Commandments

Had to take a break from 1st Samuel (so, so, so boring) so I wanted to read a part of the Bible where something happens, like Exodus.

I always wanted to see what the real ’10 commandments’ were, with my own eyes, so here goes, from Exodus 20:

  1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
  2. You shall not make to yourselves any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them. For I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me, and showing mercy to thousands of those that love Me and keep My commandments.
  3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.
  4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. You shall not do any work, you nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and sanctified it.
  5. Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God gives you.
  6. You shall not kill.
  7. You shall not commit adultery.
  8. You shall not steal.
  9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
  10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
  11. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.

Wait, what?  11 commandments?  Or, can I combine 9, 10, and 11 to come to a total of 9?  I guess if you combine 10 and 11 you can have 10, but they are separate sentences and commandments. So, we have 11 commandments, at this point.  But wait, we are not done with even this chapter, there are a few more:

  1. You shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall you make to you gods of gold.
  2. You shall make an altar of earth to Me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen.
  3. And if you will make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stone. For if you lift up your tool upon it, you have defiled it.
  4. And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness be not uncovered on it.

I guess this 1a and 2 are the same, but why restate it?  They seem pretty different to me, so we are up to 15 commandments now.

But, off to Exodus 21 now:

  1.  If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years. And in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he was married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my sons. I do not want to go out free his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door or to the door-post. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him forever. And if a man sells his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no power to sell her to a strange nation, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her as with daughters. If he takes himself another wife, her food, her clothing, and her duty of marriage shall not be lessened. And if he does not do these three to her, then she shall go out free without money.
  2. He that strikes a man, so that he dies, shall be surely put to death. And if a man does not lie in wait, but God delivers him into his hand, then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee. But if a man comes presumptuously upon his neighbor to slay him with guile, you shall take him from My altar, so that he may die.
  3. And he that strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
  4. And he that steals a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
  5. And he that curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
  6. And if men strive together, and one strikes another with a stone, or with his fist, and he does not die, but keeps his bed; if he rises again and walks abroad upon his staff, then he that struck him shall be set free. Only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be completely healed.
  7. And if a man strikes his servant, or his maidservant, with a rod, and he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. But if he continues a day or two, he shall not be punished. For he is his money.

Commandments that make slavery legal, manslaughter ok, and making sure we know that slaves are nothing more than property.

  1. If men strive and strike a pregnant woman, so that her child comes out, and there is no injury, he shall surely be punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him. And he shall pay as the judges say And if any injury occurs, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
  2. And if a man strike the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, so that it perishes, he shall let him go free on account of his eye. And if he strikes out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth, he shall let him go free on account of his tooth.
  3. If an ox gores a man or woman so that they die, then the ox shall surely be stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten. But the owner of the ox shall be set free. But if the ox was apt to gore in time past, and his owner has been told, and he has not kept him in, but that he has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. If there is laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatever is laid upon him. Whether he has gored a son, or has gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him. If the ox shall gore a manservant or a maidservant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls in it, the owner of the pit shall make it good and give silver to its owner. And the dead shall be his. And in the event the ox of a man damages the ox of a neighbor, so that it dies, then they shall sell the living ox, and they shall divide the money of it. And they shall also divide the dead ox. Or if it is known that the ox has been apt to gore in time past, and his owner has not kept him in, he shall surely pay ox for ox. And the dead shall be his own.

This is going to take a while, so stay tuned…

Back now, turns out I am not up to the task, so, thanks to others more dedicated than myself, here are the…613 commandments.  No, I am not making that up.  Six Hundred Thirteen commandments:

