What is the core prohibition of the 5th Commandment?

• A. Do not kill or harm others + yourself.
• B. Do not steal from stores.
• C. Do not lie to others.
• D. Respect property.

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested is the sanctity of human life and the prohibition against taking life. This commandment is commonly summarized as not killing, which grounds a moral stance that every human life is sacred and should be protected. The reasoning goes beyond merely avoiding murder of others: harming or ending life undermines the divine gift of life and violates the responsibility to respect the dignity of every person. Framing it as not killing or harming others, and extending that to self-harm, captures the broad ethical impulse to safeguard life. The other options point to different moral concerns—stealing, lying, or property rights—so they don’t express the central obligation of this commandment as it is traditionally understood.