Speaking Our Language

It almost seems like it is a multiple-choice question. “Look at the following ten and choose which ones apply to you. You may choose more than one….” So if someone isn’t married and isn’t dating someone who is, clearly “Do not commit adultery” doesn’t apply. Right? And if one has never and would never take anything that wasn’t his or hers then “Do Not Steal” is simply not an issue. And let’s hope that “Do Not Murder” won’t apply to most. So then why would there be Ten Commandments given for all people at all times, if not all would apply to us as individuals. Or perhaps they do. That is if we look at them in a deeper way.

To add to the mix, the first “commandment” isn’t even a commandment. It is a statement. A declaration. A prerequisite that sets the stage for the other nine to come. Basically, if we don’t accept number one, the rest won’t be relevant as they are predicated on an understanding that we are on the same page from the get-go.

So the Ten Commandments begin: “I am the Lord Your G-d who took you out of the land of Egypt.” It is almost like an introduction. He is telling us who He is, how He is connected to us and what He has done for us. But there is so much more. And from just this one line it teaches us an essential lesson in our ability to connect with others.

The very first word, the word for “I” is Anochi. It is not a Hebrew word. It is not Aramaic. Rather it is Egyptian. Now let’s puts this in perspective. The Ten Commandments are said to the Jewish People at Mount Sinai after finally leaving an extensive period of back-breaking slavery. It is easy to imagine how Egyptian is the very last thing anyone wants to hear. And yet, it is still all too familiar. Even though the Jewish people had been taken out of Egypt, Egypt had not yet completely been removed from the Jewish people.

Leaving slavery is not a physical relocation but a state of mind and heart. It is a process. And one that takes time. It is hard to imagine why a freed slave would want any connection to his slavery, and yet freedom is scary. It requires choices. It means that there is responsibility that one didn’t have enslaved. We see this commonly with prisoners who have served their time and are free to leave prison. There is a significant number of those who will recommit with the hope of being able to return to prison. In a bizarre and sad way, there is something comforting about being told what to do and how to do everything.

And so too, the Jewish people were physically freed but were still working to feel free. To own their freedom. To regain their individuality. And so when spoken to, the first word used is Egyptian. It not only offered a sense of comfort and familiarity but more importantly, it made the very clear statement “I know where you have been, I know who you are, and I understand you.” One word clarified that this was a relationship, one of respect and love and support. He got us. He gets us. He speaks our language.

There is another lesson as well in this first statement. It is the message that Egypt is a part of life. It is temporary. And yet it is unavoidable. We will all go through a period of Egypt in our lives and yet we will also all be taken out. That is the message.

The Hebrew word for “Egypt” is mitzraim which shares the same root as meitzar which means “constriction.” For some Egypt will be physical, for others emotional or spiritual. It is a state of limitation, of feeling trapped, of not being able to be ourselves in the fullest way. And we all go through it at some point in our lives. It is specifically when we are feeling trapped, that we may also feel forgotten about. This is why the first commandment comes to announce that when we are at our lowest, and stuck in Egypt, He has not forgotten about us and will take us out. He knows we are there even though we may not understand why, but it is only temporary.

Once we recognize that our Creator understands us, is there for us, will pull us out of our darkness and will speak to us in a way that we can relate to, then we are ready to move forward and hear the other nine commandments that He is establishing for us. And as much as the Ten Commandments are universal, they are extremely personal as well. We all have our own unique relationship, our own individual connection and the way in which each one of these will relate to our lives, our growth and our potential.

In Part Two we will address the second commandment regarding idolatry.

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/the-ten-commandments-in-our-lives-part-2/

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