The biblical story of Moses. The story of the prophet Moses. Explanation of the Ten Commandments Given to Moses How Moses Received the Commandments from God

One of the central events of the Old Testament is the story of Moses, the salvation of the Jewish people from the power of the Egyptian Pharaoh. Many skeptics are looking for historical evidence of the events that took place, since in the biblical account there were many miracles performed on the way to However, be that as it may, this story is quite entertaining and tells about the incredible liberation and resettlement of an entire people.

Background and birth of Moses

The birth of the future prophet was initially shrouded in mystery. Almost the only source of information about Moses was the biblical writings, since there is no direct historical evidence, there is only indirect evidence. In the year of the prophet’s birth, the ruling Pharaoh Ramses II ordered all newborn children to be drowned in the Nile, since, despite the hard work and oppression of the Jews, they continued to be fruitful and multiply. Pharaoh was afraid that one day they might side with his enemies.

That is why Moses’ mother hid him from everyone for the first three months. When this was no longer possible, she tarred the basket and placed her child there. Together with her eldest daughter, she took her to the river and left Mariam to see what happened next.

God wanted Moses and Ramses to meet. History, as mentioned above, is silent about the details. The basket was picked up by the pharaoh's daughter and brought to the palace. According to another version (which some historians adhere to), Moses belonged to the royal family and was the son of that very daughter of Pharaoh.

Be that as it may, the future prophet ended up in the palace. Miriam, who had observed whoever lifted the basket, offered Moses' own mother as a nurse. So the son returned to the family for a while.

Life of a Prophet in the Palace

After Moses grew up a little and no longer needed a nurse, his mother took the future prophet to the palace. He lived there for quite a long time, and was also adopted by the pharaoh's daughter. Moses knew what kind of person he was, he knew that he was a Jew. And although he studied along with the rest of the children of the royal family, he did not absorb cruelty.

The story of Moses from the Bible shows that he did not worship the many gods of Egypt, but remained faithful to the beliefs of his ancestors.

Moses loved his people and suffered every time he saw their torment, when he saw how mercilessly every Israelite was exploited. One day something happened that forced the future prophet to flee Egypt. Moses witnessed the brutal beating of one of his people. In a fit of rage, the future prophet snatched the whip from the hands of the overseer and killed him. Since no one saw what he did (as Moses thought), the body was simply buried.

After some time, Moses realized that many already knew what he had done. Pharaoh orders the arrest and death of his daughter's son. History is silent about how Moses and Ramses treated each other. Why did they decide to try him for the murder of the overseer? You can take into account different versions of what happened, however, most likely, the decisive thing was that Moses was not an Egyptian. As a result of all this, the future prophet decides to flee Egypt.

Flight from Pharaoh and the further life of Moses

According to biblical data, the future prophet headed to the land of Midian. The further history of Moses tells of his marriage to the daughter of the priest Jethro, Zipporah. Living this life, he became a shepherd and learned to live in the desert. He also had two sons.

Some sources claim that before marrying, Moses lived for some time with the Saracens and had a prominent position there. However, it should still be taken into account that the only source of the narrative about his life is the Bible, which, like any ancient scripture, over time acquired a certain allegorical touch.

Divine revelation and the appearance of the Lord to the prophet

Be that as it may, the biblical story about Moses tells that it was in the land of Midian, when he was tending flocks, that the Lord was revealed to him. The future prophet was eighty years old at this time. It was at this age that he encountered a thorn bush on his way, which blazed with flames but did not burn.

At this point, Moses was instructed that he must save the people of Israel from Egyptian power. The Lord commanded to return to Egypt and take his people to the promised land, freeing them from long-term slavery. However, the Almighty Father warned Moses about difficulties on his way. So that he had the opportunity to overcome them, he was given the ability to perform miracles. Because Moses was tongue-tied, God ordered his brother Aaron to help him.

Return of Moses to Egypt. Ten Plagues

His history as a herald of God's will began on the day he appeared before the Pharaoh who ruled Egypt at that time. This was a different ruler, not the one from whom Moses fled at one time. Of course, Pharaoh refused the demand to release the Israeli people, and even increased the labor obligation for his slaves.

Moses and Ramses, whose history is more obscure than researchers would like, clashed in a confrontation. The prophet did not accept the first defeat; he came to the ruler several more times and ultimately said that God’s punishment would fall on the Egyptian land. And so it happened. By the will of God, ten plagues occurred that fell on Egypt and its inhabitants. After each of them, the ruler called on his sorcerers, but they found Moses’ magic more skillful. After each misfortune, Pharaoh agreed to let the people of Israel go, but each time he changed his mind. Only after the tenth did Jewish slaves become free.

Of course, the story of Moses did not end there. The Prophet still had years of travel ahead of him, as well as confrontation with the unbelief of his fellow tribesmen, until they all reached the Promised Land.

The establishment of Passover and the exodus from Egypt

Before the last plague that befell the Egyptian people, Moses warned the people of Israel about it. This was the killing of the firstborn in every family. However, the forewarned Israelites anointed their door with the blood of a lamb no older than one year, and the punishment passed them by.

On the same night the celebration of the first Easter took place. The story of Moses in the Bible tells of the rituals that preceded it. The slaughtered lamb had to be roasted whole. Then eat while standing, with the whole family gathered. After this event, the people of Israel left the land of Egypt. Pharaoh, in fear, even asked to do this quickly, seeing what happened at night.

The fugitives came out at first dawn. The sign of God's will was a pillar, which was fiery at night and cloudy during the day. It is believed that this particular Easter eventually transformed into the one we know now. The liberation of the Jewish people from slavery symbolized exactly this.

Another miracle that happened almost immediately after leaving Egypt was the crossing of the Red Sea. At the command of the Lord, the waters parted and dry land formed, along which the Israelites crossed to the other side. The pharaoh who chased them also decided to follow along the bottom of the sea. However, Moses and his people were already on the other side, and the waters of the sea closed again. This is how Pharaoh died.

The covenants that Moses received on Mount Sinai

The next stop for the Jewish people was Mount Moses. The story from the Bible tells that on this path the fugitives saw many miracles (manna from heaven, springs of spring water appearing) and became stronger in their faith. Ultimately, after a three-month journey, the Israelites came to Mount Sinai.

Leaving the people at its foot, Moses himself climbed to the top for the instructions of the Lord. There a dialogue took place between the Father of All and his prophet. As a result of all this, the Ten Commandments were received, which became basic for the people of Israel, which became the basis of legislation. Commandments were also received that covered civil and religious life. All this was written down in the Book of the Covenant.

The Israelite People's Forty-Year Desert Journey

The Jewish people stood nearby for about a year. Then the Lord gave a sign that we needed to move on. The story of Moses as a prophet continued. He continued to bear the burden of mediating between his people and the Lord. For forty years they wandered through the desert, sometimes living for a long time in places where conditions were more favorable. The Israelites gradually became zealous fulfillers of the covenants that the Lord gave them.

Of course, there were outrages. Not everyone was comfortable with such long journeys. However, as the story of Moses from the Bible testifies, the people of Israel still reached the Promised Land. However, the prophet himself never reached it. Moses had a revelation that another leader would lead them further. He died at the age of 120, but no one ever found out where it happened, since his death was a secret.

Historical facts confirming biblical events

Moses, whose life story we know only from biblical accounts, is a significant figure. However, is there official data that confirms his existence as a historical figure? Some consider all this just a beautiful legend that was invented.

However, some historians are still inclined to believe that Moses is a historical figure. This is evidenced by some information contained in the biblical story (slaves in Egypt, the birth of Moses). Thus, we can say that this is far from a fictional story, and all these miracles actually happened in those distant times.

It should be noted that today this event has been depicted more than once in cinema, and cartoons have also been created. They tell about heroes such as Moses and Ramses, whose history is little described in the Bible. Particular attention in the cinema is paid to the miracles that happened during their journey. Be that as it may, all these films and cartoons educate and instill morality in the younger generation. They are also useful for adults, especially those who have lost faith in miracles.

