Weekly Torah Study – July 23rd

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The Ten Commandments, Take 2

The Torah gives us two versions of the Ten Commandments, and we’re going to put them side-by-side to see what’s the same and what’s different. We encounter the latter version this week in Parashat V’ethanan/ואתחנן, (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11), the second portion in the Torah’s fifth and final book. 

One of the biggest differences between this version and the one back in Parashat Yitro of Exodus is the rationale for Shabbat, the day of rest. This week’s passage  calls it a commemoration of the exodus from Egypt, while the one in Exodus says it marks the creation of the world.

Even the thing we’re told to do is different. The Exodus version tells us “to remember” (לזכור) Shabbat, while Deuteronomy tells us “to guard” (לשמור) Shabbat.

So put on your thinking caps and help us probe what the subtle differences might mean for us today.

Please join student rabbi David Goodman and others for Nafshenu’s Torah study on Zoom [or in person if we want] at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 22.