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Why does the Third Commandment use "lo sisah" (don't elevate) for oaths, and why is it punished so severely? The analysis reveals that human speech uniquely expresses either our animal needs or our divine soul - the "nishmas chaim" God breathed into us. False or unnecessary oaths misuse our highest spiritual faculty, wasting the sacred power to express our eternal essence.
Rabbi Zweig presents a comprehensive analysis of the Third Commandment, "Lo sisah shem Hashem (ה׳) elokecha lashav" (You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain), addressing several fundamental questions about its placement and severity. He begins by noting that the same word "lashav" is used for both false and unnecessary oaths, questioning why identical terminology describes these different violations. Additionally, he examines why the Torah (תורה) uses "lo sisah" (do not elevate/carry) rather than the more common term for swearing. The core of his analysis centers on why this commandment appears third, seemingly more fundamental than Shabbos (שבת), and why it carries such severe punishment - being the only commandment where God declares "ki lo yenaka" (He will not cleanse). Rabbi Zweig develops a profound understanding based on the verse "Vayipach ba-apav nishmas chaim, vatehi adam lanefesh chaya" - God breathed into man the soul of life, and man became a living soul. The Targum translates this as "leruach memalela" - the spirit that speaks.
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Third Commandment - Lo sisah shem Hashem elokecha lashav
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