10 Commandments (Decalogue, or Decalogue) - in Judaism called the Ten Sayings ( Hebrew "aseret adibrot"), which were received from G-d by the Jewish people and the prophet Moses (Moshe) on Mount Sinai during the Giving of the Torah - the Sinai Revelation. These same 10 Commandments were inscribed on the Tablets of the Covenant: five commandments were written on one tablet, and five on the other. In the Jewish tradition, it is believed that the 10 Sayings include the entire Torah, and according to another opinion, even the first two Sayings of these ten are the quintessence of all other commandments of Judaism.

It is worth considering that the wording of the Ten Commandments, which are given in canonical Christian translations, as a rule, strongly differs from what is said in the original, i.e. in the Jewish Pentateuch - Chumash.

Stories of the Sages about the Ten Commandments.

The 10 Commandments on the Tablets of the Covenant are the quintessence of all the commandments of the Torah

Here is a short list of all Ten Commandments:

1. “I am the Lord your God”.

2. “Thou shalt have no other gods.”.

3. “Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.”.

4. “Remember the Sabbath day”.

5. “Honor your father and your mother”.

6. “Thou shalt not kill”.

7. "Thou shalt not commit adultery".

8. “Thou shalt not steal”.

9. “Do not speak falsely of your neighbor.”.

10. "Don't harass".

The first five were written on one tablet, the other five on another. This is what Rabbi Hanina ben Gamliel taught.

The commandments written on different tablets correspond to each other (and are located opposite each other). The commandment “Thou shalt not kill” corresponds to the commandment “I am the Lord,” indicating that the murderer diminishes the image of the Most High. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” corresponds to “Thou shalt have no other gods,” for adultery is akin to idolatry. After all, in the Book of Yirmeyahu it is said: “And with her frivolous fornication she desecrated the earth, and she committed fornication with stone and with wood” (Yirmeyahu, 3, 9).

“Thou shalt not steal” directly corresponds to the commandment “Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain,” for every thief eventually has to swear (in court).

“Do not bear false witness against your neighbor” corresponds to “Remember the Sabbath day,” for the Most High seems to have said: “If you commit false witness against your neighbor, I will consider that you are saying that I did not create the world in six days and did not rest.” on the seventh day"

“Do not covet” corresponds to “Honor your father and your mother,” for the one who covets another man’s wife begets a son from her, who honors the one who is not his father and curses his own father.

The Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai include the entire Torah. All 613 mitzvot of the Torah are contained in the 613 letters in which the Ten Commandments are written. Between the commandments, all the details and details of the laws of the Torah were written down on the tablets, as it is said: “Speckled with chrysolites” (Shir ha-shirim, 5, 14). "Chrysolite" - in Hebrew tarshish(תרשיש), a word that is a symbol of the sea, therefore the Torah is compared to the sea: just as small waves come into the sea between large waves, so the details of its laws were written between the commandments.

[The Ten Commandments actually contain 613 letters, not counting the last two words: לרעך אשר ( asher lereeha- “what is your neighbor’s”). These two words, containing seven letters, indicate the seven commandments given to all the descendants of Noah].

10 Commandments - 10 Sayings with which G-d created the world

The Ten Commandments correspond to the ten imperative statements with which the Almighty created the world.

“I am the Lord your God” corresponds to the imperative “And God said: “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3),” as the Scripture says: “And the Lord will be your everlasting light.” (Yeshayahu 60, 19).

“You shall have no other gods” corresponds to the imperative “And G‑d said: “Let there be a vault within the water, and let it separate water from water” (Bereishit, 1, 6).” The Almighty said: “Let a barrier stand between Me and the service of idols, which are called “water contained in a vessel” (in contrast to the living water of the fountain with which the Torah is compared): “They abandoned Me, the fountain of living water, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken reservoirs that do not hold water” (Yirmeyahu 2:13).”

“Do not take the Name of the Lord in vain” corresponds to “And G-d said: “Let the waters that are under the sky be gathered together, and let the dry land appear” (Bereishit 1:9).” The Almighty said: “The waters honored Me, gathered at My word and cleansed part of the world - and you insult Me with a false oath in My Name?”

“Remember the Sabbath day” corresponds to “And G‑d said: “Let the earth produce greenery” (Genesis 1:11).” The Almighty said: “All that you eat on Saturday, count it to Me. For the world was created so that there would be no sin in it, so that My creations would live forever and eat plant foods.”

“Honor your father and your mother” corresponds to “And G-d said: “Let there be lights in the firmament” (Bereishit, 1, 14).” The Almighty said: “I created two lights for you - your father and your mother. Honor them!

“You shall not kill” corresponds to “And G‑d said: “Let the waters become swarming with the swarming of living creatures” (Bereishit 1:20).” The Almighty said: “Do not be like the world of fish, where the big ones swallow the little ones.”

“You shall not commit adultery” corresponds to “And G‑d said: “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds” (Genesis 1:24).” The Almighty said: “I created a mate for you. Each must cleave to its mate - each creature according to its species.”

“Thou shalt not steal” corresponds to “And G‑d said: “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing herb” (Bereishit 1:29).” The Almighty said: “Let none of you encroach on someone else’s property, but let him use all these plants that do not belong to anyone.”

“Do not speak of your neighbor with false testimony” corresponds to “And G‑d said: “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26).” The Almighty said: “I created your neighbor in My image, just as you were created in My image and likeness. Therefore, do not bear false witness about your neighbor.”

“Do not covet” corresponds to “And the Lord G‑d said: “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18).” The Almighty said: “I created a mate for you. Every man should cleave to his mate, and let him not covet his neighbor’s wife.”

I am the Lord your God (First Commandment)

The commandment reads: “I am the Lord your God.” If a thousand people look at the surface of water, each of them will see their own reflection on it. So the Almighty turned to each Jew (individually) and said to him: “I am the Lord your God” (“yours” - not “yours”).

Why are all the Ten Commandments formulated as singular imperatives (“Remember,” “Honor,” “Thou shalt not kill,” etc.)? Because every Jew must say to himself: “The commandments were given to me personally, and I am obliged to fulfill them.” Or - in other words - so that it would not occur to him to say: “It is enough for others to perform them.”

The Torah says: “I am the Lord your God.” The Almighty revealed himself to Israel in different ways. At the sea He appeared as a formidable warrior, at Mount Sinai as a scholar teaching Torah, during the time of King Shlomo as a young man, during the time of Daniel as a merciful old man. Therefore, the Almighty said to Israel: “Just because you see Me in different images, it does not follow that there are many different deities. I alone revealed myself to you both by the sea and at Mount Sinai, I am alone everywhere and everywhere - “I am the Lord your God.” »

The Torah says: “I am the Lord your God.” Why did the Torah use both Names - “Lord” (denoting the mercy of the Most High) and “G-d” (denoting His severity as the Supreme Judge)? The Almighty said: “If you do My will, I will be the Lord for you, as it is written: “The Lord is El (Name of the Most High) compassionate and merciful” (Shemot, 34, 6). And if not, I will be for you “your G-d,” who strictly punishes the guilty.” After all, the word “G-d” always means a strict judge.

The words “I am the Lord your God” indicate that the Almighty offered His Torah to all the peoples of the world, but they did not accept it. Then He turned to Israel and said: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Even if we owed the Almighty only the fact that He brought us out of Egypt, this would be enough to accept any obligations to Him. Just as it would be enough just that He brought us out of a state of slavery.

Thou shalt have no other gods (Second Commandment)

The Torah says: “You shall have no other gods.” Rabbi Eliezer said: “Gods that can be made and changed every day.” How? If a pagan who had a golden idol needs gold, he can melt it down (into metal) and make a new idol out of silver. If he needs silver, he will melt it down and make a new idol from copper. If he needs copper, he will make a new idol from lead or iron. It is about such idols that the Torah speaks: “Deities... new, recently appeared” (Devarim, 32, 17).

Why does the Torah still call idols deities? After all, the prophet Yeshayahu said: “For they are not gods” (Yeshayahu, 37, 19). That is why the Torah says: “Other gods.” That is: “Idols which others call gods.”

