WEBVTT - The Ten Commandments 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.360 Previously on the Chosen People. 0:00:03.320 --> 0:00:07.600 Also tell them this now, if you will carefully listen 0:00:07.640 --> 0:00:12.080 to me and keep my covenant, you will be my 0:00:12.520 --> 0:00:17.480 own possession. Out of all the peoples, all throughout the 0:00:17.600 --> 0:00:22.439 whole earth, you will be my kingdom of priests and 0:00:22.520 --> 0:00:24.479 my holy nation. 0:00:26.840 --> 0:00:30.400 Are all our elders in place to monitor the boundaries 0:00:30.440 --> 0:00:31.600 when we called. 0:00:31.320 --> 0:00:35.360 Out, Yes, we are as prepared as possible. 0:00:36.600 --> 0:00:41.480 My God, you are the god of our fathers, of Abraham, 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:46.320 Isaac and Jacob, the one who has brought us from 0:00:46.400 --> 0:00:47.320 our misery. 0:00:47.560 --> 0:00:52.640 Egypt, your servant and your people stand before you. 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:59.840 Moses, my servant, come to me on the mountain. 0:01:01.080 --> 0:01:10.040 And so Moses took one step, another and another across 0:01:10.120 --> 0:01:14.080 the boundary line into the darkness that was gathered on 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:17.200 the mountain, and stretching into the sky above. 0:01:18.400 --> 0:01:20.000 He began his climb. 0:01:24.000 --> 0:01:27.959 As the mountain quakes and the Chofar sounds. The Chosen 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:30.399 People stand on the brink of a covenant that will 0:01:30.400 --> 0:01:33.960 bind heaven and earth. Cello, my friends, from here in 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:36.920 the Holy Land of Israel, i'm ya l Ekstein with 0:01:36.959 --> 0:01:40.760 the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Welcome to the 0:01:40.880 --> 0:01:44.680 Chosen People. We find ourselves standing at the edge of 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:48.280 a monumental moment. The children of Israel have been delivered 0:01:48.320 --> 0:01:51.320 from the shackles of Egypt, a land soaked in the 0:01:51.360 --> 0:01:55.360 sorrow of slavery. They have journeyed through the wilderness, led 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:59.360 by the mighty hand of God, witnessing wonders that defy 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:03.160 human understanding. And now they stand at the foot of 0:02:03.200 --> 0:02:09.079 Mount Sinai, trembling with anticipation. The air is thick with expectation. 0:02:09.760 --> 0:02:13.079 A holy hush has fallen over the Chosen People as 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:17.600 they prepare to receive something unparalleled, a revelation that will 0:02:17.639 --> 0:02:24.520 define their identity and shape their destiny. 0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:28.080 Aaron stood before the foot of the mountain with the 0:02:28.160 --> 0:02:32.399 nation of Israel in the dense smoke. Several hours had 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:36.560 passed since his brother had ascended through the terrifying darkness, 0:02:36.919 --> 0:02:41.240 but no one dared move or turn away. Aaron would 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:45.639 never have admitted the genuine fear he felt. The longer 0:02:45.720 --> 0:02:49.519 Moses absence stretched before him, he wondered what he ought 0:02:49.560 --> 0:02:52.639 to be doing. His lower back and the soles of 0:02:52.680 --> 0:02:56.240 his feet were starting to hurt. He eyed the boundary 0:02:56.280 --> 0:02:59.480 line before him and tentatively stole a look at the 0:02:59.520 --> 0:03:05.040 eldest They clearly shared his restlessness. There was still palpable 0:03:05.200 --> 0:03:08.440 fear in the air, and all the pent up anxiety 0:03:08.520 --> 0:03:12.320 sent a nervous energy that could be felt reverberating through 0:03:12.360 --> 0:03:16.520 the crowd. Aaron could sense that Miriam felt it too. 0:03:16.760 --> 0:03:20.200 They needed to act to get ahead of it. An 0:03:20.320 --> 0:03:22.640 unruly crowd must be appeased. 