  1. To know there is a GodEx. 20:2
  2. Not to even think that there are other gods besides Him — Standard->Ex. 20:3 Yemenite->Ex. 20:2
  3. To know that He is OneDeut. 6:4
  4. To love HimDeut. 6:5
  5. To fear HimDeut. 10:20
  6. To sanctify His NameLev. 22:32
  7. Not to profane His NameLev. 22:32
  8. Not to destroy objects associated with His NameDeut. 12:4
  9. To listen to the prophet speaking in His Name — Deut. 18:15
  10. Not to try the LORD unduly — Deut. 6:16
  11. To emulate His waysDeut. 28:9
  12. To cleave to those who know HimDeut. 10:20
  13. To love other JewsLev. 19:18
  14. To love convertsDeut. 10:19
  15. Not to hate fellow Jews — Lev. 19:17
  16. To reprove a sinner — Lev. 19:17
  17. Not to embarrass othersLev. 19:17
  18. Not to oppress the weak — Ex. 22:21
  19. Not to speak derogatorily of othersLev. 19:16
  20. Not to take revengeLev. 19:18
  21. Not to bear a grudge — Lev. 19:18
  22. To learn TorahDeut. 6:7
  23. To honor those who teach and know TorahLev. 19:32
  24. Not to inquire into idolatryLev. 19:4
  25. Not to follow the whims of your heart or what your eyes see — Num. 15:39
  26. Not to blasphemeEx. 22:27
  27. Not to worship idols in the manner they are worshiped — Standard->Ex. 20:6 Yemenite->Ex. 20:5
  28. Not to worship idols in the four ways we worship God — Standard->Ex. 20:6 Yemenite->Ex. 20:5
  29. Not to make an idol for yourself — Standard->Ex. 20:5 Yemenite->Ex. 20:4
  30. Not to make an idol for othersLev. 19:4
  31. Not to make human forms even for decorative purposes — Standard->Ex. 20:21 Yemenite->Ex. 20:20
  32. Not to turn a city to idolatryDeut. 13:14
  33. To burn a city that has turned to idol worshipDeut. 13:17
  34. Not to rebuild it as a cityDeut. 13:17
  35. Not to derive benefit from itDeut. 13:18
  36. Not to missionize an individual to idol worshipDeut. 13:12
  37. Not to love the idolaterDeut. 13:9
  38. Not to cease hating the idolaterDeut. 13:9
  39. Not to save the idolaterDeut. 13:9
  40. Not to say anything in the idolater’s defenseDeut. 13:9
  41. Not to refrain from incriminating the idolaterDeut. 13:9
  42. Not to prophesize in the name of idolatryDeut. 13:14
  43. Not to listen to a false prophetDeut. 13:4
  44. Not to prophesize falsely in the name of God — Deut. 18:20
  45. Not to be afraid of the false prophetDeut. 18:22
  46. Not to swear in the name of an idolEx. 23:13
  47. Not to perform ov (medium) — Lev. 19:31
  48. Not to perform yidoni (“magical seer”) — Lev. 19:31
  49. Not to pass your children through the fire to MolechLev. 18:21
  50. Not to erect a pillar in a public place of worship — Deut. 16:22
  51. Not to bow down before a smooth stone — Lev. 26:1
  52. Not to plant a tree in the Temple courtyard — Deut. 16:21
  53. To destroy idols and their accessoriesDeut. 12:2
  54. Not to derive benefit from idols and their accessoriesDeut. 7:26
  55. Not to derive benefit from ornaments of idolsDeut. 7:25
  56. Not to make a covenant with idolaters —Deut. 7:2
  57. Not to show favor to them — Deut. 7:2
  58. Not to let them dwell in the Land of IsraelEx. 23:33
  59. Not to imitate them in customs and clothing — Lev. 20:23
  60. Not to be superstitiousLev. 19:26
  61. Not to go into a trance to foresee events, etc. — Deut. 18:10
  62. Not to engage in divination or soothsaying — Lev. 19:26
  63. Not to mutter incantationsDeut. 18:11
  64. Not to attempt to contact the dead — Deut. 18:11
  65. Not to consult the ovDeut. 18:11
  66. Not to consult the yidoniDeut. 18:11
  67. Not to perform acts of magicDeut. 18:10
  68. Men must not shave the hair off the sides of their headLev. 19:27
  69. Men must not shave their beards with a razorLev. 19:27
  70. Men must not wear women’s clothing — Deut. 22:5
  71. Women must not wear men’s clothing — Deut. 22:5
  72. Not to tattoo the skinLev. 19:28
  73. Not to tear the skin in mourningDeut. 14:1
  74. Not to make a bald spot in mourningDeut. 14:1
  75. To repent and confess wrongdoingsNum. 5:7
  76. To say the Shema twice daily — Deut. 6:7
  77. To pray every dayEx. 23:25
  78. The Kohanim must bless the Jewish nation dailyNum. 6:23
  79. To wear tefillin (phylacteries) on the headDeut. 6:8
  80. To bind tefillin on the armDeut. 6:8
  81. To put a mezuzah on the door postDeut. 6:9
  82. Each male must write a Torah scrollDeut. 31:19
  83. The king must have a separate Torah scroll for himself — Deut. 17:18
  84. To have tzitzit on four-cornered garmentsNum. 15:38
  85. To bless the Almighty after eatingDeut. 8:10
  86. To circumcise all males on the eighth day after their birthGen. 17:10
  87. To rest on the seventh dayEx. 23:12
  88. Not to do prohibited labor on the seventh day — Standard->Ex. 20:11 Yemenite->Ex. 20:10
  89. The court must not inflict punishment on ShabbatEx. 35:3
  90. Not to walk outside the city boundary on ShabbatEx. 16:29
  91. To sanctify Shabbat with Kiddush and Havdalah — Standard->Ex. 20:9 Yemenite->Ex. 20:8
  92. To rest from prohibited labor on Yom KippurLev. 23:32
  93. Not to do prohibited labor on Yom KippurLev. 23:32
  94. To afflict oneself on Yom KippurLev. 16:29
  95. Not to eat or drink on Yom KippurLev. 23:29
  96. To rest on the first day of PassoverLev. 23:7
  97. Not to do prohibited labor on the first day of PassoverLev. 23:8
  98. To rest on the seventh day of PassoverLev. 23:8
  99. Not to do prohibited labor on the seventh day of PassoverLev. 23:8
  100. To rest on ShavuotLev. 23:21
  101. Not to do prohibited labor on ShavuotLev. 23:21
  102. To rest on Rosh HashanahLev. 23:24
  103. Not to do prohibited labor on Rosh HashanahLev. 23:25
  104. To rest on SukkotLev. 23:35
  105. Not to do prohibited labor on SukkotLev. 23:35
  106. To rest on Shemini AtzeretLev. 23:36
  107. Not to do prohibited labor on Shemini AtzeretLev. 23:36
  108. Not to eat chametz on the afternoon of the 14th day of NisanDeut. 16:3
  109. To destroy all chametz on 14th day of NisanEx. 12:15
  110. Not to eat chametz all seven days of PassoverEx. 13:3
  111. Not to eat mixtures containing chametz all seven days of PassoverEx. 12:20
  112. Not to see chametz in your domain seven daysEx. 13:7
  113. Not to find chametz in your domain seven daysEx. 12:19
  114. To eat matzah on the first night of PassoverEx. 12:18
  115. To relate the Exodus from Egypt on that nightEx. 13:8
  116. To hear the Shofar on the first day of Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah)Num. 9:1
  117. To dwell in a Sukkah for the seven days of SukkotLev. 23:42
  118. To take up a Lulav and Etrog all seven daysLev. 23:40
  119. Each man must give a half shekel annually — Ex. 30:13
  120. Courts must calculate to determine when a new month beginsEx. 12:2
  121. To afflict oneself and cry out before God in times of calamityNum. 10:9
  122. To marry a wife by means of ketubah and kiddushinDeut. 22:13
  123. Not to have sexual relations with women not thus marriedDeut. 23:18
  124. Not to withhold food, clothing, and sexual relations from your wifeEx. 21:10
