One Commandment

 

One Commandment

I once had a professor who argued that one could conceive of a religion in terms of just one commandment and he said that for Christians that commandment was “thou shalt love” whereas for Jews it was “thou shalt obey.” I politely disagreed as I knew he was indirectly attacking my religion, and I thought it was a gross oversimplification. I still think it is a gross oversimplification, but I also recall my father, Rabbi Spector, teaching me that the fundamental lesson I should learn was “thou shalt question.” So I have come to think that one might ask a person which of the following is most important to guide one’s life in order to gain an understanding of that person:

1.      Thou shalt love.

2.      Thou shalt obey.

3.      Thou shalt question.

4.      Thou shalt inquire.

5.      Thou shalt listen.

6.      Thou shalt not hate.

7.      Thou shalt not despise.

8.      Thou shalt not belittle.

9.      Thou shalt not discriminate.

10.  Thou shalt not marginalize.

You could add other choices. What choices would you add? Which choice would you make? I tend to follow my father’s advice … at least I try to follow that advice.

Jonathan Michael Spector