EXODUS 20 - The Ten Commandments and 4 more chiastic structures

Chiastic structures in Shemot part 2 – The Ten Commandments

This week being the week when Jews around the world read Parshat Yitro, with the Revelation at Har Sinai and the giving of the Ten Commandments, I wanted to share some different structural perspectives that any Bible reader will enjoy.

The first was pointed out to me by my dear friend and teacher, haRav Menachem Leitbag. SEE THE DIAGRAM ABOVE

Discussing the relationship between the commandments between Man and G-d (bein adam la-Makom) and between Man and his Fellow Man (bein adam la-Chaveiro), he notes that the Ten Commandments (despite the interruption in 20:15 when the people complain of fear during G-d’s speech – see the argument [ad loc] between the Ibn Ezra, Chizkuni, and Ramban as to this text’s chronological placement, the Ten Commandments are merely an introduction for a long series of commandments that ends in chapter 23.
While the Covenant (Brit) forms the outer layer of the section, the central axis, where the reader’s focus lies, consists of 21:1-23:9 – all commandments governing the behavior between man and man.
(We will, IY”H, develop more fully the relationship between Shabbat observance and slavery at another juncture – for now, note that the rationale for Shabbat as recorded in Sefer Devarim is to eliminate the difference between people, as the Jews were once slaves in Egypt.) [Diagram courtesy of www.tanach.org]

The second chiastic structure is found within the Ten Commandments themselves, and is mentioned by Professor Nechama Leibowitz in her book Studies in Exodus. She quotes the Ibn Ezra’s introduction to the Ten Commandments:
All the commandments can be reduced to 3 categories: precepts of the heart (thought), precepts of the tongue (speech), and precepts of the hand (doing). In each categories, the precepts can be sub-divided into active (believe/think this, say this, do this) and negatives (refrain from …).
The Ibn Ezra continues:
The precepts of the heart are the most important of all … many, however, imagine that thinking idolatry (for example) is no crime, whereas this is much worse than any other … The first commandment is the most important principle that underlies the remaining nine.
Nechama continues that the Ibn Ezra does not develop his idea further for the rest of the commandments, and using his categories, suggests the following chiastic structure:
BETWEEN MAN AND G-D --- BETWEEN MAN AND MAN
1. I am Hashem (thought) 6. Do not murder (action)
2. Have no other gods (thought) 7. Do not commit adultery (action)
3. Do not swear vainly with My name (speech) 8. Do not steal/kidnap (action)
4. Remember the Shabbat (speech/action) 9. Do not lie (speech)
5. Honour your parents (action) 10. Do not covet (thought)

In short, the Ten Commandments are chiastically structured:
1, 2 – THOUGHT
--3, 4 – SPEECH
----5-8 ACTION
--9 – SPEECH
10 - THOUGHT
I would suggest (different from her presentation) that the structure could also answer the question whether or not actions are more important than beliefs – between man and man – Judaism has always been a practical religion – the commandment to love your neighbour as yourself has always been translated into practical terms (Hillel’s dictum ‘what is hateful to your yourself, do not do to others), and acts of charity and kindness have value even if done half-heartedly – however, in the spiritual realm between man and the Creator, actions without intention are near meaningless…

Within the commandments, we see at least two chiastic structures. Noting that the first two commandments are joined together in the Torah text (see note below), I noted the following chiastic structure:
A – I am Hashem your G-d …
--B – You shall have no other gods …
----C – You shall not make likenesses (i) heavens above, (ii) on the earth (iii) and below
--B1 – You shall not serve them
A1 – For I Hashem am a jealous G-d …
Two substructures come out of this analysis: The prohibition against idolatry – first (and last) in thought, in the middle in deed in surrounded by the all-compassing first person revelation of “I am Hashem”. Secondly, the text moves seamlessly from past (I took you out of Egypt) to present (you shall not serve other gods) to the future (I will repay good and bad) ….

Finally – note the following structure of the fourth commandment - Shabbat:

A – Remember the Shabbat day to keep it holy. (Humans add sanctity )
B – Work for six days (Human labour)
C – you, your family, your possessions, your environs (the Self (from inner to outer))
B1 – For Hashem worked for 6 days … (Divine labour)

A1- Therefore G-d blessed the 7th day and sanctified it. (Divine sanctity)

Here, the text purposefully emphasizes that the actions that we take on earth are to be a reflection of the Divine plan for creation … note that this transfer only occurs when my entire self (from my physical self personally, expanding outwards until my possessions and environment are included) is involved in this process.

[side-note: the combining of the first two commandments – traditionally, while the Catholics numbering of the commandments combines the first two commandments (and splits the prohibition against coveting into two), Jewish thought, based on the Mechilta, maintains that there are two commandments. In the Torah scroll, however, the two are combined into one paragraph, with no parasha between them…]