The Ten Commandments

What's the difference between "Lo Tachmod" and "Lo Titaveh"?

Shalom! 

Thank you for your question. 

The last of the Ten Commandments that are in Parshat Yitro is the prohibition of “lo tachmod” – not to covet something that belongs to someone else. The last of the Ten Commandments in Parshat Va’etchanan is the prohibition of “lo titaveh” – not to desire something that belongs to someone else. There are a number of practical differences between and ramifications to the two versions of this commandment. 

According to many authorities, one violates the prohibition of “lo tachmod” when one performs some sort of action in order to obtain the property of another. This includes placing extreme pressure on a person to sell something that he or she doesn’t really want to sell. Indeed, such a “sale” is actually considered to be a form of theft. Furthermore, the seller himself should not go through with such a sale, because by doing so, he is causing the buyer to violate one or more prohibitions of the Torah as a result of this coerced sale! 

On the other hand, one violates the prohibition of “lo titaveh” when one becomes obsessed with desire for an item that one knows one can never acquire. In contrast to “lo tachmod,” no action is needed to violate “lo titaveh.” Even just mentally plotting ways to acquire another person’s item is included in the prohibition. Indeed, some authorities rule that one does not violate the prohibition of “lo titaveh” by merely desiring an item, but rather, only when one actually begins planning how to acquire it. 

Although Le'halcha each case would have to be analyzed when it would be forbidden or not 

 Shemot 20:14; Devarim 5:17; Mechilta, Yitro 8; CM 359:9,10; Rambam, Hilchot Gezeila 1:10; B’tzel Hachochma 3:43.