Certainly! The commandment "Do not covet" might seem puzzling because it addresses an inner feeling—desire—rather than an external action. But, in essence, the commandment speaks to the power that our thoughts and emotions have over our actions. Coveting—intense, unchecked desire for what others have—can lead to negative outcomes, both for ourselves and others. For example, jealousy can create resentment, bitterness, and even lead to harmful behaviors like stealing or lying. By addressing the feeling before it can escalate into something harmful, the commandment urges us to cultivate a mindset that steers us away from envy.
It's like if a five-year-old child sees a surgeon performing a complex operation. The child doesn’t feel jealous of the surgeon’s skills because, in their mind, being a surgeon is so far beyond their reality that it doesn’t even occur to them to desire it. They might admire the surgeon, but they don’t covet the role because they intuitively understand, that’s not where I am in life right now. Even if it's something they want to do when they grow up, it's because they're interested, and all they have is respect or fascination.
If we train ourselves to see what others have as simply not part of our reality, the jealousy fades.
Certainly! The commandment "Do not covet" might seem puzzling because it addresses an inner feeling—desire—rather than an external action. But, in essence, the commandment speaks to the power that our thoughts and emotions have over our actions. Coveting—intense, unchecked desire for what others have—can lead to negative outcomes, both for ourselves and others. For example, jealousy can create resentment, bitterness, and even lead to harmful behaviors like stealing or lying. By addressing the feeling before it can escalate into something harmful, the commandment urges us to cultivate a mindset that steers us away from envy.
It's like if a five-year-old child sees a surgeon performing a complex operation. The child doesn’t feel jealous of the surgeon’s skills because, in their mind, being a surgeon is so far beyond their reality that it doesn’t even occur to them to desire it. They might admire the surgeon, but they don’t covet the role because they intuitively understand, that’s not where I am in life right now. Even if it's something they want to do when they grow up, it's because they're interested, and all they have is respect or fascination.
If we train ourselves to see what others have as simply not part of our reality, the jealousy fades.