There is a major debate amongst the Rishonim and Achronim if one should stand for the reading of Aseres Hadibros or not. In fact, the discussion begins even earlier in Shulchan Aruch siman 1:5 regarding the reading of Aseres Hadibros in shul publicly, and even individually. Rav Elyashiv z”l felt very strongly that standing for Aseres Hadibros reading is wrong, and therefore, even if everyone is standing, one can sit. Rav Shlomo Zalman z”l felt the opposite, that even the Rambam, who was very against standing, would agree today that it's not a problem, since it’s clear that one is simply reminding himself of the great experience of Matan Torah. It’s clear that contemplating the event of Matan Torah, and specifically focusing on Aseres Hadibros, is very important. This needs explanation.
The Gemara in Maseches Baba Kama 54b has a very interesting discussion about the differences between the Aseres Hadibros (the Ten Commandments or statements) mentioned in Parshas Yisro, which is my bar mitzva parsha, versus the Aseres Hadibros which are repeated again in Parshas Vaeschanan.
The Gemara relates a conversation that took place between Rav Chanina ben Agil and Rav Chiya bar Abba. Rav Chanina asked Rav Chiya why is it that the first set of dibros it doesn’t say tov – good and in the second set it does. Rashi explains that tov is referring here to the words in the pasuk למען ייטב לך – so that it should be good for you. The response of Rav Chiya was “Instead of asking why it doesn’t say it in the first dibros, ask me if it even says it at all.” After Rav Chiya’s quite humble response (many mefarshim – see the Ben Ish Chai – express their shock at the simple reading of the Gemara; how is it possible that a great Amora like Rav Chiya didn’t remember a pasuk in Aseres Hadibros?) he suggests that Rav Chanina go to Rav Tanchum who was by Rav Yehoshua ben Levi, who was an expert on aggadic passages. When Rav Chanina went to Rav Tanchum, Rav Tanchum told him that he did not hear anything on the subject from Rav Yehoshua ben Levi, but he did hear something from Rav Shmuel bar Nachum, who explained that since the first set of tablets was destined to be broken it would chas veshalom imply that “good” will stop from the Jewish people, therefore the word good was omitted in the first dibros.
This passage of Gemara seems to be a peleh – a true wonder. It must be that the word tov is integral to the giving of the Torah and therefore worthy of such in-depth research and discussion.
I humbly want to suggest the following explanation (this by Rabbi Daniel Coren