  125. To have children with one’s wife — Gen. 1:28
  126. To issue a divorce by means of a Get documentDeut. 24:1
  127. A man must not remarry his ex-wife after she has married someone else — Deut. 24:4
  128. To perform yibbum (marry the widow of one’s childless brother) — Deut. 25:5
  129. To perform halizah (free the widow of one’s childless brother from yibbum) — Deut. 25:9
  130. The widow must not remarry until the ties with her brother-in-law are removed (by halizah) — Deut. 25:5
  131. The court must fine one who sexually seduces a maiden — Ex. 22:15-16
  132. The rapist must marry his victim if she is unwed — Deut. 22:29
  133. He is never allowed to divorce her — Deut. 22:29
  134. The slanderer must remain married to his wife — Deut. 22:19
  135. He must not divorce her — Deut. 22:19
  136. To fulfill the laws of the SotahNum. 5:30
  137. Not to put oil on her meal offering (as usual) — Num. 5:15
  138. Not to put frankincense on her meal offering (as usual) — Num. 5:15
  139. Not to have sexual relations with your motherLev. 18:7
  140. Not to have sexual relations with your father’s wifeLev. 18:8
  141. Not to have sexual relations with your sisterLev. 18:9
  142. Not to have sexual relations with your father’s wife’s daughterLev. 18:11
  143. Not to have sexual relations with your son’s daughterLev. 18:10
  144. Not to have sexual relations with your daughterLev. 18:10
  145. Not to have sexual relations with your daughter’s daughterLev. 18:10
  146. Not to have sexual relations with a woman and her daughterLev. 18:17
  147. Not to have sexual relations with a woman and her son’s daughterLev. 18:17
  148. Not to have sexual relations with a woman and her daughter’s daughterLev. 18:17
  149. Not to have sexual relations with your father’s sisterLev. 18:12
  150. Not to have sexual relations with your mother’s sisterLev. 18:13
  151. Not to have sexual relations with your father’s brother’s wifeLev. 18:14
  152. Not to have sexual relations with your son’s wifeLev. 18:15
  153. Not to have sexual relations with your brother’s wifeLev. 18:16
  154. Not to have sexual relations with your wife’s sisterLev. 18:18
  155. A man must not have sexual relations with an animalLev. 18:23
  156. A woman must not have sexual relations with an animalLev. 18:23
  157. A man must not have sexual relations with a manLev. 18:22
  158. Not to have sexual relations with your fatherLev. 18:7
  159. Not to have sexual relations with your father’s brotherLev. 18:14
  160. Not to have sexual relations with someone else’s wifeLev. 18:20
  161. Not to have sexual relations with a menstrually impure womanLev. 18:19
  162. Not to marry non-JewsDeut. 7:3
  163. Not to let Moabite and Ammonite males marry into the Jewish peopleDeut. 23:4
  164. Not to refrain from letting a third-generation Egyptian convert enter the Assembly — Deut. 23:8-9
  165. Not to refrain from letting a third-generation Edomite convert enter the Assembly — Deut. 23:8-9
  166. Not to let a mamzer (a child born due to an illegal relationship) marry into the Jewish people — Deut. 23:3
  167. Not to let a eunuch marry into the Jewish people — Deut. 23:2
  168. Not to offer to God any castrated male animals — Lev. 22:24
  169. The High Priest must not marry a widow — Lev. 21:14
  170. The High Priest must not have sexual relations with a widow even outside of marriage — Lev. 21:15
  171. The High Priest must marry a virgin maiden — Lev. 21:13
  172. A Kohen (priest) must not marry a divorcee — Lev. 21:7
  173. A Kohen must not marry a zonah (a woman who has had a forbidden sexual relationship) — Lev. 21:7
  174. A Kohen must not marry a chalalah (“a desecrated person”) (party to or product of 169-172) — Lev. 21:7
  175. Not to make pleasurable (sexual) contact with any forbidden womanLev. 18:6
  176. To examine the signs of animals to distinguish between kosher and non-kosherLev. 11:2
  177. To examine the signs of fowl to distinguish between kosher and non-kosher — Deut. 14:11
  178. To examine the signs of fish to distinguish between kosher and non-kosher — Lev. 11:9
  179. To examine the signs of locusts to distinguish between kosher and non-kosher — Lev. 11:21
  180. Not to eat non-kosher animalsLev. 11:4
  181. Not to eat non-kosher fowlLev. 11:13
  182. Not to eat non-kosher fishLev. 11:11
  183. Not to eat non-kosher flying insectsDeut. 14:19
  184. Not to eat non-kosher creatures that crawl on landLev. 11:41
  185. Not to eat non-kosher maggotsLev. 11:44
  186. Not to eat worms found in fruit on the groundLev. 11:42
  187. Not to eat creatures that live in water other than (kosher) fishLev. 11:43
  188. Not to eat the meat of an animal that died without ritual slaughterDeut. 14:21
  189. Not to benefit from an ox condemned to be stoned — Ex. 21:2
  190. Not to eat meat of an animal that was mortally wounded — Ex. 22:30
  191. Not to eat a limb torn off a living creature — Deut. 12:23
  192. Not to eat blood —Lev. 3:17
  193. Not to eat certain fats of clean animals — Lev. 3:17
  194. Not to eat the sinew of the thighGen. 32:33
  195. Not to eat mixtures of milk and meat cooked together — Ex. 23:19
  196. Not to cook meat and milk togetherEx. 34:26
  197. Not to eat bread from new grain before the OmerLev. 23:14
  198. Not to eat parched grains from new grain before the OmerLev. 23:14
  199. Not to eat ripened grains from new grain before the Omer — Lev. 23:14
  200. Not to eat fruit of a tree during its first three yearsLev. 19:23
  201. Not to eat diverse seeds planted in a vineyardDeut. 22:9
  202. Not to eat untithed fruits — Lev. 22:15
  203. Not to drink wine poured in service to idolsDeut. 32:38
  204. To ritually slaughter an animal before eating itDeut. 12:21
  205. Not to slaughter an animal and its offspring on the same day — Lev. 22:28
  206. To cover the blood (of a slaughtered beast or fowl) with earth — Lev. 17:13
  207. To send away the mother bird before taking its children — Deut. 22:6
  208. To release the mother bird if she was taken from the nest — Deut. 22:7
  209. Not to swear falsely in God’s Name — Lev. 19:12
  210. Not to take God’s Name in vain — Standard->Ex. 20:7 Yemenite->Ex. 20:6
  211. Not to deny possession of something entrusted to you — Lev. 19:11
  212. Not to swear in denial of a monetary claim — Lev. 19:11
  213. To swear in God’s Name to confirm the truth when deemed necessary by court — Deut. 10:20
  214. To fulfill what was uttered and to do what was avowed — Deut. 23:24
  215. Not to break oaths or vowsNum. 30:3
  216. For oaths and vows annulled, there are the laws of annulling vows explicit in the Torah — Num. 30:3
  217. The Nazirite must let his hair growNum. 6:5
  218. He must not cut his hairNum. 6:5
  219. He must not drink wine, wine mixtures, or wine vinegarNum. 6:3
  220. He must not eat fresh grapesNum. 6:3
  221. He must not eat raisinsNum. 6:3
  222. He must not eat grape seedsNum. 6:4
  223. He must not eat grape skinsNum. 6:4
