2020/5780

As Orthodox Jews, we constantly wonder how to balance two fundamental aspects of life: Bein Adam LaMakom and Bein Adam LaChaveiro. In Parashat Yitro, the Torah records HaKadosh Baruch Hu giving the Luchot to the Jewish people. The Torah, in Parashat Ki Tisa, writes, “Shenei Luchot HaEdut… Ketuvim MiShenei Evreihem,” “There were two Tablets of Testimony with writing on each side" (Shemot 32:15). Upon looking at the Ten Commandments, there are two distinct groups. On the first tablet, Hashem wrote the mitzvot between man and God while on the second tablet Hashem wrote the interpersonal mitzvot. Thus the question arises: why were these mitzvot divided into two stones? Why not have one tablet with all ten commandments together?

Rav Pinchas Friedman says that the use of two stones demonstrates the equality between mitzvot Bein Adam LaMakom and mitzvot Bein Adam LaChaveiro. In business interactions, when weighing foods to determine their price, the seller puts the product on one side of a scale, balancing it out with a stone of a certain weight on the other side. Likewise, having the two stones with their respective Mitzvot on each side shows us that both forms of Mitzvot are equal.

Although we should treat both kinds of Mitzvot equally, they still have slight differences in their applications. TABC  Rebbe  Rav Raphi Mandelstam, using the ideas of the Seridei Eish, 1:61, explains a big difference between them. Mitzvot Bein Adam LaMakom require an act demonstrating that you are fulfilling the will of HaKadosh Baruch Hu preceding them, while Mitzvot Bein Adam LaChaveiro do not. This shows that the different types of Mitzvot were created for different purposes. Mitzvot Bein Adam LaMakom were created to strengthen the relationship between each person and HaKadosh Baruch Hu. This explains why you need to say a Bracha before doing the Mitzvah, to have the right intention and mindset. On the other hand, Mitzvot Bein Adam LaChaveiro were created more for strengthening the connection between people, mainly performing Kiddush Hashem. 

Success requires both mental and physical activity. Your mental state corresponds with your physical state, and vice versa. For example, if you are sitting on your couch, eating chips, you are both physically and mentally lazy. On the other hand, if you are exercising and moving around, you feel both physically and mentally exhilarated.

Judaism is not just a religion, but a lifestyle. HaKadosh Baruch Hu not only wants us to worship him, but also to behave properly. Don’t let yourself fall behind in any aspect of Judaism. Rather, strive to complete the wide array of Mitzvot given to us by HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Have no fear, it is not impossible; keeping one side of the Luchot will pick you up on the other side as well.