0:03:23.360 --> 0:03:24.079 Do you think we. 0:03:24.040 --> 0:03:27.079 Should continue to wait or should we send the people 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:28.720 back to camp and wait for Moses there. 0:03:29.440 --> 0:03:33.000 I'm not sure nothing quite like this has ever happened before. 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:36.480 The Lord didn't specify how long to wait or what 0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:38.520 to do after we stood before him. 0:03:38.760 --> 0:03:40.240 The people are growing restless. 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:43.120 It falls to us to lead them in Moses' is absent. 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:46.880 We understand that, Miriam, But what would you have louk? 0:03:47.440 --> 0:03:52.000 Aaron whipped his attention back upwards. Sure enough, there was 0:03:52.120 --> 0:03:55.240 movement in the smoky darkness on the slope of the mountain. 0:03:55.960 --> 0:03:59.160 The shape of a lamb was emerging, and the entire 0:03:59.320 --> 0:04:04.560 nation of his trail fixed its eyes. Moses materialized before them. 0:04:05.000 --> 0:04:08.240 He was unharmed, but his clothes and hair were covered 0:04:08.280 --> 0:04:12.440 in soot and grime. Aaron wrinkled his nose. He could 0:04:12.480 --> 0:04:15.720 only imagine the smoky Aroma that would linger on his 0:04:15.800 --> 0:04:19.840 purson and in his tent for days to come. Moses 0:04:19.920 --> 0:04:22.920 walked with purpose down the incline and made a bee 0:04:22.960 --> 0:04:27.240 line toward Aaron and Miriam. His expression serious. 0:04:29.080 --> 0:04:32.279 Aaron, Miriam, has anyone crossed the boundary lines? 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:33.400 No, of course not. 0:04:33.920 --> 0:04:35.840 We've been waiting here for you to return. 0:04:36.080 --> 0:04:37.039 Why do you ask? 0:04:37.480 --> 0:04:40.159 Our God spoke to me again, in the holiness of 0:04:40.200 --> 0:04:43.440 his presence. He warned me again that no one is 0:04:43.480 --> 0:04:46.480 to break through to see him, or they will die. 0:04:46.640 --> 0:04:50.320 He also warned me that even priests must consecrate themselves 0:04:50.880 --> 0:04:54.680 or he will break out and anger against them. No 0:04:54.760 --> 0:04:57.480 one is to approach the mountain. He sent me back 0:04:57.520 --> 0:05:00.000 down to prepare the people to hear from him. 0:05:00.839 --> 0:05:02.760 He will speak to all of us. 0:05:02.800 --> 0:05:07.800 Moses nodded. He then addressed the people in a booming voice. 0:05:07.760 --> 0:05:09.680 Israel, stay where you are. 0:05:10.680 --> 0:05:12.840 Our God has sent me to warn you. 0:05:13.839 --> 0:05:17.280 Listen to the elders among you, and do not cross 0:05:17.360 --> 0:05:21.960 the boundaries we have laid for you. Our God is 0:05:22.400 --> 0:05:27.360 so holy and mighty that we must keep our distance. 0:05:27.920 --> 0:05:29.880 Do not approach the mountain. 0:05:30.120 --> 0:05:33.960 If you value your life, his hanger will burn against 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:37.560 you if you cross the threshold We've laid till you understand. 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:42.240 Aaron watched as the crowd murmured assent, and looks of 0:05:42.320 --> 0:05:45.560 concern passed through them. They were still on edge from 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:48.560 the earlier display of power, but they did not seem 0:05:48.680 --> 0:05:51.560 keen to disobey the guidelines their elders had put in 0:05:51.640 --> 0:05:54.839 place for them. Many were still shuddering out of fear 0:05:55.160 --> 0:05:58.200 or pale at the prospect of being turned to ash. 0:05:58.760 --> 0:06:04.000 No, our God will speak to us. 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:09.360 The Israelites stood in anticipation. Everyone held their breath as one. 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:14.680 For a moment, all was silent. Everything went quiet except 0:06:14.760 --> 0:06:18.000 the low whistle of the wind above. They waited for 0:06:18.080 --> 0:06:20.560 their God to speak to them from the misty mountain 0:06:20.600 --> 0:06:24.640 above their heads. Then, just as he had spoken over 0:06:24.680 --> 0:06:28.560 the silent void in the beginning, God spoke. 