Why the Ten Commandments Were Paired Across Two Tablets

Our Rabbis taught: We testify that so-and-so is liable to forty lashes, and they were found to be scheming [conspiring] witnesses. They receive eighty lashes, on account of "You shall not bear false witness" and on account of "You shall do to him as he schemed to do" (Deuteronomy 19:19); these are the words of Rabbi Meir. But the Sages say, they receive only forty. As for the Rabbis, what do they derive from this verse "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"? A warning against scheming witnesses. And Rabbi Meir, from where does he derive the warning against scheming witnesses? He derives it from "And those who remain shall hear and fear" (Deuteronomy 19:20). And the Rabbis? That verse they need for the public proclamation. And Rabbi Meir? The proclamation is derived from "shall hear and fear." How were the Ten Commandments given? Five on one tablet and five on the other tablet. It is written "I am the LORD your God," and opposite it "You shall not murder." Scripture tells you that whoever sheds blood, Scripture reckons it to him as though he diminished the divine likeness. A parable: a king of flesh and blood who entered a province, and they set up busts of him and made images of him and struck coins with his likeness. After a time they overturned his busts, broke his images, and invalidated his coins, and so diminished the likeness of the king. So too whoever sheds blood, Scripture reckons it to him as though he diminished the likeness, as it is said "Whoever sheds the blood of man" and so forth, and it is written "for in the image of God He made man" (Genesis 9:6). It is written "You shall have no other gods," and opposite it "You shall not commit adultery." Scripture tells you that whoever worships idols, Scripture reckons it to him as though he committed adultery against the Omnipresent, as it is said "the adulterous wife" and so forth (Ezekiel 16:32), and "The LORD said to me: Go again, love a woman" and so forth (Hosea 3:1). It is written "You shall not take [the LORD's name in vain]" (verse 7), and opposite it is written "You shall not steal." Scripture tells you that whoever steals will in the end come to swear falsely, as it is said "Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely?" (Jeremiah 7:9), and it says "Swearing and lying and murdering" (Hosea 4:2). It is written "Remember the Sabbath day," and opposite it "You shall not bear false witness." Scripture tells you that whoever profanes the Sabbath testifies before the Holy One, blessed be He, that He did not create His world in six days and did not rest on the seventh day; and whoever keeps the Sabbath testifies before the Omnipresent that He created His world in six days and rested on the seventh, as it is said "You are My witnesses, says the LORD, and I am God" (Isaiah 43:12). It is written "Honor your father" (verse 12), and opposite it is written "You shall not covet." Scripture tells you that whoever covets will in the end beget a son who curses his own father and honors one who is not his father. Therefore the Ten Commandments were given five on this tablet and five on that tablet. [And the Sages say: ten on this tablet and ten on that tablet,] as it is said "These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly" and so forth (Deuteronomy 5:19), and it says "Your two breasts are like two fawns" (Song of Songs 4:5), and it says "His hands are rods of gold" and so forth (Song of Songs 5:14). One verse says "You shall not covet," and another verse says "You shall not desire" (Deuteronomy 5:18). How can these two verses be reconciled? This is a warning even against one who only schemes to follow after the object of his craving.