Broken Tablets

Book excerpt: Let the Ten Commandments command your imagination ... and enrich your life. When the Holy One gave the Torah, no bird chirped, no fowl flew, no ox lowed, not one angel stirred its wing or sang its song. The sea did not roar, creatures did not speak—the whole world was hushed into breathless silence; it was then that the voice went forth: "I am the Lord your God..." —Exodus Rabba 29:9 Even people who claim not to be “religious” will generally maintain that they do observe the Ten Commandments. Why is it that these ten statements, thousands of years old, continue to have such a special hold on us? Here, twelve outstanding spiritual leaders from across the spectrum of Jewish thought bring us to the life and soul of the Ten Commandments' unusual power. In voices that are personal and diverse, they help us take a closer look at the ten utterances that not only touch every aspect of our lives, but also present each of us with a profound challenge. Contributors include: Eugene B. Borowitz • Leonard Fein • Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer • Laura Geller • Lawrence A. Hoffman • Menachem Kellner • Peter S. Knobel • Richard N. Levy • Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi • Levi Weiman-Kelman