The Jews took the first two commandments: “I am the Lord your God” and “You shall have no other gods” directly from the mouth of the Almighty. The continuation of the text of the second commandment reads: “I am the Lord your God, a jealous God, remembering the iniquity of the fathers to the children to the third and fourth generation, to those who hate Me, and showing mercy to those who love Me and keep the commandments for thousands of generations.” My".

The words “I am the Lord your God” mean that the Jews saw the One who would reward the righteous in the world to come.

The words “G-d is jealous” mean that they saw the One who will exact punishment from the evildoers in the world to come. These words refer to the Almighty as a strict judge.

The words “He who remembers the guilt of the fathers to the children…” contradict, at first glance, other words of the Torah: “Let not the children be punished with death for their fathers” (Devarim 24, 16). The first statement applies to the case when children follow the unrighteous path of their fathers, the second to the case when children follow a different path.

The words “He who remembers the iniquity of the fathers to the children...” contradict, at first glance, the words of the prophet Ehezkel: “The son will not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father will not bear the iniquity of the son” (Ehezkel, 18, 20). But there is no contradiction: the Almighty transfers the merits of the fathers to the children (that is, takes them into account when carrying out His judgment), but does not transfer the sins of the fathers to the children.

There is a parable that explains these words of the Torah. One man borrowed one hundred dinars from the king, and then renounced the debt (and began to deny its existence). Subsequently, the man's son, and then his grandson, each borrowed one hundred dinars from the king and also renounced their debt. The king refused to lend money to his great-grandson, since his ancestors denied their debts. This great-grandson could quote the words of Scripture: “Our fathers sinned and they are no more, but we suffer for their sins” (Eikha, 5, 7). However, they should be read differently: “Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we suffer for our sins.” But who made us bear the punishment for our sins? Our fathers who denied their debts.

The Torah says: “He who shows mercy to thousands of generations.” This means that the mercy of the Almighty is immeasurably stronger than His wrath. For every generation punished, there are five hundred generations rewarded. After all, it is said about the punishment: “He who remembers the iniquity of the fathers to the children until the third and fourth generation,” and about the reward it is said: “He who shows mercy to the thousandth generation” (that is, at the very least, up to the two thousandth generation).

The Torah says: “To those who love Me and keep My commandments.” The words “To those who love Me” refer to the forefather Abraham and righteous people like him. The words “To them that keep My commandments” refer to the people of Israel living in Eretz Israel and sacrificing their lives to keep the commandments. “Why were you sentenced to death?” “Because he circumcised his son.” “Why were you sentenced to be burned?” “Because I read the Torah.” “Why were you sentenced to crucifixion?” “Because I ate matzah.” “Why were you beaten with sticks?” “Because I fulfilled the commandment of raising the lulav.” This is exactly what the prophet Zechariah says: “What are these wounds on your chest?.. Because they beat me in the house of those who love me” (Zechariah, 13, 6). That is: for these wounds I was awarded the love of the Almighty.

Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain (Third Commandment)

This means: do not rush to pronounce a false oath, in general, do not swear too often, for anyone who gets used to swearing sometimes swears even when he has no intention of doing so, simply out of habit. Therefore, we should not swear, even if we speak the pure truth. For someone who gets used to swearing on any occasion begins to regard swearing as a simple and ordinary matter. He who neglects the sanctity of the Name of the Most High and takes not only false, but even true oaths, is ultimately subjected to severe punishment by the Almighty. The Almighty reveals his depravity to all people, and woe to him in this case, both in this and in the next world.

The whole world shuddered when the Almighty uttered the words on Mount Sinai: “Do not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain.” Why? For only about the crime associated with an oath, the Torah says: “For the Lord will not spare the one who takes His Name in vain.” In other words, this crime cannot subsequently be corrected or expiated.

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy (Fourth Commandment)

According to one explanation, the dual nature of the Sabbath commandment means that it is to be remembered before it comes and to be kept after it comes. That is why we accept the holiness of the Sabbath even before its formal beginning, and part with it after it formally ends (that is, we extend the Sabbath in time in both directions).

Another interpretation. Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira said: “Why do we call the days of the week “the first after the Sabbath,” “the second after the Sabbath,” “the third after the Sabbath,” “the fourth after Sabbath,” “the fifth after Sabbath,” “the eve of Sabbath”? In order to fulfill the commandment “Remember the Sabbath day.” »

Rabbi Elazar said: “Great is the importance of work! After all, even Divinity settled among the Jews only after they had completed the work (built the Mishkan), as it is said: “And let them make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them” (Shemot, 25, 8). »

The Torah says: “And do all your work.” Can a man do all his work in six days? Of course no. However, on Saturday he must rest as if all the work had been completed.

The Torah says: “And the seventh day is for the Lord your God.” Rabbi Tanchuma (and according to others, Rabbi Elazar on behalf of Rabbi Meir) said: “You must rest (on Saturday) just as the Almighty rested. He rested from sayings (through which he created the world), you should also rest from sayings.” What does it mean? That you should even talk differently on Saturday than on weekdays.

These words of the Torah indicate that Shabbat rest even applies to thoughts. Therefore, our sages teach: “You should not walk through your fields on Saturday, so as not to think about what they need. You should not go to the bathhouse - so as not to think that after the end of the Sabbath you will be able to wash there. They do not make plans on Saturday, do not make calculations and calculations, regardless of whether they relate to completed or future affairs.”

The following story is told about one righteous man. A deep crack appeared in the middle of his field, and he decided to fence it off. He intended to start work, but remembered that it was Saturday and abandoned it. A miracle happened, and an edible plant grew in his field (in the original - צלף, tsalaf, caper) and provided food for him and his entire family for a long time.

The Torah says: “You shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter.” Maybe this ban applies only to adult sons and daughters? No, because in this case it would be enough to say only “neither you...” - and this prohibition would cover all adults. The words “neither your son nor your daughter” refer to small children, so that no one can say to his little son: “Get me such and such at the market (on Saturday).

If small children intend to put out the fire, we do not allow them to do this, for they too are commanded to abstain from work. Maybe, in this case, we should make sure that they do not break clay shards or crush small pebbles with their feet? No, for the Torah says first of all “neither you.” This means: just as you are prohibited from doing work only consciously, so only this is prohibited for children.

The Torah goes on to say: “Nor your livestock.” What do these words teach us? Perhaps the fact that it is forbidden to perform work with the help of domestic animals? But the Torah has already forbidden us any work! These words teach us that it is forbidden to give or rent animals belonging to a Jew to a non-Jew for payment - so that they do not have to work (for example, carry loads) on the Sabbath.

The Torah goes on to say: “Neither the stranger ( ger) yours, which is within your gates." These words cannot apply to a non-Jew who has converted to Judaism (whom we also call hero), for it is directly said about him in the Torah: “Let there be one statute for you and for the ger” (Bemidbar, 9, 14). This means that they refer to a non-Jew who did not accept Judaism, but fulfills the seven laws established for the descendants of Noah (he is called ger toshav). If such ger toshav becomes an employee of a Jew, the Jew must not entrust him with any work on the Sabbath. However, he has the right to work on Saturday for himself and of his own free will.

The Torah goes on to say: “Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.” What was the blessing and what was the sanctification? The Almighty blessed him with mana and sanctified him manom. In fact, on weekdays mana fell (as the Torah tells, Shemot 16) “one omer per head,” and on Friday “two omer per head” (one on Friday and one on Saturday). On weekdays, in the mana, which was left, contrary to the commandment, the next morning, “worms bred, and it stank,” but on Saturday, “it did not stink and there were no worms in it.”

Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda, a resident of the village of Ichus, said: “The Almighty blessed the Sabbath day with the light (of the heavenly bodies) and sanctified it with the light (of the heavenly bodies).” He blessed him with the radiance that his face radiated Adam, and blessed him with the radiance that his face emitted Adam. Although the heavenly bodies lost some of their power on the eve of the (first) Sabbath, their light did not decrease until the end of the Sabbath. Although the face Adam lost part of its ability to shine on the eve of the Sabbath, the radiance continued until the end of the Sabbath. The prophet Yeshayahu said: “And the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will become sevenfold, like the light of seven days” (Yeshayahu 30:26). Rabbi Yosi said to Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda: “Why do I need all this - isn’t it said in the Psalm: “But man will not remain in splendor (for long), he is like the animals that perish”? (Tehillim, 49, 13) This means that the radiance of Adam’s face was short-lived.” He replied: “Of course. Punishment (i.e. loss radiance) was imposed by the Almighty on the eve of Saturday, and therefore the radiance was short-lived (it did not last even one whole night), but still it did not stop until the end of Saturday.

The villain Turnusrufus (Roman governor) asked Rabbi Akiva: “How is this day different from the rest?” Rabbi Akiva replied: “How does one person differ from others?” Turnusrufus replied: “I asked you one thing, and you are talking about another.” Rabbi Akiva said: “You asked how the Sabbath is different from all other days, and I responded by asking how Turnusrufus is different from all other people.” Turnusrufus replied: “Because the emperor demands respect to me.” Rabbi Akiva said: “Exactly. In the same way, the King of kings demands that the Jewish people honor the Sabbath.”

Honor thy father and thy mother (Fifth Commandment)

Ula Rava asked: “What do the words of the Psalm mean: “All the kings of the earth will glorify You, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth” (Tehillim, 138, 4)?” And he answered: “It is no accident that it is said here not “the word of Your mouth,” but “the words of Your mouth.” When the Almighty pronounced the first commandments - “I am the Lord your God” and “Thou shalt have no other gods,” the pagans replied: “He demands respect only to Himself.” But when they heard the commandment: “Honor your father and your mother,” they were imbued with respect for the first commandments. »

The commandment obliges: “Honor your father and your mother.” But what does it mean to “honor”? The words of the Book of Proverbs come to the rescue: “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your earthly productions” (Mishlei, 3, 9). From here we teach that we must feed and water our parents, clothe and shelter them, bring them in and escort them back.

The commandment says: “Honor your father and your mother,” that is, the father is mentioned first. But in another place the Torah indicates: “Everyone shall fear his own mother and his father” (Vayikra 19:3). Here the mother is mentioned first. How is “reverence” different from “fear”? “Fear” is expressed in the fact that it is forbidden to take the place where parents are sitting or standing, interrupt them or argue with them. To “honor” parents means to feed and water them, to clothe and shelter them, to bring them in and out.

Another interpretation: the commandment “Honor your father and mother” obliges you to show respect not only to your parents. The words “your father” oblige you to extend respect to your father’s wife (even if she is not your mother), and the words “and your mother” - also to your mother’s husband (even if he is not your father). Moreover, the words “and our mother” oblige us to show respect to our elder brother. At the same time, we are obliged to show respect to our father’s wife only during his lifetime, as well as to our mother’s husband only during her lifetime. After the death of our parents, we are released from this obligation towards their spouses.

The fact is that in the original text of the commandment the words “his father” and “his mother” are connected not only by the conjunction “and”, but also by the untranslatable particle את (et), indicating an expansion of the meaning of the commandment. In addition, although the commandment, as we know, does not oblige us to show respect to the spouses of our parents after the death of the parents themselves, we still must do it. In addition, we must show respect to our spouse's parents and grandparents.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: “The importance of honoring one’s father and mother is great, since the Almighty compares honoring them with one’s own, as well as awe for them with awe for Himself. After all, it is said: “Honor the Lord with your inheritance” and at the same time: “Honor your father and your mother,” and also: “Fear the Lord your God” and at the same time: “Fear every one his mother and his father.” " In addition, the Torah says: “And whoever reviles the Name of the Lord shall be put to death” (Vayikra, 24, 16), as well as: “And whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death” ( Shemot, 21, 17). Our responsibilities towards the Almighty and towards our parents are so similar because all three - the Almighty, father and mother - participated in our birth.”

The commandment is: “Honor your father and your mother.” Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught: “So great is the importance of honoring one’s father and mother that the Almighty has placed it above one’s own, as it is said: “Honor your father and your mother,” and then: “Honor your Lord with what you have.” How do we honor the Almighty? Separating part of his property - part of the harvest on the field, Trumu and Ma'aserot, as well as building bitch, fulfilling the commandments about Lulave, shofar, tefillin And tzitzit providing food to the hungry and water to the thirsty. Only the one who has the corresponding property is obliged to separate part of it; those who don't have it don't have to. However, there are no exceptions when it comes to honoring father and mother. Regardless of what wealth we have, we are obligated to fulfill this commandment (including its material aspects) - even if this means begging for alms.”

The reward for fulfilling this commandment is great - after all, its full text reads: “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” The Torah emphasizes: in Eretz Israel, and not in exile or in conquered and annexed territory.

Rav Ula was asked: “How far should the fulfillment of the commandment to honor one’s father and mother extend?” He replied: “Look at what a non-Jew named Dama ben Netina from Ashkelon did. One day, the sages offered him a commercial deal that promised a profit of six hundred thousand dinars, but he refused, because in order to conclude it, it was necessary to get the key that was under the pillow of his sleeping father, whom he did not want to wake up.”

Rabbi Eliezer was asked: “How far should the fulfillment of this commandment extend?” He replied: “Even if a father, in the presence of his son, takes a wallet with money and throws it into the sea, the son should not reproach him for this.”

Those who feed their parents the most expensive delicacies (in the original - fattened poultry), but behave unworthily with them, will lose their share in the future world. At the same time, some of those whose parents have to turn the millstones for them will be awarded a share in the world to come, because they treated their parents with due respect, although they could not provide for them in any other way.

There is a commandment that requires one to pay one's parents' debts after their death.

Thou shalt not kill (Sixth Commandment)

This commandment includes the prohibition of dealing with murderers. It is necessary to stay away from them so that our children do not learn to kill. After all, the sin of murder gave birth to and brought the sword into this world. It is not given to us to restore the life of a murdered person - how can we take it away other than according to the law of the Torah? How can we extinguish a candle that we cannot light? Giving and taking life is the work of the Almighty, few people are able to understand the problems of life and death, as the Scripture says: “Just as you do not know the ways of the wind and where the bones come from in the pregnant womb, so you will not know for you are the works of God, who creates everything” (Qoheleth 11:5).

The Torah (Bemidbar 35) says: “Let the murderer be put to death.” These words determine the punishment to which the murderer is sentenced - the death penalty. But where is the warning, the prohibition against murder? In the commandment “Thou shalt not kill.” How do we know that even someone who says: “I intend to commit murder and am willing to pay the price indicated - to undergo the death penalty,” or simply: “In order to undergo the death penalty,” still does not have the right to kill? From the words of the commandment - “Thou shalt not kill.” How do we know that someone already sentenced to death has no right to kill? From the words of the commandment.

In other words, even one who is ready to be punished for murder does not have the right to kill - for the Torah warned him about this.

The commandments of the Torah, which are warnings - “Do not kill”, “Do not commit adultery”, etc. - in the original contain a prohibiting negative particle לא ( lo), not אל ( al), also meaning “not”, because they not only warn about the prohibition imposed on the offense itself, but also oblige a person to move away from it with his entire lifestyle, that is, to establish “barriers” that would guarantee that he will not kill , commit adultery, etc.

Thou shalt not commit adultery (Seventh Commandment)

The Torah (Vayikra 20:10) says: “Let the adulterer and the adulteress be put to death.” These words of the Torah define the punishment for adultery. Where is the warning, the ban itself? In the commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” How do we know that someone who says, “I will commit adultery in order to suffer the death penalty,” still has no right to commit adultery? From the words of the commandment - “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” How do we know that a person is forbidden to think about the wife of another during marital intimacy? From the words of the commandment.

The commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery” prohibits a man from inhaling the scent of perfume, which is used by all women forbidden to him by the Torah. The same commandment prohibits giving vent to one's anger. Both last prohibitions are derived from the fact that the verb לנאף ( lin"of, "to commit adultery") contain a two-letter cell אף ( af), which as a separate word means "nose" and "anger".