0:06:29.240 --> 0:06:33.360 I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out 0:06:33.400 --> 0:06:38.640 of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. 0:06:39.880 --> 0:06:43.960 Aaron's mouth fell opard, and he stumbled forward a step. 0:06:44.720 --> 0:06:48.599 The sound left him speechless, and his mind struggled to 0:06:48.600 --> 0:06:54.200 comprehend he was not alone. The Israelites were terrified. The 0:06:54.279 --> 0:06:58.520 latent anxiety quickly churned into a frenetic energy that pulsed 0:06:58.560 --> 0:07:00.160 through the columns of trembling. 0:07:00.200 --> 0:07:05.560 People do not have any other gods before me. 0:07:07.000 --> 0:07:11.120 Lightning split the sky, lighting the darkened world around them, 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:15.240 and thunder shook the ground. Again, Aaron spied more than 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:18.720 one burly man buckled at the knees. He turned and 0:07:18.760 --> 0:07:22.480 saw a warrior wetting his tunic in fear. Aaron had 0:07:22.480 --> 0:07:26.240 never seen any god, Egyptian or otherwise, do the things 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:29.480 his God could do, But he had often wondered where 0:07:29.520 --> 0:07:33.200 these foreign gods fell in this divine hierarchy, or even 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:36.080 if they truly existed, if they ever had at all. 0:07:36.720 --> 0:07:40.200 It was now unmistakable that the God they followed into 0:07:40.240 --> 0:07:42.440 the willness reigned above them all. 0:07:43.160 --> 0:07:47.560 Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the 0:07:47.640 --> 0:07:51.440 shape of anything in the heavens above, the earth below, 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:53.920 or the waters under the earth. 0:07:54.680 --> 0:07:59.000 More lightning, thunder, and terror. But Aaron wondered at the 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:02.800 outlawing of idea. Creating an idol was a common practice, 0:08:03.080 --> 0:08:06.360 the most natural thing in the world. In his experience, 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:12.760 people could not understand the spiritual alone. They craved something physical, tangible, 0:08:13.200 --> 0:08:16.640 something they could touch and comprehend. It was comforting for 0:08:16.720 --> 0:08:19.000 their faith and essential for their belief. 0:08:19.720 --> 0:08:23.320 Do not bow in worship to them, and do not 0:08:23.600 --> 0:08:28.760 serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a 0:08:28.920 --> 0:08:33.559 jealous god, bringing the consequences of the father's iniquity on 0:08:33.640 --> 0:08:37.679 the children. To the third and fourth generation of those 0:08:37.720 --> 0:08:41.480 who aid me. But show him a faithful love to 0:08:41.640 --> 0:08:46.959 a thousand generations of those who love me and keep 0:08:47.520 --> 0:08:51.640 my commands. Do not misuse the name of the Lord 0:08:51.720 --> 0:08:56.240 your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished 0:08:56.720 --> 0:08:59.680 who mis represents his name. 0:09:00.800 --> 0:09:04.720 Aaron could understand that one names were a powerful thing. 0:09:05.559 --> 0:09:09.160 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it wholly. You are 0:09:09.200 --> 0:09:12.840 to labor six days and do all your work. But 0:09:12.920 --> 0:09:16.640 the seventh day is a sabbath. To the Lord your God. 0:09:17.280 --> 0:09:21.240 You must not do any work, either you, your son 0:09:21.400 --> 0:09:25.800 or daughter, your male or female servant, your live stock, 0:09:26.400 --> 0:09:30.120 or the resident alien within your gates. For the Lord 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:34.359 made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything 0:09:34.440 --> 0:09:38.520 in them in six days. Then he rested are the 0:09:38.600 --> 0:09:43.480 seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blesses the sabbath day and 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:44.720 declares it wholly. 