Hello everyone and welcome back to MPT! This week we’re getting a lil’ creative! Well, more creative than usual…you’ll see. The portion this week is Yitro, and it’s a big one. The hot ticket item from this portion is that we get the Ten Commandments. Moses brought down these two hunks of stone with some shmancy markings on them to the Israelites and was like, “G-d gave me these and said these are the rules we must follow.” and everyone was like “Yeah sure, sounds good.”
The Israelites were given the Ten Commandments. These commandments, in theory, were written with the Israelites and their lifestyle in mind. But, it’s been actual millennia and we still are asked to follow them. Do they still fit? Do these rules still apply to our lifestyle? There isn’t a right or wrong answer here. Don’t always take things at face value. It’s okay to question things or try and adapt them to either make more sense or better fit you and your lifestyle. I mean, take a look at this blog. We created ModPop Torah (and previously HawkTorah) to explore the themes of Torah and Judaism with a more modern lens. Simply because, from our perspective, the ancient text of the Torah just didn’t seem to fit. The way things were written didn’t resonate with us as young adults in the 21st century. So, we challenged ourselves to look at things differently and try to see just how we can make things more relatable. We adapted them to better suit us. Along the way, we learned that one of the best (and most fun) ways to do so was to relate the lessons we pulled from the Torah (and other facets of Judaism) and relate them back to pop culture (hence the name ModPop Torah).
So, our challenge for you this week (and every week really) is to look at things differently. Don’t change yourself for the text, make the text work for you. Sure it’s a little extra work, but the end results will be worth it. Trust us, we’ve been doing this for almost 5 years now. If we can do this in between our busy college (and now work schedules), then so can you!
While you may be familiar with the Ten Commandments, here they are as written Exodus 20:1-14 (translated, of course):
- I the LORD am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage
- You shall have no other gods besides Me.
- You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth.
- You shall not bow down to them or serve them.
- You shall not swear falsely by the name of the LORD your God; for the LORD will not clear one who swears falsely by His name.
- Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.
- Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God: you shall not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements.
- Honor your father and your mother, that you may long endure on the land that the LORD your God is assigning to you.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s house: you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female slave, or his ox or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.
The Ten Commandments are pretty much a staple for how we live our lives. No matter your level of religiosity, it’s common human decency to refrain from murder, adultery, theft, and lying. Maybe the other commandments don’t fit as easily into your life as the ones just mentioned. That’s ok. Not every rule or tradition is going to fit seamlessly into your lifestyle. So, how can you feel connected to these seemingly outdated rules we were given all those years ago? Make them your own.
Now, on to the extra creative part of today’s post. Another thing that we’re passionate about is self-care, though admittedly we could be better at it. That’s where this exercise comes into play. We created our own Ten Commandments of self care based on the OG Ten Commandments. We encourage you to add your own (who says we need to stop at ten?), or make up your own ten! The important thing is to create something that works for you.
My Ten Commandments
- I am me. No one else has experienced life the exact same way I have. Here I am doing my best, and I am wonderful.
- I will do my best to stop comparing myself to others. No one is perfect, and no one should be treated as such.
- I will not change myself to appease others. I will be my truest self.
- I will take time for myself, to take care of myself and do things I enjoy. I cannot pour from an empty cup.
- I will respect those who respect me. I will treat others with kindness, and recognize when someone does not deserve my respect. It is okay to remove toxic people from my life.
- I will find productive and safe ways to take out my frustrations and anger. I will not do things that cause harm to myself or to others. I will instead communicate my feelings to try and find a solution.
- I will not cheat myself out of a great opportunity because of my insecurities. I work hard, and deserve good things. I will treat others with the respect I wish to receive.
- I will work hard for what I want. I will work honestly, safely, and productively toward my goals. I will recognize what privileges I have that allow me to achieve my goals.
- I will be honest in all my actions and words. I will have integrity.
- I am grateful for what I have, and what I am working toward. I have what I have because of my experiences and opportunities, and I am thankful. We are all sailing different ships.
It can be difficult in our current situation to see the light and to see the light in ourselves. We hope we are able to help remind you of how awesomely and wonderfully you are made. It’s ok to remind yourself of that every once in a while – we promise you won’t inflate your ego.
Stay safe, stay warm, wear a mask, and wash your hands!
Love,
Amanda & Marissa
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