The last of the Ten Commandments is “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female slave, or his ox or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:14). Following this injunction prevents a myriad of sins. For greed and desire are at the root of many interpersonal sins. First, someone wants what his neighbor has and starts trying to figure out underhanded ways to get his hands on it. Then things escalate and he puts his plan into action to acquire what his neighbor has. Sometimes he even descends to force, theft or rape.
“Do not covet” is not just a commandment but good advice for anyone who wants to live a contented life. If we are jealous of friends and desire what they have, we become used to thinking that our happiness depends upon acquiring what we do not have, when in truth our happiness depends upon our ability to be happy with what we do have.
Our Sages state, “Envy, desire, and thirst for honor destroy a person’s world” (Ethics of the Fathers 4:21). These bad traits cause us to be dissatisfied with what we have. No matter what we do to satisfy our yearnings, it will never be enough. We will always want more and more, because our life is hollow and empty of values and meaning. The cure for coveting is faith in God and gratitude for everything good in life. To reinforce our happiness and gratitude, the Sages instituted blessings to be recited before enjoying food and other pleasures. (See 23:1 below.)