Adultery is the most serious crime, for it is one of the three offenses about which Scripture directly indicates that they lead to Hell (Gehinom). Here they are: adultery with a married woman, slander and unrighteous rule. Where does Scripture mention adultery in this context? In the Book of Proverbs: “Can anyone put fire in his bosom and not have his clothes burned? Can anyone walk on burning coals without their feet being burned? So the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife and who touches her will not remain without punishment” (Mishlei 6:27).

Thou shalt not steal (Eighth Commandment)

There are seven types of thieves:

1. The first is the one who misleads people or fools them. For example, someone who persistently invites a person to visit, hoping that he will not accept the invitation, offers a treat to someone who will probably refuse it, puts up for sale, as it were, items he has already sold.

2. The second is the one who counterfeits weights and measures, mixes sand with beans and adds vinegar to oil.

3. The third is the one who kidnaps the Jew. Such a thief is subject to the death penalty.

4. The fourth is the one who is associated with the thief and receives a share of his booty.

5. The fifth is the one who is sold into slavery for theft.

6. The sixth is the one who stole booty from another thief.

7. The seventh is the one who steals with the intention of returning what was stolen, or the one who steals to upset or anger the robbed, or the one who steals an object that belongs to him, which is currently in the possession of another person, instead of resorting to help law.

The Torah (Vayikra 19, 11) says: “Do not steal.” The Talmud teaches us: “Do not steal (even) in order to anger the one who was stolen, and then return to him what was stolen - for in this case you are violating the prohibition of the Torah.”

Even our foremother Rachel, who stole the idols of her father Laban so that he would stop idolatry, was punished for this offense by not being worthy of being buried in a cave. Machpelah- the tomb of the righteous, since Yaakov (who did not know about this abduction) said: “Whoever you find your gods with, let him not live!” (Genesis 31, 32) Therefore, let each of us avoid theft and use only what he has earned through his own labor. Anyone who does this will be happy both in this world and in the next, as it is said: “When you eat from the fruits of the labor of your hands, you are happy and it is good for you” (Tehillim, 128, 2). The word “happy” refers to this world, the words “good for you” - to the next world.

However, it should be remembered that the commandment “Thou shalt not steal” itself applies only to kidnapping, which is punishable by death. Theft of property is prohibited by the Torah elsewhere.

Thou shalt not speak falsely of thy neighbor (Ninth Commandment)

In the Book of Devarim this commandment is formulated somewhat differently: “Do not speak of your neighbor with empty testimony” (Devarim 5:17). This means that both words - “false” and “empty” - were pronounced by the Almighty at the same time - although human lips are not able to pronounce them in this way, and the human ear is not able to hear them.

King Shlomo said in his wisdom: “All the merits of a person who keeps the commandments and does good deeds are not enough to atone for the sin of the bad words that came out of his mouth. Therefore, we are obliged to beware of slander and gossip in every possible way and not to sin in this way. After all, the tongue burns more easily than any other organ, and is the first of all organs to stand trial.”

One should not lavish praise on another person, lest, starting with praise, one might say something bad about him.

Slander is one of the worst things in the world! She is compared to a lame man who, nevertheless, sows confusion around him. They say about him: “What would he have done if he had been healthy!” This is the human language, which troubles the whole world while remaining in our mouth. Who does he look like? On a dog sitting on a chain in a locked interior room of a house. Despite this, when she barks, everyone around her is afraid. What would she do if she were free! Such is the evil tongue, imprisoned in our mouth, locked between our lips, and yet delivering countless blows - what would it do if it were free! The Almighty said: “I can save you from all troubles. Only slander is an exception. Hide from her and you won’t get hurt.”

At school, Rabbi Ishmael was taught: “Whoever spreads slander is guilty no less than if he had committed the three most terrible sins - idolatry, incest and bloodshed.”

The one who spreads slander, as it were, denies the existence of the Almighty, as it is said: “Those who said: With our tongue we will be strong, with our lips with us - who is our master? »

Rav Hisda said on behalf of Mar Ukba: “About everyone who spreads slander, the Almighty speaks to the angel of hell like this: “I am from Heaven, and you are from the underworld - we will judge him.” »

Rav Sheshet said: “Whoever spreads slander, as well as everyone who listens to it, everyone who bears false witness - they all deserve to be thrown to the dogs. Indeed, in the Torah (Shemot 22, 30) it is said: “Throw him to the dogs,” and immediately after this it says: “Do not spread false rumors, do not give your hand to the wicked to be a witness of untruth.” »

Thou shalt not covet (Tenth Commandment)

The commandment is: “Thou shalt not solicit.” The Book of Devarim also says (in continuation of the commandment): “Do not covet.” Thus, the Torah punishes harassment separately and desire separately. How do we know that a person who desires what belongs to another will eventually begin to covet what he wants? Because the Torah connects these concepts: “Do not covet or covet.” How do we know that the one who begins to harass ends up robbing? Because the prophet Micah said: “And they will desire the fields, and they will take them away” (Micah 2:2). Desire is in the heart, as it is said: “As much as your soul desires” (Deuteronomy 12:20). Coveting is an act, as it is said: “Do not covet the silver and gold that is in them to take for yourself” (Devarim 7:25).

It is natural to ask: how can one forbid the heart to desire something - after all, it does not ask our permission? It’s very simple: let everything that other people own be infinitely far from us, so far away that the heart does not ignite because of it. Thus, a peasant living in a remote village would not think of harassing the king’s daughter.

In religious tradition, it is believed that the ten commandments (or ten words) Lord wrote and conveyed to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Ten Commandments according to the Synodal Translation of the Bible:

I am the Lord your God; Let you have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything in the sky above, or on the earth below, or in the water under the earth. Do not worship them or serve them; For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, and showing mercy to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not leave without punishment the one who takes His name in vain.

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Work six days and do all your work; and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: on it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord created heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; and on the seventh day he rested. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.

Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Dont kill.

Don't commit adultery.

Don't steal.

Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.

Regardless of the religious or secular attitude towards these 10 commandments, it can be argued that they - one way or another - were laid in the foundation of European culture.

God sends us all to each other!
And, thank God, God has many of us...
Boris Pasternak

Old world

Old Testament history, in addition to a literal reading, also requires a special understanding and interpretation, for it is literally filled with symbols, prototypes and predictions.

When Moses was born, the Israelites lived in Egypt - they moved there during the lifetime of Jacob-Israel himself, fleeing famine.

Nevertheless, the Israelites remained strangers among the Egyptians. And after some time, after the change of the pharaoh dynasty, local rulers began to suspect a hidden danger in the presence of the Israelis in the country. Moreover, the people of Israel not only increased in numbers, but also their share in the life of Egypt constantly increased. And then the moment came when the concerns and fears of the Egyptians regarding aliens grew into actions consistent with this understanding.

The pharaohs began to oppress the Israeli people, dooming them to hard labor in quarries, building pyramids and cities. One of the Egyptian rulers issued a cruel decree: to kill all male babies born in Jewish families in order to destroy the tribe of Abraham.

This entire created world belongs to God. But after the Fall, man began to live by his own mind, his own feelings, moving further and further away from God, replacing Him with various idols. But God chooses one from all the peoples of the earth in order to use his example to show how the relationship between God and man develops. After all, it was the Israelites who had to keep faith in one God and prepare themselves and the world for the coming of the Savior.

Rescued from the water

One day, a boy was born into a Jewish family of descendants of Levi (one of Joseph’s brothers), and his mother hid him for a long time, fearing that the baby would be killed. But when it became impossible to hide it any longer, she wove a basket of reeds, tarred it, put her baby there and launched the basket along the waters of the Nile.

Not far from that place, the daughter of Pharaoh was bathing. Seeing the basket, she ordered it to be fished out of the water and, opening it, found a baby in it. Pharaoh's daughter took this baby to her and began to raise him, giving him the name Moses, which translated means “taken out of the water” (Ex. 2.10).

