Summary
Highlights
The Ten Commandments include six, seven, eight, and nine prohibiting evil acts like murder, adultery, stealing, and perjury. However, the tenth commandment, "Do not covet," is unique because it prohibits the thought process that often leads to these other evils. It is the only commandment that legislates thought, unlike the 613 laws in the Five Books of Moses, which rarely prohibit thoughts.
Coveting is prohibited because it frequently leads to violating the other commandments. People commit murder, adultery, stealing, and perjury often because they covet something belonging to another person. For example, thieves covet property, adultery stems from desiring another's spouse, and perjury is used to cover up crimes driven by coveting.
To understand the prohibition against coveting, it's crucial to define it. The Hebrew verb "lachmod" means to want something to the point of actively seeking to take it away and own it, specifically when it already belongs to another person. This involves two elements: 'seeking to own' and 'belongs to another person'.
Coveting is distinct from mere envy or lust. The Tenth Commandment does not prohibit envying or lusting after someone's possessions or spouse; these emotions, while potentially destructive, are not the same as actively seeking to possess what belongs to another. Enviable achievements can even be constructive, motivating personal improvement. However, when the desire shifts to actively taking possession of another's specific property, spouse, or car, then evil ensues, and that is what the Tenth Commandment prohibits.
The tenth commandment emphasizes that we must not covet what belongs to our neighbor. Anything belonging to another person must be considered sacrosanct. We cannot seek to own what is not ours because, ultimately, only evil can result from such desires and actions.