  224. He must not be under the same roof as a corpseNum. 6:6
  225. He must not come into contact with the deadNum. 6:7
  226. He must shave his head after bringing sacrifices upon completion of his Nazirite periodNum. 6:9
  227. To estimate the value of people as determined by the Torah —Lev. 27:2
  228. To estimate the value of consecrated animals — Lev. 27:12-13
  229. To estimate the value of consecrated houses — Lev. 27:14
  230. To estimate the value of consecrated fields — Lev. 27:16
  231. Carry out the laws of interdicting possessions (cherem) — Lev. 27:28
  232. Not to sell the cheremLev. 27:28
  233. Not to redeem the cheremLev. 27:28
  234. Not to plant diverse seeds togetherLev. 19:19
  235. Not to plant grains or greens in a vineyard — Deut. 22:9
  236. Not to crossbreed animals — Lev. 19:19
  237. Not to work different animals together — Deut. 22:10
  238. Not to wear shaatnez, a cloth woven of wool and linen — Deut. 22:11
  239. To leave a corner of the field uncut for the poorLev. 19:10
  240. Not to reap that corner — Lev. 19:9
  241. To leave gleaningsLev. 19:9
  242. Not to gather the gleaningsLev. 19:9
  243. To leave the unformed clusters of grapes — Lev. 19:10
  244. Not to pick the unformed clusters of grapes — Lev. 19:10
  245. To leave the gleanings of a vineyard — Lev. 19:10
  246. Not to gather the gleanings of a vineyard — Lev. 19:10
  247. To leave the forgotten sheaves in the field — Deut. 24:19
  248. Not to retrieve them — Deut. 24:19
  249. To separate the “tithe for the poor” — Deut. 14:28
  250. To give charityDeut. 15:8
  251. Not to withhold charity from the poor — Deut. 15:7
  252. To set aside Terumah (heave offering) Gedolah (gift for the Kohen) — Deut. 18:4
  253. The Levite must set aside a tenth of his tithe — Num. 18:26
  254. Not to preface one tithe to the next, but separate them in their proper order — Ex. 22:28
  255. A non-Kohen must not eat TerumahLev. 22:10
  256. A hired worker or a Jewish bondsman of a Kohen must not eat TerumahLev. 22:10
  257. An uncircumcised Kohen must not eat TerumahEx. 12:48
  258. An impure Kohen must not eat TerumahLev. 22:4
  259. A chalalah (party to #s 169-172 above) must not eat TerumahLev. 22:12
  260. To set aside Ma’aser (tithe) each planting year and give it to a Levite — Num. 18:24
  261. To set aside the second tithe (Ma’aser Sheni) — Deut. 14:22
  262. Not to spend its redemption money on anything but food, drink, or ointment — Deut. 26:14
  263. Not to eat Ma’aser Sheni while impure — Deut. 26:14
  264. A mourner on the first day after death must not eat Ma’aser SheniDeut. 26:14
  265. Not to eat Ma’aser Sheni grains outside Jerusalem — Deut. 12:17
  266. Not to eat Ma’aser Sheni wine products outside Jerusalem — Deut. 12:17
  267. Not to eat Ma’aser Sheni oil outside Jerusalem — Deut. 12:17
  268. The fourth year crops must be totally for holy purposes like Ma’aser SheniLev. 19:24
  269. To read the confession of tithes every fourth and seventh year — Deut. 26:13
  270. To set aside the first fruits and bring them to the Temple — Ex. 23:19
  271. The Kohanim must not eat the first fruits outside JerusalemDeut. 12:17
  272. To read the Torah portion pertaining to their presentation — Deut. 26:5
  273. To set aside a portion of dough for a KohenNum. 15:20
  274. To give the foreleg, two cheeks, and abomasum of slaughtered animals to a KohenDeut. 18:3
  275. To give the first shearing of sheep to a KohenDeut. 18:4
  276. To redeem firstborn sons and give the money to a KohenNum. 18:15
  277. To redeem the firstborn donkey by giving a lamb to a KohenEx. 13:13
  278. To break the neck of the donkey if the owner does not intend to redeem it — Ex. 13:13
  279. To rest the land during the seventh year by not doing any work which enhances growth — Ex. 34:21
  280. Not to work the land during the seventh year — Lev. 25:4
  281. Not to work with trees to produce fruit during that year — Lev. 25:4
  282. Not to reap crops that grow wild that year in the normal manner — Lev. 25:5
  283. Not to gather grapes which grow wild that year in the normal way — Lev. 25:5
  284. To leave free all produce which grew in that year — Ex. 23:11
  285. To release all loans during the seventh year — Deut. 15:2
  286. Not to pressure or claim from the borrower — Deut. 15:2
  287. Not to refrain from lending immediately before the release of the loans for fear of monetary loss —Deut. 15:9
  288. The Sanhedrin must count seven groups of seven years — Lev. 25:8
  289. The Sanhedrin must sanctify the fiftieth year — Lev. 25:10
  290. To blow the Shofar on the tenth of Tishrei to free the slavesLev. 25:9
  291. Not to work the soil during the fiftieth year (Jubilee) — Lev. 25:11
  292. Not to reap in the normal manner that which grows wild in the fiftieth year — Lev. 25:11
  293. Not to pick grapes which grew wild in the normal manner in the fiftieth year — Lev. 25:11
  294. Carry out the laws of sold family properties — Lev. 25:24
  295. Not to sell the land in Israel indefinitely — Lev. 25:23
  296. Carry out the laws of houses in walled cities — Lev. 25:29
  297. The Tribe of Levi must not be given a portion of the land in Israel, rather they are given cities to dwell in — Deut. 18:1
  298. The Levites must not take a share in the spoils of war — Deut. 18:1
  299. To give the Levites cities to inhabit and their surrounding fields — Num. 35:2
  300. Not to sell the fields but they shall remain the Levites’ before and after the Jubilee year — Lev. 25:34
  301. To build a TempleEx. 25:8
  302. Not to build the altar with stones hewn by metal — Standard->Ex. 20:24 Yemenite->Ex. 20:23
  303. Not to climb steps to the altar — Standard->Ex. 20:27 Yemenite->Ex. 20:26
  304. To show reverence to the Temple — Lev. 19:30
  305. To guard the Temple area — Num. 18:2
  306. Not to leave the Temple unguarded — Num. 18:5
  307. To prepare the anointing oil — Ex. 30:31
  308. Not to reproduce the anointing oil — Ex. 30:32
  309. Not to anoint with anointing oil — Ex. 30:32
  310. Not to reproduce the incense formula — Ex. 30:37
  311. Not to burn anything on the Golden Altar besides incenseEx. 30:9
  312. The Levites must transport the ark on their shoulders — Num. 7:9
  313. Not to remove the staves from the ark — Ex. 25:15
  314. The Levites must work in the Temple — Num. 18:23
  315. No Levite must do another’s work of either a Kohen or a Levite — Num. 18:3
  316. To dedicate the Kohen for service — Lev. 21:8
  317. The work of the Kohanim’s shifts must be equal during holidays — Deut. 18:6-8
  318. The Kohanim must wear their priestly garments during service — Ex. 28:2
  319. Not to tear the priestly garments — Ex. 28:32
  320. The Kohen Gadol ‘s (High Priest) breastplate must not be loosened from the EfodEx. 28:28
  321. A Kohen must not enter the Temple intoxicated — Lev. 10:9
  322. A Kohen must not enter the Temple with his head uncovered — Lev. 10:6
  323. A Kohen must not enter the Temple with torn clothes — Lev. 10:6
