here the root is “ה.מ.ד”. Jealousy that spurs a striving to be better, i.e., “ק.נ.א” is a positive use of this energy. However, “ה.מ.ד” just causes bitterness and is a negative use of this trait.

Question 12

This is an opening for discussion on:

1. Shiv’im Panim la’Torah
2. How, when, and why a minority opinion prevails (and when it doesn’t)
3. How Jewish practice evolves
4. How art and printed books “fossilize” our conceptions to the point where we don’t think about text carefully.