People often ask: why does God allow so much evil in this world? Theologians usually answer: He respects human freedom too much to prevent a person from doing evil. Could He make Jewish babies unsinkable? Could. But then Pharaoh would have ordered them to be executed in a different way... No, God acts more subtly and better: He can even turn evil into good. If Moses had not set off on his voyage, he would have remained an unknown slave. But he grew up at court, acquired skills and knowledge that would be useful to him later, when he freed and led his people, saving many thousands of unborn babies from slavery.

Moses was brought up at the court of Pharaoh as an Egyptian aristocrat, but he was fed milk by his own mother, who was invited to the house of Pharaoh’s daughter as a nurse, for Moses’ sister, seeing that he was taken out of the water in a basket by the Egyptian princess, offered the princess services to care for the child to his mother.

Moses grew up in the house of Pharaoh, but he knew that he belonged to the people of Israel. One day, when he was already mature and strong, an event occurred that had very significant consequences.

Seeing the overseer beating one of his fellow tribesmen, Moses stood up for the defenseless and, as a result, killed the Egyptian. And thus he placed himself outside of society and outside the law. The only way to escape was to escape. And Moses leaves Egypt. He settles in the Sinai desert, and there, on Mount Horeb, his meeting with God takes place.

Voice from the thorn bush

God said that He chose Moses to save the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Moses had to go to Pharaoh and demand that he release the Jews. From a burning and unburnt bush, a burning bush, Moses receives a command to return to Egypt and lead the people of Israel out of captivity. Hearing this, Moses asked: “Behold, I will come to the children of Israel and say to them: “The God of your fathers has sent me to you.” And they will say to me: “What is His name?” What should I tell them?

And then God for the first time revealed his name, saying that his name is Yahweh (“Existing One,” “He Who Is”). God also said that in order to convince unbelievers, He gave Moses the ability to perform miracles. Immediately, by His order, Moses threw his rod (shepherd's stick) to the ground - and suddenly this rod turned into a snake. Moses caught the snake by the tail - and again there was a stick in his hand.

Moses returns to Egypt and appears before Pharaoh, asking him to let the people go. But Pharaoh does not agree, because he does not want to lose his many slaves. And then God brings plagues on Egypt. The country is either plunged into the darkness of a solar eclipse, or it is struck by a terrible epidemic, or it becomes the prey of insects, which in the Bible are called “dog flies” (Ex. 8:21)

But none of these tests could frighten the pharaoh.

And then God punishes Pharaoh and the Egyptians in a special way. He punishes every firstborn child in Egyptian families. But so that the children of Israel, who were supposed to leave Egypt, would not perish, God commanded that in every Jewish family a lamb should be slaughtered and the doorposts and lintels in the houses should be marked with its blood.

The Bible tells how an angel of God, taking vengeance, passed through the cities and villages of Egypt, bringing death to the firstborn in dwellings whose walls were not sprinkled with the blood of lambs. This Egyptian execution shocked Pharaoh so much that he released the people of Israel.

This event came to be called the Hebrew word “Passover,” which translated means “passing,” because the wrath of God bypassed the marked houses. Jewish Passover, or Passover, is the holiday of Israel's deliverance from Egyptian captivity.

God's Covenant with Moses

The historical experience of peoples has shown that internal law alone is not enough to improve human morality.

And in Israel, the voice of the internal law of man was drowned out by the cry of human passions, therefore the Lord corrects the people and adds an external law to the internal law, which we call positive, or revealed.

At the foot of Sinai, Moses revealed to the people that God had freed Israel for this purpose and brought them out of the land of Egypt in order to conclude an eternal union, or Covenant, with them. However, this time the Covenant is not made with one person, or with a small group of believers, but with a whole people.

“If you will obey My voice and keep My Covenant, then you will be My possession above all nations, for all the earth is Mine, and you will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Ex. 19.5-6)

This is how the birth of the people of God occurs.

From the seed of Abraham come the first sprouts of the Old Testament Church, which is the ancestor of the Universal Church. From now on, the history of religion will no longer be only the history of longing, longing, search, but it becomes the history of the Testament, i.e. union between Creator and man

God does not reveal what the calling of the people will be, through which, as He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, all the nations of the earth will be blessed, but He demands from the people faith, fidelity and truth.

The phenomenon in Sinai was accompanied by terrible phenomena: clouds, smoke, lightning, thunder, flames, earthquakes, and the sound of a trumpet. This communication lasted forty days, and God gave Moses two tablets - stone tables on which the Law was written.

“And Moses said to the people, Fear not; God came (to you) to test you and so that the fear of Him might be before you, so that you would not sin.” (Ex. 19, 22)
“And God spoke (to Moses) all these words, saying:

1. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; Let you have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I am the Lord your God. God is jealous, punishing the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing mercy to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave without punishment the one who takes His name in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; six days thou shalt work, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor yours, nor your donkey, nor any of your livestock, nor the stranger who is in your gates; For in six days the Lord created heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them, and rested on the seventh day; Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.
5. Honor your father and your mother, (so that it may go well with you and) that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
6. Dont kill.
7. Don't commit adultery.
8. Don't steal.
9. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, (nor his field), nor his male servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, (nor any of his livestock), nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Ex.20, 1-17).

The law that was given to ancient Israel by God had several purposes. Firstly, he asserted public order and justice. Secondly, he singled out the Jewish people as a special religious community professing monotheism. Third, he had to make an internal change in a person, morally improve a person, bring a person closer to God through instilling in a person the love of God. Finally, the law of the Old Testament prepared humanity for the adoption of the Christian faith in the future.

Fate of Moses

Despite the great difficulties of the prophet Moses, He remained a faithful servant of the Lord God (Yahweh) until the end of his life. He led, taught and mentored his people. He arranged their future, but did not enter the Promised Land. Aaron, the brother of the prophet Moses, also did not enter these lands because of the sins he had committed. By nature, Moses was impatient and prone to anger, but through Divine education he became so humble that he became “the meekest of all people on earth” (Num. 12:3).

In all his deeds and thoughts, he was guided by faith in the Almighty. In a sense, the fate of Moses is similar to the fate of the Old Testament itself, which through the desert of paganism brought the people of Israel to the New Testament and froze on its threshold. Moses died at the end of forty years of wandering on the top of Mount Nebo, from which he could see the promised land, Palestine.

And the Lord said to him to Moses:

“This is the land about which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: “To your seed I will give it.” I let you see it with your eyes, but you will not enter it.” And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.” (Deut. 34:1–5). The vision of 120-year-old Moses “did not become dull, neither did his strength fail” (Deut. 34:7). The body of Moses is forever hidden from people, “no one knows the place of his burial even to this day,” says the Holy Scriptures (Deut. 34:6).

Alexander A. Sokolovsky

A truly good Christian life can only be had by one who has faith in Christ in himself and tries to live according to this faith, that is, fulfills the will of God through good deeds. So that people knew how to live and what to do, God gave them His commandments - the Law of God. The prophet Moses received the Ten Commandments from God approximately 1500 years before the birth of Christ. This happened when the Jews emerged from slavery in Egypt and approached Mount Sinai in the desert.

God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets (slabs). The first four commandments outlined man's duties towards God. The remaining six commandments outlined man's duties towards his fellowmen. People at that time were not yet accustomed to living according to the will of God and easily committed serious crimes. Therefore, for violating many commandments, such as: for idolatry, bad words against God, for bad words against parents, for murder and for violation of marital fidelity, the death penalty was imposed. The Old Testament was dominated by a spirit of severity and punishment. But this severity was useful for people, as it restrained their bad habits, and people little by little began to improve.

The other Nine Commandments (the Beatitudes) are also known, which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself gave to people at the very beginning of His preaching. The Lord ascended a low mountain near Lake Galilee. The apostles and many people gathered around Him. The Beatitudes are dominated by love and humility. They set out how a person can gradually achieve perfection. The basis of virtue is humility (spiritual poverty). Repentance cleanses the soul, then meekness and love for God’s truth appear in the soul. After this, a person becomes compassionate and merciful and his heart is so purified that he becomes able to see God (feel His presence in his soul).

