- For some reason, what we call in Hebrew "Aseret Ha-Dibrot" [from the Hebrew root ד-ב-ר, meaning "to speak"], we refer to in English as "The Ten Commandments." Is this translation correct? Why or why not?
- One question that some ask is: How many "dibrot" are there in the "Ten Commandments"?
- How would you translate "dibrot"?
- What is the difference between "mitzvot" and "dibrot"?
והנראה במכתב הלוחות שהיו החמש ראשונות בלוח אחד שהם כבוד הבורא כמו שהזכרתי, והחמש השניות בלוח אחד, שיהיו חמש כנגד חמש, כענין שהזכירו בספר יצירה (א ג) בעשר ספירות בלי מה כמספר עשר אצבעות, חמש כנגד חמש, וברית יחיד מכוונת באמצע...
What makes sense with regards to the writing of the tablets is that the five first ones are on one tablet, which are about Honoring the Creator, as I have mentioned, and the second set of five on one tablet, which makes five against five, as they mentioned in Sefer Yetzirah (1:3), with regards to the ten sefirot, which is also like the number of ten fingers, five against five, and a personal covenant in the middle...
- Are these Ten Dibrot of a different quality than the remaining mitzvot of the Torah?
- If yes, what is special about them?
- If not, why are these the ones given at Mount Sinai, in contrast to all the other ones, given at different times and different settings?
(ד) חוקותי ותורותי - לפי עיקר פשוטו: (מצות) הניכרות (= השכליות) כגון: גזל ועריות, וחימוד, ודינין, והכנסת אורחים, כולם היו נוהגין קודם מתן תורה, אלא שנתחדש ונתפרש לישראל וכרתו ברית לקיימו.
My laws and My instructions - According to the essence of its contextual meaning: (commandments) that are self-evident (= rational), such as: theft, sexual immorality, and coveting, and courts, and welcoming guests, everyone was accustomed to them before the Giving of the Torah, but they were renewed and made explicit for Israel, and they made a Covenant to uphold them.