The Ten Commandments are canon in the three major Abrahamic faiths: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. This week, Jews across the world will be reading the portion of the Torah that includes the Ten Commandments. Therefore, I thought it would be cool to post them for all major Abrahamic faiths. First, some interesting facts.

Interesting Facts about The Ten Commandments

Mount Sinai was chosen because it was a “modest-sized mountain.” One might think it was because Moses was an old guy when he had to climb the mountain. The poor guy had to make two round trips to the top of the mountain and back, a tough job for an 80-year-old.

But that wasn’t the only reason. G-d chose a moderately sized mountain to teach that man did not have to be significant in stature to meet his potential. Another reason Sinai was chosen was that it was outside of the Holy Land. The laws given at Sinai are fundamental and should apply to all people. Since the commandments were given outside of the Holy Land, Gd could legitimately demand that these basic rules about how people should live their lives apply to all people

Five and Five The 10 Commandments were placed on two stones, five on each. The first five are primarily concerned with our obligation toward G‑d; those on the second stone focus on relationships between humans.

What Moses looked like: How the heck would I know. But I can tell you he didn’t look like Charlton Heston or the traditional ways Moses has been portrayed in movies and art. Think about it: The guy was the child of Hebrew slaves raised in the court of Pharaoh. Why would he look like a tall Westerner? Sorry to burst your bubbles, but Moses was probably short by today’s standards and had dark skin like Middle Easterners today (and BTW, for those in the cancel culture crowd, we know his wife was black).

The Revelation at Sinai. Here’s the crucial part of the revelation at Sinai that most people don’t realize: There is no other religious event in mankind’s history where the presence of God was seen and heard by an entire nation. 

Some readers may think, “It is all a fable and never really happened.” I bet those folks also believe that the moon landing was staged. Unlike the moon landing, there is no way to prove the story of the revelation at Sinai happened (that’s why it’s called faith). But ponder this: There were more than six hundred thousand witnesses. Not one of those witnesses wrote a minority opinion. There are no accounts from that time saying the entire lawgiving thing was done on a sound stage in Brooklyn, that it wasn’t G-d from on high, or that it was Moses wearing stilts while reciting the commandments off his iPad and speaking through a bull horn.

No commandment says, “Don’t Kill.” The commandment, לֹא תִרְצָח translates as “Don’t murder.” What’s the difference? If it said “don’t kill,” then acts of self-defense, the death penalty, war, etc., would be banned, but they’re not- (if done the right way and for the right reasons). Only murder is out of bounds–just like the ones shown on Discovery ID.

The Ten Statements (H/T God)

Exodus 20:2  

Then God said all these words: “Anochi who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of slavery.

Anochi  is  an Egyptian word meaning “I am the L-d your G-d).” When G-d was talking to the newly freed slaves, using an Egyptian word at the beginning was meant to prevent a former Egyptian slave from freaking out.

1. I am the L‑rd your G‑d, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
2. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, nor any manner of likeness of anything that is in heaven above, that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them. For I the L‑rd your G‑d am a jealous G‑d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children of the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments.
3. You shall not take the name of the L‑rd your G‑d in vain; for the L‑rd will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the L‑rd your G‑d. On it you shall not do any manner of work—you, your son, your daughter, your manservant, your maid-servant, your cattle, and your stranger that is within your gates. For in six days the L‑rd made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the L‑rd blessed the Sabbath Day, and hallowed it.
5. Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long upon the land which the L‑rd your G‑d gives you. (my personal favorite)
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 house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his manservant, his maid-servant, his ox, his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.