  324. A Kohen must not enter the Temple indiscriminately — Lev. 16:2
  325. A Kohen must not leave the Temple during service — Lev. 10:7
  326. To send the impure from the Temple — Num. 5:2
  327. Impure people must not enter the Temple — Num. 5:3
  328. Impure people must not enter the Temple Mount area — Deut. 23:11
  329. Impure Kohanim must not do service in the temple — Lev. 22:2
  330. An impure Kohen, following immersion, must wait until after sundown before returning to service — Lev. 22:7
  331. A Kohen must wash his hands and feet before service — Ex. 30:19
  332. A Kohen with a physical blemish must not enter the sanctuary or approach the altar — Lev. 21:23
  333. A Kohen with a physical blemish must not serve — Lev. 21:17
  334. A Kohen with a temporary blemish must not serve — Lev. 21:17
  335. One who is not a Kohen must not serve — Num. 18:4
  336. To offer only unblemished animals — Lev. 22:21
  337. Not to dedicate a blemished animal for the altar — Lev. 22:20
  338. Not to slaughter it — Lev. 22:22
  339. Not to sprinkle its blood — Lev. 22:24
  340. Not to burn its fat — Lev. 22:22
  341. Not to offer a temporarily blemished animal — Deut. 17:1
  342. Not to sacrifice blemished animals even if offered by non-Jews — Lev. 22:25
  343. Not to inflict wounds upon dedicated animals — Lev. 22:21
  344. To redeem dedicated animals which have become disqualified — Deut. 12:15
  345. To offer only animals which are at least eight days old — Lev. 22:27
  346. Not to offer animals bought with the wages of a harlot or the animal exchanged for a dog. Some interpret “exchange for a dog” as referring to wage of a male prostitute.[10][11]Deut. 23:19
  347. Not to burn honey or yeast on the altar — Lev. 2:11
  348. To salt all sacrifices — Lev. 2:13
  349. Not to omit the salt from sacrifices — Lev. 2:13
  350. Carry out the procedure of the burnt offering as prescribed in the Torah — Lev. 1:3
  351. Not to eat its meat — Deut. 12:17
  352. Carry out the procedure of the sin offering — Lev. 6:18
  353. Not to eat the meat of the inner sin offering — Lev. 6:23
  354. Not to decapitate a fowl brought as a sin offering — Lev. 5:8
  355. Carry out the procedure of the guilt offering — Lev. 7:1
  356. The Kohanim must eat the sacrificial meat in the Temple — Ex. 29:33
  357. The Kohanim must not eat the meat outside the Temple courtyard — Deut. 12:17
  358. A non-Kohen must not eat sacrificial meat — Ex. 29:33
  359. To follow the procedure of the peace offering — Lev. 7:11
  360. Not to eat the meat of minor sacrifices before sprinkling the blood — Deut. 12:17
  361. To bring meal offerings as prescribed in the Torah — Lev. 2:1
  362. Not to put oil on the meal offerings of wrongdoers — Lev. 5:11
  363. Not to put frankincense on the meal offerings of wrongdoers — Lev. 3:11
  364. Not to eat the meal offering of the High Priest — Lev. 6:16
  365. Not to bake a meal offering as leavened bread — Lev. 6:10
  366. The Kohanim must eat the remains of the meal offerings — Lev. 6:9
  367. To bring all avowed and freewill offerings to the Temple on the first subsequent festival — Deut. 12:5-6
  368. Not to withhold payment incurred by any vow — Deut. 23:22
  369. To offer all sacrifices in the Temple — Deut. 12:11
  370. To bring all sacrifices from outside Israel to the Temple — Deut. 12:26
  371. Not to slaughter sacrifices outside the courtyard — Lev. 17:4
  372. Not to offer any sacrifices outside the courtyard — Deut. 12:13
  373. To offer two lambs every day — Num. 28:3
  374. To light a fire on the altar every day — Lev. 6:6
  375. Not to extinguish this fire — Lev. 6:6
  376. To remove the ashes from the altar every day — Lev. 6:3
  377. To burn incense every day — Ex. 30:7
  378. To light the Menorah every day — Ex. 27:21
  379. The Kohen Gadol must bring a meal offering every day — Lev. 6:13
  380. To bring two additional lambs as burnt offerings on ShabbatNum. 28:9
  381. To make the show bread — Ex. 25:30
  382. To bring additional offerings on Rosh Chodesh (” The New Month”) — Num. 28:11
  383. To bring additional offerings on PassoverNum. 28:19
  384. To offer the wave offering from the meal of the new wheat — Lev. 23:10
  385. Each man must count the Omer – seven weeks from the day the new wheat offering was brought — Lev. 23:15
  386. To bring additional offerings on ShavuotNum. 28:26
  387. To bring two loaves to accompany the above sacrifice — Lev. 23:17
  388. To bring additional offerings on Rosh HashanaNum. 29:2
  389. To bring additional offerings on Yom KippurNum. 29:8
  390. To bring additional offerings on SukkotNum. 29:13
  391. To bring additional offerings on Shmini AtzeretNum. 29:35
  392. Not to eat sacrifices which have become unfit or blemished — Deut. 14:3
  393. Not to eat from sacrifices offered with improper intentions — Lev. 7:18
  394. Not to leave sacrifices past the time allowed for eating them — Lev. 22:30
  395. Not to eat from that which was left over — Lev. 19:8
  396. Not to eat from sacrifices which became impure — Lev. 7:19
  397. An impure person must not eat from sacrifices — Lev. 7:20
  398. To burn the leftover sacrifices — Lev. 7:17
  399. To burn all impure sacrifices — Lev. 7:19
  400. To follow the procedure of Yom Kippur in the sequence prescribed in Parshah Acharei Mot (“After the death of Aaron’s sons…”) —Lev. 16:3
  401. One who profaned property must repay what he profaned plus a fifth and bring a sacrifice — Lev. 5:16
  402. Not to work consecrated animals — Deut. 15:19
  403. Not to shear the fleece of consecrated animals — Deut. 15:19
  404. To slaughter the paschal sacrifice at the specified time — Ex. 12:6
  405. Not to slaughter it while in possession of leaven — Ex. 23:18
  406. Not to leave the fat overnight — Ex. 23:18
  407. To slaughter the second Paschal LambNum. 9:11
  408. To eat the Paschal Lamb with matzah and Marror on the night of the fourteenth of NisanEx. 12:8
  409. To eat the second Paschal Lamb on the night of the 15th of IyarNum. 9:11
  410. Not to eat the paschal meat raw or boiled — Ex. 12:9
  411. Not to take the paschal meat from the confines of the group — Ex. 12:46
  412. An apostate must not eat from it — Ex. 12:43
  413. A permanent or temporary hired worker must not eat from it — Ex. 12:45
  414. An uncircumcised male must not eat from it — Ex. 12:48
  415. Not to break any bones from the paschal offering — Ex. 12:46 Ps. 34:20
  416. Not to break any bones from the second paschal offering — Num. 9:12
  417. Not to leave any meat from the paschal offering over until morning — Ex. 12:10
  418. Not to leave the second paschal meat over until morning — Num. 9:12
  419. Not to leave the meat of the holiday offering of the 14th until the 16th — Deut. 16:4
  420. To be seen at the Temple on Passover, Shavuot, and SukkotDeut. 16:16
  421. To celebrate on these three Festivals (bring a peace offering) — Ex. 23:14
  422. To rejoice on these three Festivals (bring a peace offering) — Deut. 16:14
  423. Not to appear at the Temple without offerings — Deut. 16:16
  424. Not to refrain from rejoicing with, and giving gifts to, the Levites — Deut. 12:19
  425. To assemble all the people on the Sukkot following the seventh year — Deut. 31:12
  426. To set aside the firstborn animals — Ex. 13:12
  427. The Kohanim must not eat unblemished firstborn animals outside Jerusalem — Deut. 12:17
  428. Not to redeem the firstborn — Num. 18:17
  429. Separate the tithe from animals — Lev. 27:32
  430. Not to redeem the tithe — Lev. 27:33
  431. Every person must bring a sin offering (in the temple) for his transgression — Lev. 4:27
  432. Bring an asham talui (temple offering) when uncertain of guilt — Lev. 5:17-18
  433. Bring an asham vadai (temple offering) when guilt is ascertained — Lev. 5:25
  434. Bring an oleh v’yored (temple offering)(if the person is wealthy, an animal; if poor, a bird or meal offering) — Lev. 5:7-11
  435. The Sanhedrin must bring an offering (in the Temple) when it rules in error — Lev. 4:13
  436. A woman who had a running (vaginal) issue must bring an offering (in the Temple) after she goes to the MikvehLev. 15:28-29
  437. A woman who gave birth must bring an offering (in the Temple) after she goes to the MikvehLev. 12:6
  438. A man who had a running (unnatural urinary) issue must bring an offering (in the Temple) after he goes to the Mikveh — Lev. 15:13-14
  439. A metzora (one having a skin disease) must bring an offering (in the Temple) after going to the MikvehLev. 14:10
  440. Not to substitute another beast for one set apart for sacrifice — Lev. 27:10
  441. The new animal, in addition to the substituted one, retains consecration — Lev. 27:10
  442. Not to change consecrated animals from one type of offering to another — Lev. 27:26
  443. Carry out the laws of impurity of the dead — Num. 19:14
  444. Carry out the procedure of the Red Heifer (Para Aduma) — Num. 19:2
  445. Carry out the laws of the sprinkling water — Num. 19:21
  446. Rule the laws of human tzara’at as prescribed in the Torah — Lev. 13:12
  447. The metzora must not remove his signs of impurity — Deut. 24:8
  448. The metzora must not shave signs of impurity in his hair — Lev. 13:33
  449. The metzora must publicize his condition by tearing his garments, allowing his hair to grow and covering his lips — Lev. 13:45
  450. Carry out the prescribed rules for purifying the metzoraLev. 14:2
  451. The metzora must shave off all his hair prior to purification — Lev. 14:9
  452. Carry out the laws of tzara’at of clothing — Lev. 13:47
  453. Carry out the laws of tzara’at of houses — Lev. 13:34
  454. Observe the laws of menstrual impurityLev. 15:19
  455. Observe the laws of impurity caused by childbirthLev. 12:2
  456. Observe the laws of impurity caused by a woman’s running issueLev. 15:25
  457. Observe the laws of impurity caused by a man’s running issue (irregular ejaculation of infected semen) — Lev. 15:3
  458. Observe the laws of impurity caused by a dead beast — Lev. 11:39
  459. Observe the laws of impurity caused by the eight shratzim (insects) — Lev. 11:29
  460. Observe the laws of impurity of a seminal emission (regular ejaculation, with normal semen) — Lev. 15:16
  461. Observe the laws of impurity concerning liquid and solid foods — Lev. 11:34
  462. Every impure person must immerse himself in a Mikvah to become pure — Lev. 15:16
  463. The court must judge the damages incurred by a goring ox — Ex. 21:28
  464. The court must judge the damages incurred by an animal eating — Ex. 22:4
  465. The court must judge the damages incurred by a pit — Ex. 21:33
  466. The court must judge the damages incurred by fire — Ex. 22:5
  467. Not to steal money stealthily — Lev. 19:11
  468. The court must implement punitive measures against the thief — Ex. 21:37
  469. Each individual must ensure that his scales and weights are accurate — Lev. 19:36
  470. Not to commit injustice with scales and weightsLev. 19:35
  471. Not to possess inaccurate scales and weights even if they are not for use — Deut. 25:13
  472. Not to move a boundary marker to steal someone’s property — Deut. 19:14
  473. Not to kidnap — Standard->Ex. 20:14 Yemenite->Ex. 20:13
  474. Not to rob openly — Lev. 19:13
  475. Not to withhold wages or fail to repay a debt — Lev. 19:13
  476. Not to covet and scheme to acquire another’s possession — Standard->Ex. 20:15 Yemenite->Ex. 20:14
  477. Not to desire another’s possession — Standard->Deut. 5:19 Yemenite->Deut. 5:18
  478. Return the robbed object or its value — Lev. 5:23
  479. Not to ignore a lost object — Deut. 22:3
  480. Return the lost object — Deut. 22:1
  481. The court must implement laws against the one who assaults another or damages another’s property — Ex. 21:18
  482. Not to murder — Standard->Ex. 20:13 Yemenite->Ex. 20:12
  483. Not to accept monetary restitution to atone for the murderer — Num. 35:31
  484. The court must send the accidental murderer to a city of refugeNum. 35:25
  485. Not to accept monetary restitution instead of being sent to a city of refuge — Num. 35:32
  486. Not to kill the murderer before he stands trial — Num. 35:12
  487. Save someone being pursued even by taking the life of the pursuer — Deut. 25:12
  488. Not to pity the pursuer — Num. 35:12
  489. Not to stand idly by if someone’s life is in danger — Lev. 19:16
  490. Designate cities of refuge and prepare routes of access — Deut. 19:3
  491. Break the neck of a calf by the river valley following an unsolved murder — Deut. 21:4
  492. Not to work nor plant that river valley — Deut. 21:4
  493. Not to allow pitfalls and obstacles to remain on your property — Deut. 22:8
  494. Make a guard rail around flat roofs — Deut. 22:8
  495. Not to put a stumbling block before a blind man (nor give harmful advice) — Lev. 19:14
  496. Help another remove the load from a beast which can no longer carry it — Ex. 23:5
  497. Help others load their beast — Deut. 22:4
  498. Not to leave others distraught with their burdens (but to help either load or unload) — Deut. 22:4
  499. Conduct sales according to Torah law — Lev. 25:14
  500. Not to overcharge or underpay for an article — Lev. 25:14
  501. Not to insult or harm anybody with words — Lev. 25:17
  502. Not to cheat a convert monetarily — Ex. 22:20
  503. Not to insult or harm a convert with words — Ex. 22:20
  504. Purchase a Hebrew slave in accordance with the prescribed laws — Ex. 21:2
  505. Not to sell him as a slave is sold — Lev. 25:42
  506. Not to work him oppressively — Lev. 25:43
  507. Not to allow a non-Jew to work him oppressively — Lev. 25:53
  508. Not to have him do menial slave labor — Lev. 25:39
  509. Give him gifts when he goes free — Deut. 15:14
  510. Not to send him away empty-handed — Deut. 15:13
  511. Redeem Jewish maidservants — Ex. 21:8
  512. Betroth the Jewish maidservant — Ex. 21:8
  513. The master must not sell his maidservant — Ex. 21:8
  514. Canaanite slaves must work forever unless injured in one of their limbs — Lev. 25:46
  515. Not to extradite a slave who fled to (Biblical) Israel — Deut. 23:16
  516. Not to wrong a slave who has come to Israel for refuge — Deut. 23:16
  517. The courts must carry out the laws of a hired worker and hired guard — Ex. 22:9
  518. Pay wages on the day they were earned — Deut. 24:15
  519. Not to delay payment of wages past the agreed time — Lev. 19:13
  520. The hired worker may eat from the unharvested crops where he works — Deut. 23:25
  521. The worker must not eat while on hired time — Deut. 23:26
  522. The worker must not take more than he can eat — Deut. 23:25
  523. Not to muzzle an ox while plowing — Deut. 25:4
  524. The courts must carry out the laws of a borrower — Ex. 22:13
  525. The courts must carry out the laws of an unpaid guard — Ex. 22:6
  526. Lend to the poor and destitute — Ex. 22:24
  527. Not to press them for payment if you know they don’t have it — Ex. 22:24
  528. Press the idolater for payment — Deut. 15:3
  529. The creditor must not forcibly take collateral — Deut. 24:10
  530. Return the collateral to the debtor when needed — Deut. 24:13
  531. Not to delay its return when needed — Deut. 24:12
  532. Not to demand collateral from a widow — Deut. 24:17
  533. Not to demand as collateral utensils needed for preparing food — Deut. 24:6
  534. Not to lend with interest — Lev. 25:37
  535. Not to borrow with interest — Deut. 23:20
  536. Not to intermediate in an interest loan, guarantee, witness, or write the promissory note — Ex. 22:24
  537. Lend to and borrow from idolaters with interest — Deut. 23:21
  538. The courts must carry out the laws of the plaintiff, admitter, or denier — Ex. 22:8
  539. Carry out the laws of the order of inheritance — Num. 27:8
  540. Appoint judges — Deut. 16:18
  541. Not to appoint judges who are not familiar with judicial procedure — Deut. 1:17
  542. Decide by majority in case of disagreement — Ex. 23:2
  543. The court must not execute through a majority of one; at least a majority of two is required — Ex. 23:2
  544. A judge who presented an acquittal plea must not present an argument for conviction in capital cases — Deut. 23:2
  545. The courts must carry out the death penalty of stoning — Deut. 22:24
  546. The courts must carry out the death penalty of burning — Lev. 20:14
  547. The courts must carry out the death penalty of the sword — Ex. 21:20
  548. The courts must carry out the death penalty of strangulation — Lev. 20:10
  549. The courts must hang those stoned for blasphemy or idolatry — Deut. 21:22
  550. Bury the executed on the day they are killed — Deut. 21:23
  551. Not to delay burial overnight — Deut. 21:23
  552. The court must not let the sorcerer live — Ex. 22:17
  553. The court must give lashes to the wrongdoer — Deut. 25:2
  554. The court must not exceed the prescribed number of lashes — Deut. 25:3
  555. The court must not kill anybody on circumstantial evidence — Ex. 23:7
  556. The court must not punish anybody who was forced to do a crime — Deut. 22:26
  557. A judge must not pity the murderer or assaulter at the trial — Deut. 19:13
  558. A judge must not have mercy on the poor man at the trial — Lev. 19:15
  559. A judge must not respect the great man at the trial — Lev. 19:15
  560. A judge must not decide unjustly the case of the habitual transgressor — Ex. 23:6
  561. A judge must not pervert justice — Lev. 19:15
  562. A judge must not pervert a case involving a convert or orphan — Deut. 24:17
  563. Judge righteously — Lev. 19:15
  564. The judge must not fear a violent man in judgment — Deut. 1:17
  565. Judges must not accept bribes — Ex. 23:8
  566. Judges must not accept testimony unless both parties are present — Ex. 23:1
  567. Not to curse judges — Ex. 22:27
  568. Not to curse the head of state or leader of the Sanhedrin — Ex. 22:27
  569. Not to curse any upstanding Jew — Lev. 19:14
  570. Anybody who knows evidence must testify in court — Lev. 5:1
  571. Carefully interrogate the witness — Deut. 13:15
  572. A witness must not serve as a judge in capital crimes — Deut. 19:17
  573. Not to accept testimony from a lone witness — Deut. 19:15
  574. Transgressors must not testify — Ex. 23:1
  575. Relatives of the litigants must not testify — Deut. 24:16
  576. Not to testify falsely — Standard->Ex. 20:14 Yemenite->Ex. 20:13
  577. Punish the false witnesses as they tried to punish the defendant — Deut. 19:19
  578. Act according to the ruling of the SanhedrinDeut. 17:11
  579. Not to deviate from the word of the Sanhedrin — Deut. 17:11
  580. Not to add to the Torah commandments or their oral explanations — Deut. 13:1
  581. Not to diminish from the Torah any commandments, in whole or in part — Deut. 13:1
  582. Not to curse your father and mother — Ex. 21:17
  583. Not to strike your father and mother — Ex. 21:15
  584. Respect your father or mother — Standard->Ex. 20:13 Yemenite->Ex. 20:12
  585. Fear your mother or fatherLev. 19:3
  586. Not to be a rebellious son — Deut. 21:18
  587. Mourn for relativesLev. 10:19
  588. The High Priest must not defile himself for any relative — Lev. 21:11
  589. The High Priest must not enter under the same roof as a corpse — Lev. 21:11
  590. A Kohen must not defile himself (by going to funerals or cemeteries) for anyone except relatives — Lev. 21:1
  591. Appoint a king from Israel — Deut. 17:15
  592. Not to appoint a foreigner — Deut. 17:15
  593. The king must not have too many wives — Deut. 17:17
  594. The king must not have too many horses — Deut. 17:16
  595. The king must not have too much silver and gold — Deut. 17:17
  596. Destroy the seven Canaanite nations — Deut. 20:17
  597. Not to let any of them remain alive — Deut. 20:16
  598. Wipe out the descendants of AmalekDeut. 25:19
  599. Remember what Amalek did to the Jewish people — Deut. 25:17
  600. Not to forget Amalek’s atrocities and ambush on our journey from Egypt in the desert — Deut. 25:19
  601. Not to dwell permanently in Egypt — Deut. 17:16
  602. Offer peace terms to the inhabitants of a city while holding siege, and treat them according to the Torah if they accept the terms —Deut. 20:10
  603. Not to offer peace to Ammon and Moab while besieging them — Deut. 23:7
  604. Not to destroy food trees even during the siege — Deut. 20:19
  605. Prepare latrines outside the camps — Deut. 23:13
  606. Prepare a shovel for each soldier to dig with — Deut. 23:14
  607. Appoint a priest to speak with the soldiers during the war — Deut. 20:2
  608. He who has taken a wife, built a new home, or planted a vineyard is given a year to rejoice with his possessions — Deut. 24:5
  609. Not to demand from the above any involvement, communal or military — Deut. 24:5
  610. Not to panic and retreat during battle — Deut. 20:3
  611. Keep the laws of the captive woman — Deut. 21:11
  612. Not to sell her into slavery — Deut. 21:14
  613. Not to retain her for servitude after having sexual relations with her — Deut. 21:14

Apologetics

One of the oddest apologetics is a presuppositionalist.  You presuppose that a god exists, so your proof that god exists is that god exists.  Come again?  Or, the argument that because there is absolute truth, god exists.  How does that work?

Going over to http://www.proofthatgodexists.org/ all I come up with is I don’t care if absolute truth exists, ergo Disney.  Or, I just end up in an endless loop.  Not very convincing.  In fact, it is just silly.

What really bothers me about this site is every question only has 2 answers.  Guess what?  No every question has a binary answer.  How do I know this?  Simple question, what temperature is it outside?  You can answer this many ways, in degrees centigrade, fahrenheit, or relative, cold, very cold, frigid, tepid, warm, very warm, hot, etc.  You can’t answer the question: what temperature is it outside? using  a binary answer, like the absurd website above.  You will only be allowed hot or cold.  It is about the weakest apologetics I have encountered.  Using logic or words to conjure up a god is just so weak.

Randomly clicking, his proof god exists is scripture.  I have plowed 1/5th of the Bible so far, and I am not convinced.  I will read it all and let you know.  But, as I read more, I am 100% certain the god of the Bible does not exist.

3 more down

Finished 3 more books of the Bible.

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

You will notice my:

Commentary is in a block quote like this.

Changing the font color and italics was a time waster.  I may go back later and change the last few books.  I am not in any way rereading those books.  The first five books are just punishing.

As an aside, Joshua started out well, but half way though we ran out of new material.  Judges was pretty brutal and confusing and Ruth was pointless.

The Pentateuch

Finally finished reading the Pentateuch, aka Torah.  They are first 5 books of the Bible.  I have to be honest, it was pretty brutal.  Some parts of it are interesting, but you can so so tell it was written by ignorant, ancient people with morals that would make a serial killer blush.  I am truly shocked how incredibly repetitive it really is.  Books 2 to 5 are just all the same thing, with slight rewording.  Numbers is almost impossible to read and the most boring text I have ever read.

Read my running commentary:

Genesis 1

Genesis 2

Genesis 3

Genesis 4

Genesis 5

Genesis 6

Genesis 7

Genesis 8

Genesis 9

Genesis 10

Genesis 11

Genesis 12 to 24

Genesis 25 to 50

Exodus 1 to 10

Exodus 11 to 20

Exodus 21 to 30

Exodus 31 to 40

Leviticus 1 to 10

Leviticus 11 to 20

Leviticus 21 to 27

Numbers 1 to 17

Numbers 17 to 36

Deuteronomy 1 to 34

 

No Apologies, Chapter 6

I find it interesting that one of the best logical argument against god is over 2300 years old:

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” — ‘the Epicurean paradox’.[

To be honest, it can be argued that God wants free will.  But, lets reword this with free will, and see if it makes sense.

“Is God willing to prevent free will, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is impotent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh free will? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

Just changing two words, and it still makes perfect sense.  Theists use free will as an excuse for evil.  But if God can not prevent free will, why call him God?   The universe acts, in every way, as something that is the result of natural laws.  Miracles never happen.  Free will is never violated.  Cause and effect is never violated.  F=ma always works.  E=mc² always works.  If God can not violate these laws, why call him god?

Let’s reword the Epicurean paradox, once again:

“Is God willing to violate the laws of universe, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he never acts. Is he both able and willing? Then why is there is no evidence of this? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” — ‘the modern Epicurean paradox’.[

I am just a humble engineer and freethinker.  Can someone refute this?

I am not a theologian, or philosopher, but let me state why my worldview makes more sense.

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” — ‘the Epicurean paradox’.[

I really don’t think there is something as absolute evil; it is always a relative thing.  When you accept the universe does not care about your existence, the problem of evil is not a problem.  The universe is not evil, it is indifferent, and I am just fine with that.  So much easier than believing in some omnibenevolent god thing.

“Is God willing to prevent free will, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is impotent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh free will? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

Free will may or may not exist.  I accept that I am free as the laws of the universe allow me to be.  I know I have a limited brain, that can not conceive of many things, including large numbers and what came before the universe.  You just can’t.  Your brain can’t.  It is a limit of 1200cc of cholesterol based computer that evolved to survive in a harsh world.  I am fine with that and embrace my limitations.  So, I don’t worry about if we are endowed with free will from the impotent god.  It is most likely an illusion and really doesn’t matter.

“Is God willing to violate the laws of universe, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he never acts. Is he both able and willing? Then why is there is no evidence of this? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” — ‘the modern Epicurean paradox’.[

Since I see a universe that never violates its observed laws, with no evidence of miracles ever happening.  Ever.  When you accept the universe is an indifferent combination of mass, dark matter, and energy that follows some simple rules and has a crap ton of randomness to it, it all makes sense.   Prayer never works, more than random chance will dictate.  No one can walk on water, snakes and donkeys don’t talk, and it all makes sense.