Simon Says, July 22, 2021

This week’s Parashah, V-etchanan, contains the second recitation of the Ten Commandments.  It is interesting to note the differences between the Torah wording and other religions’ wording.

The Torah reading (JPS):

1. I the Lord am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods beside Me.
2. You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, and likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters below the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them.  For I the Lord your God am an impassioned God, visiting the guilt of the parents upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generations of those who reject Me, but showing kindness to the thousandth generation of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
3. You shall no swear falsely by the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not clear one who swears falsely by His name.
4. Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; you shall not do any work – your son or you daughter, your male or female slave, your ox and ass, or any of your cattle, or the stranger in your settlements, so that your male and females may rest as you do.  Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God freed you from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the sabbath day.
5. Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may long endure, and that you may fare well, in the land that the Lord your God is assigning to you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not crave your neighbor’s house, or his field, or his male or female slave, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.

The Catholic Church, for example, has joined the first and the second commandments and the Church has ten because the Church broke the tenth commandment is two:  the Church separates “covet your neighbor’s wife” from your neighbor’s property.

The Anglican Church has a stripped-down version:

I am the Lord your God: you shall have no other gods but me.
You shall not make for yourself any idol.
You shall not dishonour the name of the Lord your God.
Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
Honour your father and mother.
You shall not commit murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not be a false witness.
You shall not covet anything which belongs to your neighbour.

The Lutheran Church has a stripped-down version but with one important exception:

You shall have no other gods.
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

You see, “your neighbor’s house” is separated from “your neighbor’s” wife and his possessions.  This is the Exodus version of the Ten Commandments.  The Lutheran Church follows the Catholic Church, as they combine the first two commandments (as we count them) and break up the last commandment (as we count them) to bring the number to ten. 

The First Baptist Church in Danville, Kentucky, follows the Exodus version. 

What does it mean when the Tenth Commandment in V-etchanan places your neighbor’s wife first, and the Exodus version (in Yitro) places your neighbor’s house first?