But the Lord saw that most people choose evil and that evil people will hate and persecute true Christians. Therefore, in the last two beatitudes, the Lord teaches us to patiently endure all injustices and persecution from bad people.
We should focus our attention not on the fleeting trials that are inevitable in this temporary life, but on the eternal bliss that God has prepared for people who love Him.

Most of the commandments of the Old Testament tell us what we should not do, but the commandments of the New Testament teach us how to act and what to strive for.
The content of all the commandments of both the Old and New Testaments can be summarized in two commandments of love given by Christ: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is similar to it—thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. " And the Lord also gave us the right guidance on how to act: “As you want people to do to you, do so to them.”

Ten Commandments of the Old Testament

Explaining the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament

First Commandment of the Old Testament

“I am the Lord your God; let you have no other Gods besides Me.”

With the first commandment, the Lord God points man to Himself and inspires us to honor His one true God, and besides Him, we should not render Divine veneration to anyone. With the first commandment, God teaches us correct knowledge of God and correct worship of God.
Knowing God means knowing God correctly. Knowledge of God is the most important of all knowledge. It is our first and most important duty.
To acquire the knowledge of God we must:
1. Read and study the Holy Scriptures (and children: the book of God’s Law).
2. Regularly visit God’s temple, delve into the content of church services and listen to the priest’s sermon.
3. Think about God and the purpose of our earthly life.
Worship of God means that in all our actions we must express our faith in God, hope for His help and love for Him as our Creator and Savior.
When we go to church, pray at home, observe fasts and honor church holidays, obey our parents, help them in any way we can, study hard and do homework, when we are quiet, do not quarrel, when we help our neighbors, when we constantly think about God and recognize His presence with us - then we truly honor God, that is, we express our worship of God.
Thus, the first commandment to a certain extent contains the remaining commandments. Or the remaining commandments explain how to fulfill the first commandment.
Sins against the first commandment are:
Atheism (atheism) - when a person denies the existence of God (for example: communists).
Polytheism: veneration of many gods or idols (wild tribes of Africa, South America, etc.).
Unbelief: doubt about Divine help.
Heresy: a distortion of the faith that God gave us. There are many sects in the world whose teachings were invented by people.
Apostasy: renunciation of faith in God or Christianity due to fear or hopes of receiving a reward.
Despair is when people, forgetting that God arranges everything for the better, begin to grumble dissatisfiedly or even attempt to commit suicide.
Superstition: belief in various signs, stars, fortune telling.

Second Commandment of the Old Testament

“You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, that is on the earth below, or that is in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down or serve them.”

Jews revere the golden calf, which they themselves made.
This commandment was written when people were very inclined to revere various idols and deify the forces of nature: the sun, stars, fire, etc. Idol worshipers built idols for themselves representing their false gods and worshiped these idols.
These days such gross idolatry is almost non-existent in developed countries.
However, if people give all their time and energy, all their worries to something earthly, forgetting family and even God, such behavior is also a kind of idolatry, which is prohibited by this commandment.
Idolatry is excessive attachment to money and wealth. Idolatry is constant gluttony, i.e. when a person only thinks about this, and does only that, to eat a lot and tasty. Drug addiction and drunkenness also fall under this sin of idolatry. Proud people who always want to be the center of attention, want everyone to honor them and obey them unquestioningly also violate the second commandment.
At the same time, the second commandment does not prohibit the correct veneration of the Holy Cross and holy icons. It does not prohibit it because, by honoring a cross or an icon where the true God is depicted, a person gives honor not to the wood or paint from which these objects are made, but to Jesus Christ or the saints who are depicted on them.
Icons remind us of God, icons help us pray, because our soul is structured in such a way that what we look at is what we think about.
When we honor the saints depicted on icons, we do not give them equal veneration as equals to God, but we pray to them as our patrons and prayer books before God. Saints are our older brothers. They see our difficulties, see our weakness and inexperience and help us.
God Himself shows us that He does not prohibit the correct veneration of holy icons; on the contrary, God shows help to people through holy icons. There are many miraculous icons, for example: the Kursk Mother of God, weeping icons in different parts of the world, many renewed icons in Russia, China and other countries.
In the Old Testament, God Himself commanded Moses to make golden images of cherubim (Angels) and place these images on the lid of the Ark, where the tablets with the commandments written on them were kept.
Images of the Savior have been revered in the Christian Church since ancient times. One of these images is the image of the Savior, called “Not Made by Hands.” Jesus Christ put a towel to his face, and the image of the Savior’s face miraculously remained on this towel. The sick king Abgar, as soon as he touched this towel, was healed of leprosy.

Third Commandment of the Old Testament

“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”

The third commandment is forbidden to pronounce the name of God in vain, without due reverence. The name of God is pronounced in vain when it is used in empty conversations, jokes, and games.
This commandment generally prohibits a frivolous and irreverent attitude towards the name of God.
Sins against this commandment are:
Bozhba: frivolous use of an oath with the mention of the name of God in ordinary conversations.
Blasphemy: bold words against God.
Blasphemy: disrespectful treatment of sacred objects.
It is also prohibited here to break vows - promises made to God.
The Name of God should be pronounced with fear and reverence only in prayer or when studying the Holy Scriptures.
We must avoid distraction in prayer in every possible way. To do this, it is necessary to understand the meaning of the prayers that we say at home or in church. Before saying a prayer, we must calm down even a little, think that we are going to talk with the eternal and omnipotent Lord God, before whom even the angels stand in awe; and finally, say our prayers slowly, trying to ensure that our prayer is sincere - coming straight from our mind and heart. Such reverent prayer pleases God, and the Lord, according to our faith, will give us the benefits that we ask.

Fourth Commandment of the Old Testament

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall work and do all your work in them, and the seventh day is a day of rest, dedicated to the Lord your God."

The word "Sabbath" in Hebrew means rest. This day of the week was called this because on this day it was forbidden to work or engage in everyday affairs.
With the fourth commandment, the Lord God commands us to work and attend to our duties for six days, and to devote the seventh day to God, i.e. on the seventh day to perform holy and pleasing deeds to Him.
Holy and pleasing to God deeds are: caring for the salvation of one’s soul, prayer in the temple of God and at home, studying the Holy Scriptures and the Law of God, thinking about God and the purpose of one’s life, pious conversations about the objects of the Christian faith, helping the poor, visiting the sick and others good deeds.
In the Old Testament, the Sabbath was celebrated in memory of the end of God's creation of the world. In the New Testament from the time of St. The apostles began to celebrate the first day after Saturday, Sunday - in remembrance of the Resurrection of Christ.
On Sunday, Christians gathered for prayer. They read the Holy Scriptures, sang psalms and received communion at the liturgy. Unfortunately, now many Christians are not as zealous as in the first centuries of Christianity, and many have become less likely to receive communion. However, we must never forget that Sunday should belong to God.
Those who are lazy and do not work or do not fulfill their duties on weekdays violate the fourth commandment. Those who continue to work on Sundays and do not go to church violate this commandment. This commandment is also violated by those who, although they do not work, spend Sunday in nothing but fun and games, without thinking about God, good deeds and the salvation of their souls.
In addition to Sundays, Christians dedicate to God some other days of the year, on which the Church celebrates great events. These are the so-called church holidays.
Our greatest holiday is Easter - the day of the Resurrection of Christ. It is "the celebration of celebrations and the celebration of celebrations."
There are 12 great holidays, called the twelve. Some of them are dedicated to God and are called the Lord's feasts, others of them are dedicated to the Mother of God and are called the Theotokos feasts.
The Lord's holidays: (1) Nativity of Christ, (2) Baptism of the Lord, (3) Presentation of the Lord, (4) Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, (5) Resurrection of Christ, (6) Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles (Trinity), (7) Transfiguration of the Lord and (8) Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. Theotokos feasts: (1) Nativity of the Mother of God, (2) Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, (3) Annunciation and (4) Dormition of the Mother of God.

Fifth Commandment of the Old Testament

“Honor your father and your mother, so that it may go well with you and may you live long on earth.”

