Gibt es 613 Gebote in der Thora?
Nun wohnt der Heilige Geist dem ganzen Volk Gottes ständig inne, gibt ihm neue Macht über seine sündige Natur und leitet sein Wachstum in einem heiligen Leben abseits des wörtlichen Gehorsams gegenüber den 613 Geboten der Thora (V. 4-6).[1]
Niemand sollte jemals "613" als die Anzahl der Befehle in der Thora nennen. Die rabbinische Liste von 613 (erstellt von Maimonides) enthält viele überflüssige Befehle, fehlerhafte Auslegungen der Schrift und viele Befehle ohne jegliche Grundlage in Gottes Gesetz.
Die Zahl 613 war nicht einmal das Ergebnis einer sorgfältigen Zählung: Sie basierte auf rabbinischer Numerologie. Sie wurde erstmals irgendwann im dritten Jahrhundert von einem Rabbiner namens Simlai vorgeschlagen:
Rabbi Simlai hielt als Predigt [darash Rabi Simlai]: 613 Gebote wurden Moses mitgeteilt - 365 negative Befehle, die der Anzahl der Sonnentage [in einem Jahr] entsprechen, und 248 positive Befehle, die der Anzahl der Glieder [Knochen/Organe] des Körpers eines Mannes entsprechen.[2]
Maimonides (der Autor der am häufigsten verwendeten Liste von 613 Geboten) begann mit der rabbinischen Traditionsnummer 613 und erstellte seine Liste entsprechend. So fasste er beispielsweise jedes einzelne Gebot zur Todesstrafe unter nur vier nummerierten Befehlen zusammen:
- P226 Hinrichtung durch Enthauptung[3]
- P227 Hinrichtung durch Strangulation[4]
- P228 Ausführung durch Verbrennen[5]
- P229 Hinrichtung durch Steinigung[6]
Now, you might be thinking to yourself: "I don't remember anywhere in Biblical law where someone is required to be executed by strangulation or decapitation."
And you would be correct. Now you have direct evidence for the deficiency of Maimonides' enumeration of the commandments.
The number of commands in the Torah depends upon how you choose to count them. It is possible to treat every separate detail of the law as its own individual commandment (in which case you would come up with a large number: probably over 1000). It is also possible to group the details of a command under a more general command, as we do when we say "Ten Commandments."
How many commandments are in the Ten Commandments?
This is a trick question, right? The scripture says that there are "ten commandments" which YHWH wrote upon the stone tablets (Exodus 34:28, Deut. 10:4). But the Hebrew words that are often translated "Ten Commandments" (עֲשֶׂ֖רֶת הַדְּבָרִֽים׃) can mean anything from "ten words" to "ten sayings". A "saying" of YHWH can contain more that one "commandment," as I'll show below. In one of the passages listing the Ten Commandments -- Exodus 20:3-17 -- I could make a case that there are actually sixteen commandments, not (merely) ten. It depends upon how you divide them.
This variation in counting can be seen even in Christian tradition. Many Christians aren't aware that different "branches" of Christianity actually disagree on which of the Ten Commandments are given which numbers. For example, the Third Commandment ("remember the Sabbath...") for Lutherans (and Catholics)[7] is actually numbered as the Fourth Commandment by Presbyterians (and most other Protestants)Following the traditional Jewish numbering.. So when Lutherans (and Catholics) get to the end of the Decalogue, they actually split the command about "coveting" into two different "commandments" (presumably because there are two different sentences in it).
Let's take the Sabbath commandment as a case in point: 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 You shall labor six days, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to YHWH your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; 11 for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore YHWH blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy. Exodus 20:8-11WEB
There are (at least) three different "commandments" here:
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- You shall rest on the Sabbath.
- You shall not make anyone to work over whom you have authority.
Some might even add that the phrase "9 You shall labor six days, and do all your work, Exodus 20:9WEB" mandates (some form of) work on the remaining six days. I can understand the argument for this, especially when the apostle Paul says things like "10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10WEB". I disagree that the Sabbath law is implying a required six full days of work, but this is a valid alternate interpretation.
Es geht hier nicht darum, die "Zehn Gebote" in die "Sechzehn Gebote" zu verwandeln, sondern zu zeigen, wie sich die eigene Zählweise auf die Endabrechnung auswirkt.
- ↑ Blomberg, Craig L. Von Pfingsten bis Patmos: Eine Einführung in die Apostelgeschichte durch die Offenbarung. Vereinigte Staaten: Verlagsgruppe B&H, 2006., S. 248
- ↑ Babylonischer Talmud, Makkot 23b-24a
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/961586/jewish/Positive-Commandment-226.htm
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/961587/jewish/Positive-Commandment-227.htm
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/961588/jewish/Positive-Commandment-228.htm
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/961589/jewish/Positive-Commandment-229.htm
- ↑ Following the numbering of Augustine of Hippo.
