עשרת הדברים

Yesterday I decided to read about לוחות הברית (the tablets of the covenants) to see how one might come to the interpretation that מלאך יהוה (the Angel of the LORD) wrote them. As a side note, there are some that claim that the Angel of the LORD is a pre-incarnated Yeshua, which is another topic altogether.

This brief investigation brought me to some interesting thoughts, not necessarily related to the Angel of the LORD.

First of all, the account of giving the tablets appears in Exodus 31:18 and Deuteronomy 9:10. In both places the same phrase is used that they were written באצבע אלהים (the finger of God). This seems to be the primary basis for this argument. To be fair I've never heard the argument developed fully, only references as if it is widely understood and accepted. Why are believers so uncomfortable with anthropomorphisms? Why does every reference, for example, to God's right hand have to be Yeshua?

As I looked at the passages I noticed some other things. The "Ten Commandments" are listed in Exodus 20, but the description of giving the tablets, referred to as לוחות הברית או לוחות העדות (the tablets of the covenant or of the testimony), isn't until chapter 31. In Deuteronomy the "Ten Commandments" are in chapter 5, but the tablets are given in chapter 9. What's interesting is that there are other commandments given in the chapters in between, in both books. My first thought was why then are the "Ten Commandments" thought of being the ones written on the tablets. Then as I read more I realized that it is indeed explicit in the text.
ויגד לכם את בריתו אשר צוה אתכם לעשות עשרת הדברים ויכתבם על שני לחות אבנים (Deut. 4:13; cf. Ex. 34:28, Deut 10:4)

Clearly it is significant that God commanded to write these particular ten utterances on tablets of stone. But did He intend such a huge separation of understanding between these ten things (note that they are not all commandments) and the rest of His commandments? What I mean by this is the way some state that the Ten Commandments are what we must all keep for all time, but the rest of the Torah has passed away.

Maybe we get this division from Yeshua?
The only reference Yeshua makes to the Ten Commandments, that I am aware of, is the well-known story of the "rich young man" (Matt 19; Mark 10).
When asked what one must do to inherit eternal life Yeshua responded, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself". (Matt. 19:18)
I only count 5 out of the ten, and he adds this thing about loving your neighbor (Lev. 19:18). Was his memory that bad?

When asked what is the greatest commandment, he forgot the "Ten Commandments" completely . He responded with love God (Duet 6:5) and love your neighbor (Lev. 19:18). All of the Torah and the Prophets hang on these two.