0:09:45.559 --> 0:09:49.920 Now this was truly unique. In all their toiling in Egypt, 0:09:50.080 --> 0:09:52.840 they had never known a day free from work. A 0:09:52.920 --> 0:09:56.680 day that would be kept holy, a day dedicated entirely 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:59.840 to worship. Aaron had never heard of such a thing, 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:04.559 and certainly not for an entire nation, men, women and children, 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:08.360 and for everyone, not just priests or elders or leaders. 0:10:09.280 --> 0:10:13.080 Honor your father and mother so that you may have 0:10:13.320 --> 0:10:17.800 a long life in the land the Lord, your God 0:10:18.000 --> 0:10:18.840 has given you. 0:10:19.600 --> 0:10:23.920 Miriam noted the shift in their God's commandments, for that 0:10:24.080 --> 0:10:28.839 is what these were. The Lord was providing the newly liberated, 0:10:28.960 --> 0:10:32.560 fledgling nation with the laws that would guide and shape 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:36.480 their society. He had begun with their relationship with him, 0:10:36.960 --> 0:10:40.880 how subjects relate to their ruler, But now it seemed 0:10:40.920 --> 0:10:43.160 he would outline how they were to live together in 0:10:43.200 --> 0:10:44.000 their society. 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:49.880 Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, 0:10:50.679 --> 0:10:55.040 Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. Do not 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:59.600 covet your neighbor's house, nor his wife, his male or 0:10:59.600 --> 0:11:05.640 female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that belongs 0:11:05.679 --> 0:11:06.439 to your neighbor. 0:11:07.520 --> 0:11:12.520 Miriam beamed to herself. She was right. These statutes would 0:11:12.520 --> 0:11:17.439 become the bedrock of their administrative and judiciary systems, caring 0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:22.280 for the elderly, outlining capital offenses and preserving the purity 0:11:22.320 --> 0:11:25.840 of the family unit. At the end of their God's words, 0:11:25.960 --> 0:11:29.600 another great flash of lightning the roll of thunder crack 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:33.680 through the sky. It reverberated into the rock below their feet, 0:11:34.120 --> 0:11:38.120 cutting short Miriam's self satisfaction and discerning the purpose of 0:11:38.160 --> 0:11:42.320 the commandments. The sound was so great it blocked out 0:11:42.360 --> 0:11:46.360 all thought besides the noise and light. She struggled to 0:11:46.440 --> 0:11:50.040 keep her footing as the ground trembled. The mighty display 0:11:50.080 --> 0:11:53.720 continued without their God's voice, and Miriam glimpsed at the 0:11:53.720 --> 0:11:58.200 people around her. They were crouched in fear, covering their 0:11:58.280 --> 0:12:01.440 ears and eyes with their hair. It was as if 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:04.840 they were inside of the very storm itself. The ground 0:12:05.000 --> 0:12:07.880 was still shaking and rolling beneath their feet, and as 0:12:07.920 --> 0:12:11.520 one stepped back, the columns of over two million souls 0:12:11.559 --> 0:12:16.280 stepped back. Some ran, some crawled, but all shrank away 0:12:16.320 --> 0:12:21.280 from the mountain's base. Then the chauffeur resumed its triumphant 0:12:21.360 --> 0:12:26.240 rhythmic blasts, the lightning, thunder horn, and earth quaking beneath 0:12:26.320 --> 0:12:31.560 its strange, immersive orchestra. Miriam was lost in its alien melody, 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:36.440 and its presence was all consuming. It was terrible, wonderful, 0:12:36.760 --> 0:12:40.080 and other worldly, And as suddenly as it had begun, 0:12:40.720 --> 0:12:45.000 the storm and the music cut out. Absolute silence hung 0:12:45.040 --> 0:12:49.800 in the air, like the dense clouds above. Miriam tentatively 0:12:49.840 --> 0:12:52.760 lifted her hands away from her ears and looked around. 