0

How is the 10th commandment of the 10 commandments "לֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד" (not to covet) understood in light of the verse in Devarim?

The verse in Devarim is, "The hidden things belong to the Lord, our God, but the revealed things apply to us and to our children forever: that we must fulfill all the words of this Torah." (Parshas Netzavim Shlishi last pasuk translation from https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9993/jewish/Chapter-29.htm#v28) "לֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד" seems to imply that wanting itself is the sin while in netzavim it seems that thoughts are the hidden things and that instead we should focus on our actions.

Improve this question
3
  • 3
    I believe that many authorities rule that Lo Sachmod is not violated until an action is done to try to acquire the item being coveted, i.e. if your neighbor has car that you desire, you don't violate the prohibition just by desiring it, but you violate it if you ask him to purchase it and pressure him to sell it to you, etc.
    – Salmononius2
    Commented Sep 29, 2022 at 16:09
  • 3
    The passuk in Devarim refers to the communal responsibility to give punishments to sinners. If it is hidden then it’s not their responsibility and Hashem will take care of it. However if it’s in the open then Beis din must give a punishment. That’s what the pesukim beforehand are talking about
    – Chatzkel
    Commented Sep 29, 2022 at 16:52
  • 2
    to add to what @Chatzkel said, there are definitely sins that can occur in one's mind, and they are still sins that the person is responsible for. It's just that nobody else is responsible for that sin except for that sinner, since nobody other than G-d and the sinner can know what he's thinking.
    – Esther
    Commented Sep 29, 2022 at 18:02

0

Reset to default

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .