Ten Commandments are important for children to learn from, not just see

This summer, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, signed a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in all public classrooms. As at various times over the past 75 years, various other states have had nearly similar legislation pending before their legislatures or in the courts. Especially now, as we begin a new school year, it’s worth considering the following: Should the Ten Commandments be posted in every classroom?

A potential issue some have raised is regarding “separation of church and state.” First, that phrase (or concept) is not used anywhere in the Constitution, which guarantees everyone the right to practice the religion of their choice and prohibits the state from establishing a particular religion.

It would be difficult to seriously argue that the posting of the Ten Commandments is an expression of the state establishing Judaism (the Torah, the holy book from which the Ten Commandments come) as its official religion. Second, numerous Supreme Court decisions have made clear that religiously derived symbols and teachings are permissible in state functions if they also serve secular purposes.

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The problem with only displaying the Ten Commandments is that they are not readily apparent, like a banner, flag, cross, or Star of David. Schools that only display the Ten Commandments risk one of two outcomes.

First, they may be reduced to mere symbols of victory in the culture wars, and second, they may be symbolized or trivialized in the same breath as other classroom posters such as “Every Learner is a Masterpiece in Progress,” “We Value Diversity, Tolerance, Love, Respect, and Equality,” and “All Students, All Day, Every Day #Attendance.”

This is unfortunate, even tragic, because the Ten Commandments, about 250 words long, have the power to change lives. When you study them, they reveal themselves to be the most concise, fascinating, wise, instructive, and universal moral guide and ethical teachings ever written, understandable and relevant to people of all faiths and in all times.

Therefore, it is not enough for the Ten Commandments to merely be posted in schools; they must be taught in every public school. The good news is that they do exist and are specifically designed to educate, deepen, grow, and elevate every student who is taught them.

Teacher’s guides for teaching the Ten Commandments could easily be created by educators and scholars of any faith; in fact, guides created by people with different perspectives and different traditions would likely be even richer and more fulfilling.

As a devout Jew, I teach Torah to evangelicals every week (through the Torah Tuesday program, an outreach organization called Eagle’s Wings), and I often learn new, true, and even brilliant insights into the text from my Christian brothers who approach our shared love of Torah from different traditions and perspectives.

A well-constructed teacher’s guide will provide unique life lessons and existential questions that will inspire every seeker and make every child a seeker. Here are some examples:

• In the first commandment, God introduces himself. Like we do on our business cards, he chooses just one introduction from among many: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the house of slavery in Egypt.” The most important attribute God has declared himself to be is to free people from suffering. We learned at the beginning of the Bible that we are “created in the image of God.” Therefore, we should consider it our most important responsibility to free others from suffering. Who can we help to free from suffering, those we know and those we don’t know? How can we do this?
• The second commandment forbids idolatry. This commandment, most broadly, warns against giving too much loyalty or devotion to things that are undeserving. Are there things in our lives to which we are giving too much loyalty or care too much? If so, how can we reduce (or eliminate) this devotion and redirect our energy to things that are more deserving?

Moses comes down from Mount Sinai with the tablets of the Ten Commandments. (iStock)

• The third commandment forbids taking the Lord’s name in vain. As Israeli-American scholar David Hazony writes, it is a prohibition against “taking false oaths” and a commandment to “act truthfully and represent yourself honestly.” How have I experienced people (perhaps including myself) acting with less than complete integrity? Why is this commitment to integrity so important to individuals and society that it constitutes the third commandment?
• The Fourth Commandment distinguishes the Sabbath from the rest of the week, setting it apart as a day of rest, which in the Torah’s understanding means quitting work and turning off electronic devices. The Sabbath, as the Ten Commandments continue, is a day to be “sanctified.” You can’t sanctify a day by lounging on the couch. How can you sanctify one day each week? Regardless of religious claims, is there value in dedicating one day each week to family, friends, books, meditation, and other activities aimed at recreating rather than creating? If so, how can you spend such a day?
• The fifth commandment tells us to honor our mother and father. The commandment to “honor” requires consistent action that goes far beyond emotion and courtesy. A fundamental example of this in Jewish tradition can be found in the Talmud, where the pagan Dama ben Netina chose to give up a large sum of money rather than disturb his father’s sleep. How can each of us honor our parents accordingly and be grateful in so doing?
• The sixth commandment forbids murder. What is the difference between murder and justifiable homicide? Jewish tradition builds on this commandment by saying that public humiliation is a kind of murder, as evidenced by the blood draining from the face in both cases. Have I publicly humiliated myself, even unintentionally (or watched someone else publicly humiliate themselves)? Besides public humiliation, what other examples of all-too-common actions can take a life (metaphorically)?

• The Seventh Commandment forbids adultery and recognizes and respects the concept of holy relationships. What role do holy relationships play in my life, now and in the future? What do I owe to those in such relationships? Why does the Seventh Commandment present marriage as the ultimate holy relationship?
• The Eighth Commandment forbids stealing. Certainly, it prohibits robbing the corner store, but stealing need not be interpreted literally. If I go to that same store, spend time discussing an item with the clerk, intending to buy that item on Amazon after I leave, am I stealing someone’s time? (In Jewish tradition, this is an easy yes.)

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• The ninth commandment forbids us to “bear false witness against our neighbor.” Perjury has at least two consequences. First, it undermines the justice system. But this commandment is not limited to the courts. Bearing false witness anywhere can damage or destroy one’s reputation. Why is reputation so important? How can we be proud of our own reputation and avoid unfairly damaging the reputations of others?
• The Tenth Commandment is primarily about a character trait, namely greed, rather than an act (adultery, theft, murder, etc.). Specifically, it forbids coveting a neighbor’s cow, donkey, horse, land, or “everything” that the neighbor owns. The use of “everything” rather than “anything” implies that greed is obsessive, that the greedy person is soon consumed by these desires. Is this true? Furthermore, what do we think about the fact that the ultimate commandment is about a character trait rather than a specific action? Why is character (reflected in behavior but distinct from behavior) so important (or not)?

The well-constructed teacher’s guide offers unique life lessons and existential questions that will invigorate every seeker and make every child a seeker.

It is quite amazing that such a short text – less than a quarter of this (very incomplete!) commentary – can be so comprehensive, practical, and wise. In just 250 words, The Ten Commandments gives students deep access to three areas of life that are universal and always relevant: personal character, social relationships, and social systems.

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And the Ten Commandments don’t even end there. The study of the Ten Commandments also becomes about education itself — specifically, about learning how to research, question, and learn. The only thing they won’t do is explain or teach themselves, and that’s fine. The same goes for math, science, history, literature, and language.

We are blessed to have teachers and schools. By all means, hang up the Ten Commandments, but only after you have taught them. Doing so will almost certainly inspire students and teachers of all faiths to deeply understand the great questions they provoke, to honor the profound truths they reveal, and to want to have them constantly reminded of their place in their classrooms.

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