Much confusion has arisen over the years regarding the nature and purpose of the עשרת הדברים (Asereth HaD’varim, “the Ten Matters”), commonly mistranslated as “the Ten Commandments.” A popular but erroneous belief is that these Ten Matters are divided evenly—five to instruct how we relate to YHWH, and five to guide how we treat our fellow humans. This idea of a “5/5 split” has been adopted by various teachings, including those found in later Greek texts that stand outside the Torah and ultimately diminish the unified covenant relationship YHWH intended. In this article, we will demonstrate that the 5/5 split is a myth and that the עשרת הדברים were given as a single, holistic expression of covenant living—uniting our relationship with YHWH and with one another.
No Evidence of a 5/5 Split in Torah
The Torah itself, in Sh’moth (Exodus) 20, never describes these Ten Matters as divided into two sets of five. Instead, the Torah introduces them with the words:
“And Elohim spoke all these words, saying…”
(Sh’moth 20:1)
This opening declaration confirms that all ten matters were spoken as a single utterance by YHWH directly to the entire nation of Yisrael. The Torah presents them as a single, unified whole—one covenant declaration, not two separate sets.
Ancient Understanding: Ten on Each Tablet
One of the most compelling points refuting the 5/5 theory is the ancient understanding of how the tablets themselves were written. As explained in “The Key to Understanding the Word of Yah,” contrary to the myth of five matters on each stone:
“The Sages say ten on one tablet and ten on the other, that is, that the tablets were duplicates.”
This reflects the pattern of ancient treaties, where each party to the covenant received an identical copy. The Torah’s description of the tablets as “the witnesses” (עדות, eduwth) underscores that they were not separate but were both full copies of the covenant, each containing all ten matters.
The Ten Matters as a Unified Covenant
When we consider the flow and interrelation of the עשרת הדברים, it becomes clear that they do not neatly split into “YHWH matters” and “human matters.” Rather, they are all matters of covenant with YHWH:
✅ The first three matters speak directly to YHWH’s uniqueness, His Name, and His holiness.
✅ The fourth matter (Shabbat) is both a sign of allegiance to YHWH and a gift of rest for every person in the community.
✅ The fifth matter (honor father and mother) bridges reverence for YHWH’s order and respect for human relationships.
✅ Matters six through ten instruct us on how to honor and protect life, marriage, property, and truth—all flowing from the foundational covenant relationship with YHWH.
Every matter ultimately concerns our relationship with YHWH and our community. There is no artificial split—rather, there is one integrated expression of how to live faithfully within YHWH’s covenant.
The 5/5 Split: A Later Construct
The idea of five matters on one tablet and five on the other did not come from the Torah itself. Instead, it was later advanced by figures such as Rabbi Hanina ben Gamaliel and was later reinforced in Greco-Roman texts that sought to categorize life into dualistic compartments. This division never existed in the original covenant revelation.
A Covenant of Unity and Holiness
The Torah itself affirms this holistic approach in how it frames the entire giving of the Ten Matters:
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Only the Ten Matters were spoken by YHWH Himself to all Yisrael (Sh’moth 20).
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Only the Ten Matters were written with the finger of YHWH (Sh’moth 31:18).
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Only the Ten Matters were placed inside the aron kodesh (Sh’moth 40:20).
These points show that YHWH gave them as a single, unbroken covenant to be the foundation of all His instructions. They are not “two sets,” but one voice of YHWH.
Living by the Ten Matters: Returning to Wholeness
When we reject the myth of the 5/5 division, we return to the original intention of the עשרת הדברים: to be the complete covenant by which we walk in unity with YHWH and one another. The Ten Matters reveal that living for YHWH is inseparable from how we treat each other—and how we treat each other is always a reflection of our allegiance to YHWH.
The עשרת הדברים are the words we should recite daily when we lie down and when we rise up, and they should influence everything we think, say, and do.
May we embrace the full unity of the עשרת הדברים, rejecting later distortions and returning to the single, unifying covenant voice of YHWH.