Eruptions of divine frustration and punishment follow human infidelity. Beginning with Shabbat, the holy days are turned into moments of historical commemoration to reinforce memory. As Shabbat recalls creation, Pesach recounts the Exodus, Sukkot , survival in the wilderness, and Shavuot , eventually, the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The natural origins of these harvest festivals are devalued. The memory of past instances of divine compassion nurtures the hope for the appearance of others.
History encapsulates the promise of redemption.
In sum, the Decalogue offers a lens on the deep structure of biblical monotheism and of later Judaism, indeed of Christianity and Islam as well. With the rejection of nature as the matrix for experiencing the divine, history served to encompass the encounters of Jews with a Supreme Being of cosmic and ethical proportions. Remarkably, it is a shift that has survived the ravages of exile, persecution and even the Holocaust. Search Courses Receive the JTS Torah commentary and Shabbat candlelighting times sent to you weekly by e-mail. Click here to sign up for free membership.