The Torah For Dummies
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The Ten Commandments may be the most well-known part of the Torah. Interestingly, two versions of the Ten Commandments exist in the Torah: one in the book of Exodus and one in the book of Dueteronomy. The Ten Commandments according to Jewish tradition also differ from the Ten Commandments of various Christian denominations. The following Ten Commandments are from the book of Exodus in the Torah:
  1. I am the Lord your God.

    "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery." (Exodus 20:2)

  2. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol.

    "You shall not recognize other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth." (Exodus 20:3–4)

  3. You shall not take the name of God in vain.

    "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7)

  4. Remember and observe the Sabbath and keep it holy.

    "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant, your animal or your stranger within your gates." (Exodus 20:8–10)

  5. Honor your father and mother.

    "Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you." (Exodus 20:12)

  6. You shall not murder.

    "You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13)

  7. You shall not commit adultery.

    "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:13)

  8. You shall not steal.

    "You shall not steal." (Exodus 20:13)

  9. You shall not bear false witness.

    "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:13)

  10. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or house.

    "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Exodus 20:14)

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Arthur Kurzweil is known as America's foremost Jewish genealogist. He is a teacher, a lecturer, and the author of several books including Kabbalah For Dummies.

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