"And G-d spoke all these words saying…" (20:1)

Why were the Ten Commandments given on two tablets of stone? Why wasn't one enough?

There's a difference between the five mitzvos on the first tablet and the five on the second tablet: Included with the mitzvos on the first tablet is the reward for keeping them and the punishment for failing to keep them. On the second tablet, the mitzvos are stated without mention of reward and punishment

The first five are mitzvos where a person honors the Creator: Believing in Hashem, not making idols, not using Hashem's name for no purpose, observing Shabbos. Thus these first commandments are accompanied by descriptions of reward and punishment.

The second group of five commandments are for the benefit of people. The prohibitions against murder, kidnapping, adultery and false testimony are fundamental to living in peace with society. Their mere performance is their own reward. Failing to observe them creates a society which is little more than a jungle - and that's punishment enough in itself.

"Six days shall you work and accomplish all your work; but the seventh day is Shabbos to Hashem, your G-d..." (20:9,10)

A poor villager was trekking the many miles to his destination in the next village. He staggered along under the weight of his enormous pack when suddenly a horse and wagon pulled up alongside him. "Climb aboard!" the wagon driver shouted down to him. The villager huffed and puffed his way up onto the back of the wagon, the driver shook his reins and the horses obediently started to trot.

A few miles down the road, the villager said to the driver "I can't thank you enough. This is really very kind of you!" "Not at all" said the driver and turned to smile at the villager at the back of the wagon. It was then that he noticed that the villager was sitting crumpled forward with his heavy pack still on his back. Exclaimed the driver, "Why haven't you taken your pack off!" The villager replied in all innocence "Well, you've been so kind carrying me, I didn't want to burden you with the extra weight of my pack as well!"

If Hashem can "carry" us all week - making sure that we have food to eat, clothes to wear, cars to drive, and even air to breathe - He can certainly bear the "added load" of supporting us on Shabbos, even if we don't go to work!

"Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it... Because six days Hashem made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day..." (20:8-11)

Once upon a time, a prince was captured by his father's enemies. After a long time, the king managed to get a secret message to the prince encouraging him not to give up, and to retain his princely manner even amidst the wolves of prey among whom the prince was forced to live. Soon, the message said, the king would obtain his son's release, either through war or peaceful means.

The prince was overjoyed and wished to celebrate, but he could not, of course, reveal the secret of his joy. Therefore, he invited his lowly companions to the local inn and ordered drinks for everyone.

They celebrated because of the wine and liquor, while the prince celebrated because of his father's letter.

Similarly on Shabbos, our bodies feast with the good food and drink, but our souls celebrate the opportunity to be close to our Creator.

"Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it." (20:8)

"What a terrible day - Shabbos! You can't drive! You can't write! You can't even turn on a light! You can't do this! You can't do that! What a terrible day!" (Sound familiar?)

Have you ever played basketball?

What a terrible game - Basketball! You can't stand in one place for more that thirty seconds. You can't run with the ball. You can't be a moving block. You can't do this! You can't do that! What a terrible game!

It's precisely the rules of Basketball that make Basketball - Basketball. If there were no rules, someone would grab the ball, hold onto it until everyone else got bored and went off for tea. Then he'd grab a ladder, set it up and pop the ball in the net. Great! But that's not Basketball!

Just as the rules of Basketball define Basketball, so the rules of Shabbos define Shabbos.

The nature of most people is to want to be first. To demonstrate their superiority over others. This is the driving force behind the desire to have money and power. I'm better than you! You go second!

And even when we allow others to go first, it's usually to demonstrate what elevated character traits we have - in other words - I'm elevated over you!

In the kedusha that we say at least twice a day, we borrow a prayer from the angels to praise Hashem.

We say "They (the angels) call one to another and say 'Holy, Holy, Holy, is the L-rd of Hosts. The whole world is filled with His Glory.' "

Man is not an angel. When the angels say kedusha, they begin by calling to each other as if to say "You go first because you are greater than me." To which comes the reply "No, you are greater than me!" Finally, they all praise Hashem together.

The angels repeat the world "holy" three times. Anything which is done three times has permanence and perpetuity. Thus the angels never cease saying "holy," for Hashem is infinitely Holy.

Sources

• Pride And Prejudice - Sfas Emes
• The Human Jungle - Ramban
• He Ain't Heavy - The Dubner Maggid
• Wining And Dining -Toldos Yaakov Yosef
• The Rules Of The Game - Rabbi Yehoshua Hartman