0:12:53.520 --> 0:12:58.000 The Israelites were in various stages of their attempts to flee. 0:12:58.040 --> 0:13:01.000 She saw that more than a few tears, sweat, and 0:13:01.280 --> 0:13:05.520 urine had swept through the terrified throng. Miriam's own hands 0:13:05.600 --> 0:13:10.360 were shaking uncontrollably. She breathed deeply in and out, trying 0:13:10.400 --> 0:13:14.040 to calm her frantic nerves. She saw that her brothers 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:16.959 had not fared much better. The three of them had 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:19.840 remained in their places at the boundary lines, though the 0:13:19.880 --> 0:13:24.439 crowd had shrunk back significantly. Aaron looked as shaken as 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:28.200 she felt, but was quickly smoothing his face and his clothes. 0:13:28.800 --> 0:13:31.960 Moses was still holding his staff and staring up at 0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:37.080 the mountain in the direction, silently communicating with an unheard voice. 0:13:37.120 --> 0:13:41.839 Miriam knew the look. Sure enough, Moses turned to face 0:13:41.920 --> 0:13:46.880 them and strode confidently toward the stunned masses. Miriam and 0:13:47.000 --> 0:13:51.360 Aaron flanked him like silent shadows. The people were murmuring 0:13:51.400 --> 0:13:55.760 frantically amongst themselves as they approached. They quieted as the 0:13:55.840 --> 0:13:57.360 trio approached. 0:13:58.720 --> 0:14:04.640 Speak, my brothers, you've just heard the word of our God, Moses. 0:14:04.800 --> 0:14:08.320 Words were met with silence. For a long moment, the 0:14:08.440 --> 0:14:12.160 air was charged with frantic thoughts. The feeling in the 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:15.440 air was so palpable you could almost taste it, but 0:14:15.600 --> 0:14:22.040 no words were being formed aloud. Fear pure and unadulterated. 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:26.680 After what felt like a lifetime, the closest and boldest 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:30.320 looking man finally stepped forward to address their leader. 0:14:33.120 --> 0:14:39.120 We all agree, you speak to us and we will listen. 0:14:40.560 --> 0:14:44.280 But don't let the Lord speak to us. 0:14:44.760 --> 0:14:46.600 HOHU will do I? 0:14:47.800 --> 0:14:51.720 Moses looked surprised at his response. He then took in 0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:56.480 the trembling united faces throughout the crowd. He sighed, but 0:14:56.560 --> 0:15:00.320 addressed them half heartedly, unable to keep the disappoint ointment 0:15:00.400 --> 0:15:01.120 from his face. 0:15:01.600 --> 0:15:02.440 Do not be afraid. 0:15:05.560 --> 0:15:07.880 Our God has come to test you, so that the 0:15:07.960 --> 0:15:10.440 fear of Him will be in you, and you will 0:15:10.480 --> 0:15:14.840 not sin, For the fear of the Lord is the 0:15:14.840 --> 0:15:15.760 beginning of wisdom. 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:21.760 Predictably, the crowd remained unmoved. They did not approach Moses 0:15:21.880 --> 0:15:25.840 or even glance toward the mountain behind him. Miriam watched 0:15:25.840 --> 0:15:28.880 her brother wrestle silently for a long moment as he 0:15:28.960 --> 0:15:32.960 stared out at the chosen people of their God. Miriam 0:15:33.000 --> 0:15:36.560 would not admit it readily, but she was relieved by 0:15:36.560 --> 0:15:40.200 the people's desire to keep Moses as their God's mouthpiece. 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:43.600 She still honored her God and held her faith in 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:47.040 her heart like a steady flame, but something about the 0:15:47.080 --> 0:15:49.720 presence of their God had shaken her to the core 0:15:50.080 --> 0:15:53.320 in a way she was not ready to comprehend. And 0:15:53.600 --> 0:15:57.640 more importantly, she did not fear a man. She could 0:15:57.720 --> 0:16:02.320 understand the commands and leadership a man. The supernatural and 0:16:02.400 --> 0:16:07.760 unpredictable nature of their God unsettled her so deeply. Moses 0:16:07.920 --> 0:16:11.680 concluded whatever war was waving in his mind and turned 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:16.440 away from the people, seemingly accepting their request. As he 0:16:16.520 --> 0:16:20.880 departed in the direction of the mountain. He steadily walked 0:16:20.920 --> 0:16:24.760 into the growing darkness as he once again climbed the 0:16:24.880 --> 0:16:35.440 darkened mountain to meet with their God. Almost a full 0:16:35.560 --> 0:16:39.320 day passed since Moses approached the mountain to receive further 0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:43.400 instruction from their God, and several more past since he 0:16:43.480 --> 0:16:47.320 relayed those instructions, recorded the words, and set up an 0:16:47.320 --> 0:16:52.040 altar with twelve pillars, one for each tribe. Moses was 0:16:52.080 --> 0:16:56.240 nothing if not a productive man. A new silence settled 0:16:56.240 --> 0:17:00.000 over the people, and Moses turned, motioning for the elder 0:17:00.280 --> 0:17:04.000 to follow him. They climbed the slope away from the crowd, 0:17:04.440 --> 0:17:08.080 and Aaron felt himself pulled into a strange, heavy calm 0:17:08.400 --> 0:17:11.879 as he walked beside his brother, knowing full well what 0:17:12.160 --> 0:17:16.080 was to come. They reached the place Moses had marked 0:17:16.080 --> 0:17:19.280 for the covenant, a rough altar he had built from 0:17:19.400 --> 0:17:25.200 unworked stones, simple yet solemn, with grim ceremony. He took 0:17:25.280 --> 0:17:28.280 up a basin of blood from the sacrificial bulls and 0:17:28.400 --> 0:17:32.000 began to sprinkle it upon the altar. He spoke the 0:17:32.040 --> 0:17:35.960 words of the Covenant aloud, sealing the laws they had 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:40.560 just heard, and then, with slow deliberation, he turned to 0:17:40.640 --> 0:17:44.080 the elders and cast the blood upon them as well. 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:49.160 Aaron felt the warm droplet spatter his face, the metallic 0:17:49.240 --> 0:17:53.960 scent filling his nostrils. Blood trickled down his cheek, streaking 0:17:54.000 --> 0:17:57.719 his robes and his skin. He glanced at his son's 0:17:58.240 --> 0:18:02.840 nadab and Abayou, who stood in quiet reverence, their faces 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:09.080 pale but resolute. Nadab shifted slightly, his face flickering with uncertainty, 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:14.200 but he quickly steadied himself. Meeting his father's gaze. Moses 0:18:14.359 --> 0:18:18.440 lifted his hands, his voice carrying over the assembly. 0:18:18.520 --> 0:18:22.199 This blood seals the covenant the Lord has made with you. 0:18:23.240 --> 0:18:27.680 The elders murmured their assent, each face solemn, each man 0:18:27.880 --> 0:18:32.440 bound by the blood now streaking his skin. Nadab glanced 0:18:32.440 --> 0:18:35.960 at his father, a question lingering in his eyes, but 0:18:36.040 --> 0:18:40.840 he did not speak it aloud. After the sacrifice, Moses 0:18:40.920 --> 0:18:44.160 led them further up the mountain, motioning for the elders 0:18:44.200 --> 0:18:47.840 to follow him. Aaron felt Nadab's hand upon his arm, 0:18:47.960 --> 0:18:51.399 steadying himself. He could see the flicker of fear in 0:18:51.440 --> 0:18:55.160 his son's eyes, the hint of something close to dread. 0:18:55.640 --> 0:18:59.000 I think we are to ascend further. Stand up straight, son, 0:18:59.440 --> 0:19:00.919 This is an important moment. 0:19:01.480 --> 0:19:05.080 They climbed higher, leaving the murmurs of the people behind. 0:19:05.680 --> 0:19:09.480 As they reached a high plateau, a strange, otherworldly light 0:19:09.600 --> 0:19:13.639 broke through the clouds above, casting an eerie sapphire glow 0:19:13.760 --> 0:19:17.840 upon the ground. Aaron squinted and for a moment, he 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:21.600 thought he saw something vast and terrible far above them, 0:19:21.880 --> 0:19:25.080 a throne, it seemed, set upon a pavement of sapphire, 0:19:25.400 --> 0:19:30.160 clear as the sky, blazing with an unearthly light. Aran 0:19:30.320 --> 0:19:33.280 fell to his knees, unable to bear the sight of it, 0:19:33.600 --> 0:19:37.359 the awe and terror mingling in his heart. And beside him, 0:19:37.520 --> 0:19:41.040 the elders did the same, their faces pale and reverent. 