With the fifth commandment, the Lord God commands us to honor our parents and for this he promises a prosperous and long life.
To honor parents means: to love them, to be respectful to them, not to insult them either by words or deeds, to obey them, to help them in daily labors, to take care of them when they are in need, and especially during their illness and old age, also pray to God for them both during their life and after death.
The sin of disrespect for parents is a great sin. In the Old Testament, anyone who spoke bad words to their father or mother was punished by death.
Along with our parents, we must honor those who in some respect replace our parents. Such persons include: bishops and priests who care about our salvation; civil authorities: the president of the country, the governor of the state, the police and everyone in general from those who have the responsibility to maintain order and normal life in the country. Therefore, we must also honor teachers and all people older than us who have experience in life and can give us good advice.
Those who sin against this commandment are those who do not respect elders, especially old people, who are distrustful of their comments and instructions, considering them “backward” people and their concepts “outdated.” God said: “Rise up before the face of the gray-haired man and honor the face of the old man” (Lev. 19:32).
When a younger person meets an older one, the younger one should say hello first. When the teacher enters the classroom, students must stand up. If an elderly person or a woman with a child enters a bus or train, the young person must stand up and give up his seat. When a blind person wants to cross the street, you need to help him.
Only when elders or superiors require us to do something against our faith and law should we not obey them. God's law and obedience to God are the supreme law for all people.
In totalitarian countries, leaders sometimes make laws and give orders that are contrary to God's Law. Sometimes they demand that a Christian renounce his faith or do something against his faith. In this case, a Christian must be ready to suffer for his faith and for the name of Christ. God promises eternal bliss in the Kingdom of Heaven as a reward for these sufferings. “He who endures to the end will be saved...Whoever gives his life for Me and for the Gospel will find it again” (Matt. 10th chapter).

The Sixth Commandment of the Old Testament

"Don't kill."

The sixth commandment of the Lord God prohibits murder, i.e. taking life from other people, as well as from oneself (suicide) in any way.
Life is the greatest gift of God, therefore no one has the right to take this gift away.
Suicide is the most terrible sin because this sin consists of despair and murmuring against God. And besides, after death there is no opportunity to repent and make amends for your sin. A suicide condemns his soul to eternal torment in hell. In order not to despair, we must always remember that God loves us. He is our Father, He sees our difficulties and has enough strength to help us even in the most difficult situation. God, according to His wise plans, sometimes allows us to suffer from illness or some kind of trouble. But we must firmly know that God arranges everything for the better, and He turns the sorrows that befall us to our benefit and salvation.
Unjust judges violate the sixth commandment if they condemn a defendant whose innocence they know. Anyone who helps others commit murder or helps a murderer escape punishment also violates this commandment. This commandment is also violated by the one who did nothing to save his neighbor from death, when he could well have done so. Also the one who exhausts his workers with hard work and cruel punishments and thereby hastens their death.
The one who wishes the death of another person also sins against the sixth commandment, hates his neighbors and causes them grief with his anger and words.
Besides physical murder, there is another terrible murder: spiritual murder. When a person tempts another to sin, he spiritually kills his neighbor, because sin is death for the eternal soul. Therefore, all those who distribute drugs, seductive magazines and films, who teach others how to do evil, or who set a bad example, violate the sixth commandment. Those who spread atheism, unbelief, witchcraft and superstition among people also violate this commandment; Those who sin are those who preach various exotic beliefs that contradict Christian teaching.
Unfortunately, in some exceptional cases it is necessary to allow murder to stop an inevitable evil. For example, if the enemy attacked a peaceful country, warriors must defend their homeland and their families. In this case, the warrior not only kills out of necessity to save his loved ones, but also puts his life in danger and sacrifices himself to save his loved ones.
Also, judges sometimes have to sentence incorrigible criminals to death in order to save society from their further crimes against people.

Seventh Commandment of the Old Testament

"Thou shalt not commit adultery."

By the seventh commandment, the Lord God prohibits adultery and all illegal and unclean relationships.
The married husband and wife made a promise to live together all their lives and share both joys and sorrows together. Therefore, with this commandment God forbids divorce. If a husband and wife have different characters and tastes, they should make every effort to smooth out their differences and put family unity above personal gain. Divorce is not only a violation of the seventh commandment, but also a crime against children, who are left without a family and after a divorce are often forced to live in conditions alien to them.
God commands unmarried people to maintain purity of thoughts and desires. We must avoid everything that can arouse unclean feelings in the heart: bad words, immodest jokes, shameless jokes and songs, violent and exciting music and dances. Seductive magazines and films should be avoided, as well as reading immoral books.
The Word of God commands us to keep our bodies clean, because our bodies “are members of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit.”
The most terrible sin against this commandment is unnatural relations with persons of the same sex. Nowadays, they even register a kind of “families” between men or between women. Such people often die from incurable and terrible diseases. For this terrible sin, God completely destroyed the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, as the Bible tells us about (chapter 19).

Eighth Commandment of the Old Testament

"Don't steal."

By the eighth commandment, God prohibits theft, that is, the appropriation in any way of what belongs to others.
Sins against this commandment can be:
Deception (i.e. appropriation of someone else's thing by cunning), for example: when they evade paying a debt, hide what they found without looking for the owner of the found thing; when they weigh you down during a sale or give the wrong change; when they do not give the worker the required wages.
Theft is the theft of someone else's property.
Robbery is the taking of someone else's property by force or with a weapon.
This commandment is also violated by those who take bribes, that is, take money for what they should have done as part of their duties. Those who violate this commandment are those who pretend to be sick in order to receive money without working. Also, those who work dishonestly do things for show in front of their superiors, and when they are not there, they do nothing.
With this commandment, God teaches us to work honestly, to be satisfied with what we have, and not to strive for great wealth.
A Christian should be merciful: donate part of his money to the church and poor people. Everything that a person has in this life does not belong to him forever, but is given to him by God for temporary use. Therefore, we need to share with others what we have.

Ninth Commandment of the Old Testament

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against another.”

By the ninth commandment, the Lord God forbids telling lies about another person and forbids all lies in general.
The ninth commandment is broken by those who:
Gossiping - retelling to others the shortcomings of his acquaintances.
Slanders - deliberately tells lies about other people with the aim of harming them.
Condemns - makes a strict assessment of a person, classifying him as a bad person. The Gospel does not forbid us to evaluate actions themselves in terms of how good or bad they are. We must distinguish evil from good, we must distance ourselves from all sin and injustice. But we should not take on the role of a judge and say that such and such our acquaintance is a drunkard, or a thief, or a dissolute person, and so on. By this we condemn not so much evil as the person himself. This right to judge belongs only to God. Very often we see only external actions, but do not know about a person’s mood. Often sinners themselves are then burdened by their shortcomings, ask God for forgiveness of sins, and with God’s help overcome their shortcomings.
The ninth commandment teaches us to bridle our tongue and watch what we say. Most of our sins come from unnecessary words, from idle talk. The Savior said that man would have to give an answer to God for every word he spoke.

Tenth Commandment of the Old Testament

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, you shall not covet your neighbor’s house, nor his field... nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

With the tenth commandment, the Lord God forbids not only doing anything bad to others, our neighbors, but also forbids bad desires and even bad thoughts towards them.
The sin against this commandment is called envy.
Anyone who envyes, who in his thoughts desires what belongs to others, can easily lead from bad thoughts and desires to bad deeds.
But envy itself defiles the soul, making it unclean before God. The Holy Scripture says: “Evil thoughts are an abomination to God” (Prov. 15:26).
One of the main tasks of a true Christian is to cleanse his soul from all internal impurity.
To avoid sin against the tenth commandment, it is necessary to keep the heart pure from any excessive attachment to earthly objects. We must be content with what we have and thank God.
Students in school should not be jealous of other students when others are doing very well and doing well. Everyone should try to study as best as possible and attribute their success not only to themselves, but to the Lord, who gave us reason, the opportunity to learn and everything necessary for the development of abilities. A true Christian rejoices when he sees others succeed.
If we sincerely ask God, He will help us become true Christians.