When the first of the ten commandments says, “I am the Lord Your God,” the concluding part of that statement reads, “The one who took you out of the land of Egypt.”
Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, author of the Kuzari, explains that this moment defines our relationship with God. Rabbi Dov Linzer writes that we did not come to know God through intellectual, philosophical speculation but through history and direct experience. In other words, history begins with relationship.
Just look into our own lives. It is our experiences and relationships that define who we are. When I enter a shiva home, I always look at the photo displays. The photos tell stories of a lived experience. Ask someone to explain their relationship with God, and they will ultimately tell you about how a moment in their life shaped their knowledge of God. It could be joyous, it could be sorrowful, or it could be just a regular day moment.
When we say these words as we rise to read the Ten Commandments, ask yourself, anochi Adonai eloheicha, I am the Lord Your God…what line will you add this year to make this relationship personal to you?
Each one of us will have a different statement, but the beauty is that we are all under one God.