0:19:41.760 --> 0:19:46.119 They stayed in that posture until Moses finally broke the stillness, 0:19:46.640 --> 0:19:50.359 calling them to the covenant meal. Aaron tore a piece 0:19:50.400 --> 0:19:55.520 of bread, eating silently, his hands still trembling. But just 0:19:55.600 --> 0:19:58.359 as he lifted the cup to his lips, her voice 0:19:58.480 --> 0:20:03.080 rang out again, voice that shattered all thoughts and bound 0:20:03.119 --> 0:20:05.520 them as surely as the blood upon their skin. 0:20:06.480 --> 0:20:12.000 Moses, come to me upon the mountain. I shall give 0:20:12.080 --> 0:20:15.800 you the tablets of stone, which are written my law 0:20:16.119 --> 0:20:17.280 of commandments. 0:20:18.200 --> 0:20:22.600 Moses rose, his face set. He looked out over the 0:20:22.640 --> 0:20:27.200 gathered elders, and his gaze lingered upon Hoshier, his young aide, 0:20:27.600 --> 0:20:29.200 who stood trembling at the rear. 0:20:29.880 --> 0:20:33.560 Come, Hosher, you shall go further with me. 0:20:34.880 --> 0:20:39.919 Hoshier's eyes widened, his face pale, but he nodded Aaron 0:20:40.000 --> 0:20:43.480 watched as the young man gathered himself, his face a 0:20:43.560 --> 0:20:47.440 mixture of fear and awe, and took his place beside Moses. 0:20:48.240 --> 0:20:51.080 Moses looked back at his brother and the other elders. 0:20:51.680 --> 0:20:56.040 Aaron's heart began to race with questions. Would Moses be safe, 0:20:56.560 --> 0:20:59.680 when would he return? What would become of him when 0:20:59.680 --> 0:21:04.240 he had the frame. Moses, sensing his brother's anxiety, turned 0:21:04.240 --> 0:21:09.479 to him and nodded, so you sm Aaron opened his 0:21:09.560 --> 0:21:12.720 mouth to speak, but for once he was at a 0:21:12.760 --> 0:21:16.840 loss for words. He simply nodded and watched the two 0:21:16.880 --> 0:21:21.720 figures begin to climb, vanishing slowly into the swirling clouds, 0:21:21.960 --> 0:21:25.119 drawn up into the smoke and fire that burned on 0:21:25.400 --> 0:21:30.720 Sinai's heights. As Aaron watched them go, the silence fell 0:21:30.840 --> 0:21:35.520 once more heavy and final, and he felt in his 0:21:35.680 --> 0:21:39.320 heart the weight of the covenant, the blood and fire 0:21:39.560 --> 0:21:42.240 that would buy them not just as a people, but 0:21:42.400 --> 0:21:56.320 as a promise, a promise sealed in fear, law, and sacrifice. 0:21:56.520 --> 0:22:02.000 The Ten Commandments inscribed by God's finger. These aren't just 0:22:02.160 --> 0:22:06.440 ancient decrees. They're living words that continue to shape our lives. 0:22:07.040 --> 0:22:10.159 They remind us that we are people set apower. We 0:22:10.240 --> 0:22:14.280 are a people set apart bound by a divine calling, 0:22:14.880 --> 0:22:17.600 and we have to ask, how can we, in our 0:22:17.640 --> 0:22:21.760 modern lives embody the spirit of the law given at Sinai. 0:22:22.520 --> 0:22:26.760 This episode wasn't just recounting of history. Was an invitation, 0:22:27.640 --> 0:22:31.200 an invitation to live out the principles that were handed 0:22:31.280 --> 0:22:34.920 down to us, to let them shape our actions and 0:22:35.200 --> 0:22:39.400 our hearts. With the Bible story echoing in our hearts, 0:22:39.520 --> 0:22:42.359 let us strive to be a light into the nations, 0:22:42.920 --> 0:22:48.080 faithful to the covenant that began at Sinai. Picture a 0:22:48.119 --> 0:22:52.640 wedding where vows are spoken. These commandments are those vows, 0:22:52.800 --> 0:22:56.280 the sacred terms of our relationship with God given to 0:22:56.400 --> 0:23:00.639 his chosen people, the first three commands and shape our 0:23:00.680 --> 0:23:05.520 bond with God. No other gods before me. This commandment 0:23:05.640 --> 0:23:08.840 is one of exclusive allegiance to the God who let 0:23:08.920 --> 0:23:12.480 us out of Egypt and claimed us as his own. 0:23:13.359 --> 0:23:17.600 No idols. Well, we've witnessed the Chosen people see God 0:23:17.640 --> 0:23:20.320 appear in the cloud of fire, not as an image, 0:23:20.880 --> 0:23:24.879 creating idols as a betrayal, reducing our infinite creator to 0:23:24.920 --> 0:23:30.160 a finite form. And quote, do not misuse the name 0:23:30.240 --> 0:23:34.200 of the Lord. End quote. This is about carrying his 0:23:34.400 --> 0:23:40.480 name with reverence. Our actions and words must reflect His holiness. 0:23:41.400 --> 0:23:44.920 And these first three commandments lead us to the fourth. 