September 1999 Beware of the Ten Commandments! By Rabbi Alvin Kass Last Spring, the U.S. Congress responded to the tragic teenage killings in Littleton, Colorado by passing a law which allowed the display of the Ten Commandments in every classroom in the country. I have nothing against the Ten Commandments. I support them along with motherhood, justice, apple pie and the American way. What is troubling is that slapping these two tablets above the blackboards of America's schools constituted the sum total of the government's answer to that atrocity. One might have assumed that other more practical and pragmatic moves might have followed, such as making it harder for teenagers and crazy people to acquire guns. I guess that was too much to hope for since it would have antagonized the National Rifle Association, which apparently has a stranglehold on a majority of the Congress. There is, however, little evidence to support the notion that merely seeing the Ten Commandments in front of you curbs base and corrupt behavior. The Bible itself demonstrated that. Immediately after receiving the Ten Commandments, the Israelites proceeded to violate the prohibition against idolatry by worshipping a golden calf. Our Sages understood that the Ten Commandments are a necessary but not sufficient prerequisite to a moral society. That is why, in their view, the general principles inscribed on the two tablets were immediately followed by the Scriptural portion known as Mishpatim, which deals with miniscule rules and regulations regarding such sundry topics as the treatment of slaves, wound-producing arguments, trespassing livestock, as well as gossip. At first glance, such items appear petty and trivial compared to the grand and glorious values expressed in the Ten Commandments. But our Tradition insisted that these ostensibly minor details were revealed at Mount Sinai no less than the Ten Commandments, because the broad pronouncements engraved on those two tablets of stone were meaningless unless they were concretized in all areas of daily life. An old Maxim proclaims: "The truth is in the details." So it is with the Ten Commandments. If politicians are serious about the prohibition, "Thou shalt not kill," its promulgation has to be followed up by specific strategies for subduing the yetzer hara, the violent inclinations of the human personality. Surely these would involve more effective gun control laws. Unfortunately, too many public figures find their personal amibitions best served by restricting themselves to grandiose slogans, generalities so broad that they can mean everything and nothing. Such an approach, however, merely obscures the truth by generating a smokescreen of words that yield no social benefits. Beware of high-sounding and beautiful generalities; for the truth is specific! I am reminded of the classic story of a rabbi who tried out for a congregation. Anxious to make a good impression, he consulted with the president of the shul about a sermon topic. The rabbi inquired: "Shall I talk about Sabbath observance?" The president said that wasn't such a good idea since many members violate the Sabbath prescriptions. The rabbi then proposed to discuss the Jewish dietary laws. The president cautioned him that congregants who didn't keep kosher might be offended. The rabbi then proffered the idea that he talk about family purity. The president rejected that notion out of hand saying: "This is a twentieth century congregation which would not be interested in such antiquated practices." In desperation the rabbi asked: "What should I speak about?" The president answered: "Speak about Judaism!" At this season of the year, many of us make broad resolutions regarding our conduct in the new year. But the authenticity of our intention will be measured by the extent to which these resolutions manifest themselves in our day-by-day regimen. The Ten Commandments contain toble sentiments. Unfortunately, some who mouth them are their foremost violators. Our sincerity will be tested, not by vague gestures, but our specific daily deeds. May we fulfill the specifics with the same zeal as we proclaim the generalities. Then we will have earned the blessing: L'shanah tovah tikatevu v'techatemu, "May you be inscribed and sealed for for a good and sweet year."