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Translation by Eliyahu Munk from Sh'nei Luchot Habrit
The Ten Commandments were engraved on the tablets in
two groups of five each. Nachmanides comments:
Five of the Ten Commandments deal with the honor of
the Almighty, the Creator, whereas the other five address the well-being of man.
The commandment to honor one's father and mother is a part of the commandments
honoring G-d Himself, since by honoring one's father and mother a person honors
G-d; this is because G-d is a partner in the formation of any human being.  | | " There were two tablets...one symbolized Heaven whereas the other symbolized Earth...." | | |
We are therefore left with five commandments which
address man's needs and dignity. It appears that one set of five commandments
was engraved on one of the two tablets, and the second on the other. We are to
regard both groups of commandments as equally important. This corresponds to
what is written in the Sefer Yetzira, that the ten sefirot
parallel the ten fingers, five on each hand, with a covenant forming the link
between them in the center.
This explains the need for two tablets. Up to and
including the commandment of honoring father and mother, the commandments allude
to the Written Torah; the commandments found on the second tablet are an
allusion to the Oral Torah. | | " Two tablets...represent the relationship between bride and groom..." | | |
Our sages may have had this in mind when they said
that the reason that there were two tablets was that one symbolizes Heaven
whereas the other symbolizes Earth; they represent the relationship between
bride and groom. They symbolize the two worlds, the here and now with the
Hereafter. All of this is reflected in a single allusion. Intelligent students
will understand this.
Thus far Nachmanides.
On the verse "Your two breasts [in Hebrew, 'shnei
shadecha'] are like two fawns, twins of the gazelle" (Songs 4:5), Rashi
comments that the expression "shnei shadecha" refers to the two stone
tablets. They are described as "twins" because they were both of identical
dimensions and contained five commandments each. The commandments parallel each
other. The injunction not to murder corresponds to the commandment that "I am
the Lord Your G-d", for the murderer diminishes the stature of G-d by destroying
His handiwork. The commandment not to have other gods corresponds to the
prohibition of adultery, because the adulteress practices deceit of her husband,
whereas the idol-worshipper practices infidelity against his Maker. | | " Israel heard the first two commandments directly from G-d's mouth..." | | |
The commandment not to use the name of G-d in vain
corresponds to the prohibition of stealing; in the end every thief will resort
to a false oath to deny his deed. The commandment to observe Shabbat and keep it
holy corresponds to the prohibition of being a false witness; anyone who does
not observe Shabbat testifies that G-d did not create the universe and rest on
the seventh day. The commandment to honor one's father and mother corresponds to
the commandment not to covet; he who covets someone else's wife will ultimately
sire children who will repudiate and curse him instead of honor him...
The commandment "I am the Lord your G-d..." tells us
that "the Lord your G-d" is the source of all positive commandments. "You must
not have any other god..." tells us that the same G-d is the source of all
negative commandments.
Our sages teach us that Israel heard the first two
commandments directly from G-d's mouth (Makkot 24). This is why you find
that G-d addresses Israel in the second person in these two commandments. When
G-d introduces the third commandment, He switches halfway through the
commandment (Ex. 20:7) to indirect speech, i.e. "For He will not consider
blameless, etc." He also did not say, "Do not utter My name
in vain", but rather "Do not utter the name of the Lord
your G-d in vain". It was Moses quoting G-d who said these words; hence the
change in style. The same applies to the remainder of the first set of the Ten
Commandments.
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