The 10 Commandments

Hello everybody,

This is Michelle Tandler, and today is June 6th, 2025. This past week, for the first time in my life, I celebrated the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.

Reform Jews typically don't observe Shavuot, so it was entirely new to me. Shavuot commemorates the moment when Moses received the Torah, including the Ten Commandments, from God on Mount Sinai - a pivotal event in Jewish history. More observant Jews mark the holiday with all-night Torah study sessions and gatherings to hear the Ten Commandments read aloud. They also refrain from work. Orthodox Jews observe Shavuot for one day in Israel and two days in the diaspora.

I attended synagogue and heard the Ten Commandments read from the Torah. Though the holiday has passed, I thought I'd do something a bit unusual for today’s post and read the Ten Commandments aloud - in both Hebrew and English. (After all, they're public domain.) My Hebrew is a bit rusty, so I apologize in advance for any mispronunciations.

Shabbat shalom,

Michelle

P.S. Please note I read aloud a slightly shortened version. The full Hebrew is below.

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English Version (shorter version):

1) I am the Lord thy god, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

2) Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.

3) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

4) Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

5) Honor thy father and thy mother.

6) Thou shalt not murder.

7) Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8) Thou shalt not steal.

9) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

10) Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to thy neighbor.

Source: Jewish Virtual Library

English Translation (longer version)

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 man-servant, 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.

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.

Source: Chabad.org