The Mistranslation That Changed Mitzvahs To Sins
One of the most discussed parts of religion today is the idea of sins—the idea that you do something bad and will be punished. It's a just concept but has been twisted. Living with the idea that enough bad will punish you is a dangerous way to live life. It's purely negative enforcement. Time and time again, it has been proven that showing people what to do is more effective than showing them what not to do.
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments are a very interesting part of all of this. Everyone knows them as "commandments." Hashem gave us these rules we must abide by in life—the basic building blocks of morality. There's just one issue with it: There's nothing called "The Ten Commandments" in the Torah.
The Torah calls it עשרת הדברות, which more accurately translates to "The Ten Utterances" or "Statements." There is a profound difference between "commandments" and "utterances," and it dramatically changes how we view morality.
Look at the statement אָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם I am the L-rd your G-d. As a commandment, this affirms that you must see Hashem without much thought or care, but reading it as a statement, it becomes a lot deeper. It is very similar to "I am your mother." This isn't just a commandment of recognition; it's a statement of care and love. It establishes a relationship, and much like a relationship between a child and their mother, there is a piece of her in them—just like how doing mitzvahs makes you godly.
This completely warps how people could see the Torah. What could previously be seen as set rules you must follow can now be seen as guidelines. Being all-knowing, Hashem gave guidelines for living a long, healthy, and happy life. It's a guideline to finding enlightenment, the ultimate goal for anyone of almost any religion. There's no such thing as a bad or good Jew. If you are a good person, then you are good. Taking what works in your life is what is meant to happen.
Is not keeping kosher a sin, or is keeping kosher a mitzvah? Those aren't the same things.
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is an excellent example of how this can change perception. So many (educated) people assume that we fast and get rid of all our joys as a punishment. That couldn't be further from the truth.
The Torah has three main conditions for Yom Kippur.
- Fasting
- No bathing
- Don't wear leather
Many people interpret this as a punishment, but what good is a physical punishment when it's your soul that sins? Your soul would get consequences after life, so why punish it on Earth with such basic self-inflicted outcomes?
What these have in common is they don't affect the soul at all. These are purely bodily functions. It's a mitzvah to forget the body for one day in the year. For just one day, you get rid of all distractions. Phones, computers, food, hygiene, everything. This day is just for you and Hashem, nothing else.
When I first learned this, Yom Kippur became my favorite time of the year. Previously, by the next morning, I had already struggled. Why would Hashem punish me if I didn't know what I did wrong? Why do I inflict it on myself? This new mindset of it being a mitzvah and being connected with Hashem more so than any other time of the year empowered me. I spent most of the day sitting outside and looking at His creations. The water, the sky, the ducks, the lizards. Everything is living in harmony, and for the first time in my life, I saw what He wanted. In a world of constant buzzing and attention-grabbing addictions, you have permission to stop. It was the first time my mind was quiet, which is very hard being autistic. I didn't think it was possible, but forgetting everything except my soul and Hashem made it happen.
I let go and let Hashem guide my mind. This wasn't a punishment. I wasn't paying for my sins. I was doing a mitzvah. This is what Hashem needed. I swapped what I grew up thinking about Yom Kippur and what I learned and felt more enlightened than at any other time. Yom Kippur is usually the most dreaded holiday, but how could you dread being so close to Hashem? How could you dread having the only being in existence that unconditionally needs you, letting you in just a little bit?
Gehinnom (Purgatory)
What I mentioned earlier about bodily vs. soul punishment is pivotal to understanding Gehinnom. When you die, how could a physical punishment affect you? You don't take your body with you, so the idea of burning for eternity is absurd. Gehinnom is a feeling you already felt. This isn't something very well documented in the Tanakh, but here is my interpretation.
Gehinnom is different from a place we all go to. It is purely for people who haven't done everything they could have in life. Not everyone is a sinner. Your good actions outweigh your bad. This is a place where you review your life and see where you could have gone better, Mitzvahs you could have done, and sins you regret.
What's amazing about our brains is that we already have a punishment inflicted on Earth. It's guilt. When we do something bad, we feel guilty—we always do. Guilt is Hashem's reminder of what we could have done. It's not something that physically hurts us but hurts our soul.
Gehinnom, just like guilt, is also temporary. It lasts around 12 months, and then you go to heaven, where you can finally be reunited with Hashem.
This differs from believing all your actions will bring you to a good or bad place. When you see this, you no longer live your life based on fear but on love. What can I do to make a positive impact on me, someone, and/or Hashem?