The Ten Commandments: From the Shadow of Eden to the Promise of Canaan

Two oval-topped tablets, standing side by side-everyone recognizes the religious symbol. But get to specifics--"You shall" and "You shall not"--it seems there is not much recognition at all. A recent public opinion survey discovered that most people cannot name more than a couple. And when the surveyors described the overlooked commandments, most participants were not happy with what they heard. Yet these "ten words" are the basis for Western ethics and law. Their influence permeates every niche of our society.

In this book, Rabbi Ross presents the Ten Commandments as understood by Judaism, the religion of the people who gave them to the world. Indeed, the essence of the commandments is an outward reaching spirituality, not one that is self-absorbed. Judaism is a world engaging religion. The road to spiritual truth is not taken in isolation but is outward bound. We reach spiritual truth by engaging with the world, the family, and the community. The world is a good place, the human spirit is good, and worldly pleasures are to be enjoyed with moderation and within limits. Judaism teaches a unity of the spirit and the world.

We take this path as outlined by the Ten Commandments and as explained by a little-known sage, Rabbi Abraham bar Hiyya of eleventh-century Spain. We learned that we cannot control our thoughts, but we can integrate our thinking and our doing. Speaking depends on nuance and is a way of engaging with family and community. We find a reasonable approach to honoring our parents and community, of caring for the weak and protecting strangers.

God is more than just a scorekeeper who metes out reward and punishment. We aspire to be godlike by asserting the primacy of time over space and being over having, as well as by making ends and means consistent. In following these teachings of the Ten Commandments, we strive for an ideal life and society.