תורה מציון

Our parasha is full of mitzvot, the "crown jewel" of which being the Ten Commandments, which speak of the basic relationship between man and God and between man and his fellow.

After a whole series of mitzvot and the emotional Ma´amad Har Sinai, the Torah points out to us at the parasha´s conclusion, in a separate section (20:19-23), several mitzvot which seem, at first glance, out of place.

This section begins with pasuk 19, which declares that Hashem spoke to Benei Yisrael from the heavens. This divine proclamation is difficult to understand. Obviously Hashem spoke to Benei Yisrael from the heavens! What more, this very fact constitutes the primary concept underlying the Ten Commandments. What, then, does the Torah come to tell us in this pasuk?

The unit continues with the prohibition against idolatry, a prohibition already mentioned in the Ten Commandments and which the Torah seems to have no need to repeat once again.

The final three pesukim deal with the mizbei´ach (altar), informing us that wherever Hashem chooses we must offer sacrifices on an altar made from earth or stones that had not been hewn with iron tools. Additionally, the mizbei´ach may not be constructed with stairs.

At first glance, all these topics seem unrelated to one another. Can this really be the case?

In my opinion, we can perhaps view these five pesukim as a kind of summary of the principles that appear in Parashat Yitro:

I. Hashem spoke to us. This event marks the only divine revelation in all of history that occurred to an entire people. This is important to remember because it forms one of the most significant bases for the Jewish faith. Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, for example, in his Sefer Ha´kuzari, sees in Hashem´s revelation to Benei Yisrael the nearly exclusive proof to Hashem´s existence.

II. The following pasuk deals with the prohibition against worshipping idols. Idolatry constitutes among the gravest prohibitions in Judaism, listed among the three sins for which one must be prepared to give his life rather than transgress, as it involves the believe in God and His oneness.

III. The requirement that the mizbei´ach be made from earth signifies the idea that it must be fashioned from natural materials that have not been processed. It should not be glorious, but rather made from simple earth or stones that have not been hewn by iron. The Jew´s service of Hashem is not expressed through external beauty, but rather to the contrary, through simplicity and modesty.

IV. There is another possible reason why the altar must be made from whole stones that have not been hewn by iron tools. Chazal (in the mishna, Masechet Midot 3:4) explain that the altar prolongs human life, whereas iron (from which weapons are manufactured) shortens life. This is symbolic of the fact that Am Yisrael must be led through education, rather than through coercion (represented by the sword).

V. Finally, we come to the prohibition against building stairs leading to the altar. Chazal explain this law as related to tzeniut, as walking up stairs while the kohen wears his special priestly garments could expose normally concealed parts of the body. The Torah therefore commanded us not to build stairs. Here we find another central concept in our lives - tzeniut. The life of a Jew must be grounded in tzeniut.

Thus, these five pesukim summarize for us the basic principles that Hashem demands - faith in His revelation, the prohibition against worshipping idols, serving Hashem with simplicity without extravagance, the need to educate towards Judaism rather than force it, and tzeniut.