Human Achievement Lies in The Ten Commandments
The basis for all civic morality and personal piety lies in the words of
revelation granted to Israel at Mount Sinai and recorded for us in the Torah
in this week’s parsha. It is difficult to imagine any sort of human progress
or civilization absent the Ten Commandments and its value system.
Monotheism, respect for parents and authority, protection of person and
property, the importance of a day of rest and spiritual serenity,
truthfulness and justice, are all the bases of human existence and progress.
We are aware even today, millennia later, that these necessary ideas for
human achievement are still not universally accepted. Crime, murder, and
immorality of all sorts still rule much of human society. Perhaps that is
one understanding of the dire statement of the rabbis in Avot that there is
a heavenly voice that emanates daily from Sinai that states: “Woe to My
creatures due to their abuse and insult of Torah!”
These basic rules of life that are so clearly and logically self-evident in
their wisdom and essence are nevertheless observed more in their breach than
in their true observance. One look at any daily newspaper anywhere around
the globe will confirm this sad assessment of human affairs in our current
We are a long way from assimilating the ideas of Sinai into our lives even
after thirty three hundred years of their existence as the basic building
blocks of human civilization. Sadly, the evil nature of humans remains
somehow paramount in our society.
But the Torah bids us to combat this inherent individual evil nature within
us. We have to begin with ourselves. It is related that a great sage once
stated in his elderly years: “When I was young I attempted to rectify
everything that was wrong in the world. As I grew older I realized that this
task was beyond my abilities, so I concentrated on my community. After time
I realized that this was also beyond my abilities, so I now concentrated on
my family and my descendants. Sadly, I realized that this was also not given
to me rectify easily. So now I have decided to concentrate on myself – my
own self-discipline and improvement.”
The Torah always speaks to us in personal terms, as individuals who are held
responsible for our actions and omissions. The Ten Commandments are
therefore written to us directly, in second person, and not merely as nice
moral generalities. They are commandments and not just advice that can be
accepted or rejected.
The Talmud and Halacha have defined for us each of these commandments in a
legal and technical manner. Jewish tradition, customs and mores have
expanded on these legal details and fleshed out for us a moral code for
daily, practical human behavior.
It is only in this broader moral context that we can understand the
commandment “not to covet.” It may be unenforceable legally in a court of
law by itself unless one has actually stolen because of it but the moral
implications of the commandment should be clear to all. Fortunate are we to
whom such a Torah and moral value system was given.
Rabbi Berel Wein