0:23:45.400 --> 0:23:48.240 In the Jewish candace of the week, one day stands 0:23:48.280 --> 0:23:53.239 apart Shabbat, the Sabbath. Have you ever wondered why this 0:23:53.320 --> 0:23:57.320 day is so pivotal to the Jewish faith. It's not 0:23:57.400 --> 0:23:59.919 just a day of rest, no, at so much mon 0:24:00.160 --> 0:24:03.760 More than that, the Sabbath is the heartbeat of the 0:24:03.840 --> 0:24:07.880 Jewish people's existence. It's the anchor that has kept us 0:24:07.960 --> 0:24:14.200 grounded through the very uncertain waves of history. For Millenniashabad 0:24:14.240 --> 0:24:18.280 has been our sanctuary, the sacred time that has preserved 0:24:18.359 --> 0:24:23.879 Judaism vibrant and unyielding, and for these thousands of years, 0:24:23.920 --> 0:24:28.640 it has been the essence of our very survival. By 0:24:28.680 --> 0:24:32.560 following this commandment, the Jewish people passed on our faith 0:24:32.800 --> 0:24:38.159 and God's laws to the very next generation through times 0:24:38.320 --> 0:24:42.960 of persecution. By following this commandment, the Jewish people have 0:24:43.200 --> 0:24:47.199 passed on their faith and God's law to the next generation. 0:24:47.720 --> 0:24:53.120 Even through times of persecution and hardships. Through the Sabbath, 0:24:53.320 --> 0:24:58.960 the Chosen people have survived. And it says quote six 0:24:59.080 --> 0:25:03.639 days you shall labor end quote. These words from Exodus 0:25:03.680 --> 0:25:08.560 twenty nine hold a profound mystery. In Hebrew, the word 0:25:08.640 --> 0:25:13.560 for you shall labor is said to avode, but it 0:25:13.640 --> 0:25:17.760 also means you shall serve. What if I told you 0:25:17.800 --> 0:25:23.480 that our sages interpret this to avode for six days, 0:25:23.600 --> 0:25:27.520 you should to avode to mean that for six days 0:25:27.520 --> 0:25:31.440 our work is our service to God. For six days, 0:25:31.480 --> 0:25:35.080 every mundane task that we do, every effort, is actually 0:25:35.160 --> 0:25:39.280 an act of worship. And on the seventh day our 0:25:39.359 --> 0:25:44.920 service transforms. By resting on the Sabbath, we serve God 0:25:45.000 --> 0:25:49.119 in a deeper, more profound way. Our worth isn't tied 0:25:49.240 --> 0:25:53.400 to our productivity when it comes to the Sabbath. No, 0:25:53.600 --> 0:25:56.879 our value lies and our identity as the chosen people. 0:25:57.760 --> 0:26:01.720 Isn't that a radical thought in today busy world, that 0:26:01.840 --> 0:26:04.639 for six days we serve God by working, but on 0:26:04.720 --> 0:26:10.080 the seventh day we serve God simply by being the 0:26:10.200 --> 0:26:13.920 rabbi and physician. My Mandodes had a beautiful teaching about 0:26:13.920 --> 0:26:16.879 the Sabbath. This is what he said. If a person 0:26:17.000 --> 0:26:19.800 sleeps in order to allow his mind to rest and 0:26:19.840 --> 0:26:21.879 to give rest to his body, so that he should 0:26:21.920 --> 0:26:25.280 not become sick and unable to serve God, because of illness. 0:26:25.960 --> 0:26:31.159 In this case, his very sleep is service to God. 0:26:32.200 --> 0:26:35.600 You see, sometimes we serve God by working hard at 0:26:35.760 --> 0:26:40.920 contributing to his purpose of bettering this world. And sometimes 0:26:40.960 --> 0:26:43.159 the greatest thing that we can do for the glory 0:26:43.200 --> 0:26:47.879 of God is to do nothing at all. Now, let's 0:26:47.880 --> 0:26:52.200 talk about the final commandment. Coveting the tenth Commandment touches 0:26:52.200 --> 0:26:54.840 a nerve, doesn't it. The Jewish sage is offered this 0:26:55.000 --> 0:26:59.000 stark wisdom on the matter. Whoever desires something that is 0:26:59.040 --> 0:27:02.880 not his not get what he wants, and actually he'll 0:27:02.880 --> 0:27:07.679 lose what he already has. Think about that. How often 0:27:07.720 --> 0:27:10.600 do we chase what others possess only to lose sight 0:27:10.640 --> 0:27:14.040 of our own blessings? What have you lost in the 0:27:14.080 --> 0:27:19.000 pursuit of what isn't yours? We risk so much when 0:27:19.000 --> 0:27:23.040 we covet. We have everything to gain by cherishing what 0:27:23.080 --> 0:27:27.879 God has already given us. Contentment is truly a gift 0:27:27.920 --> 0:27:33.119 from God, isn't it. It's really something to think that 0:27:33.160 --> 0:27:36.680