613 Mitzvos

ברדסלע''ע You’ve all heard that there are 613 mitzvos. 613 biblical commandments given to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. You’ve all heard it, but haven’t you wondered exactly what they are? And so comes this blog. There is a custom among many to learn Maimonides’ Mishnah Torah every day, and complete it once a year. For those who are not in a place for such a rigorous task (It’s a TON per day), there is also a book from the Rambam called “Sefer HaMitzvos”, which is essentially a list with brief explanations, which is learned alongside with the Mishnah Torah for those who don’t have so much time on their hands. I’ll be delivering to you the daily mitzvah according to the cycle of Sefer Hamitzvos, going alongside those who learn the Mishnah Torah - and once a year, we’ll conclude all 613 Mitzvos. Follow and enjoy, and I’ll do my best to update as often possible. For holidays and Shabbos, I’ll post either before or afterwards, and with G-d’s help, we’ll learn - all together, as one - all 613 mitzvos! -- Arothejew

[rabbiaharon]

Chanukah Mitzvah Tank Second Night

Come and find us at 72nd Street and Broadway in Manhattan! Come and get a donut, or a dreidel! Come and get your candles for all 8 nights, and those of you who need a menorah, come and get it! Come and help us tell the story of Chanukah to the whole world! Come and help us light up the darkness!

@jewish-privilege @returnofthejudai

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I think you've accidentally posted opposed to queued some posts.

Those posts were actually backed up; I was a couple of days behind, so I posted them consecutively.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 2nd of Cheshvan

Positive Commandment 209 Respecting the Sages "You shall stand up before an elderly person and give respect to a sage"—Leviticus 19:32. We are commanded to accord respect to Torah scholars and respectfully rise for them. Although everyone is required to respect sages, even one Torah scholar must respect another of equal stature, this mitzvah is compounded with regards to the respect a student is expected to have for his teacher. A student is required to respect and revere his teacher, he is forbidden to challenge his teachings, and always must give him the benefit of the doubt. Indeed, our Sages tell us, "Your reverence for your teacher must be akin to your reverence for G‑d." ---- To add on to this and clarify the concept of being "forbidden to challenge" your teacher's teachings. Seemingly this is not understood - since you find that even in the mishnah and talmud, students challenged their teachers. But the word "challenge" can mean a few things. It can be in a manner of disrespect - if the student challenges the simple truth of their teacher's teachings, and they are true Torah teachings (there's a saying in talmud "these and these are the words of the living G-d", that many interpretations are accepted, even if only one is the end-accepted opinion, all of them are considered and all must be understood), this can be tremendously disrespectful. However, if the goal of the challenge is to help the student understand - and also to help the teacher bring their own teaching to a higher level of reasoning, challenging is not only allowed, but required as a basic obligation of a student. -- Aharon Ephraim

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 30th of Tishrei

Negative Commandment 256 Mistreating Widows and Orphans

“You shall not afflict any widow or orphan"—Exodus 22:21.

We are forbidden to distress a widow or young orphan. We may not upset these downtrodden individuals through harsh words or actions. Instead we are to interact with them gently and with empathy for their plight. Indeed, the Torah assures us that G‑d listens to the cry of the widow and orphan, and metes out severe punishments to those who torment them.

Negative Commandment 301 Gossiping

"You shall not go around as a tale-bearer among your people"—Leviticus 19:16.

It is forbidden to relay information about one individual to another—even if the information is one hundred percent true, and even if there is nothing objectionable about the actions that you are reporting.

The prohibition is understandably exacerbated if one libels another.

Negative Commandment 304 Revenge

"You shall not take revenge"—Leviticus 19:18.

We are forbidden to avenge one bad deed with another. A typical example of the revenge that the Torah prohibits: David asks Isaac to lend him his scythe, and Isaac refuses. Next day, Isaac needs an axe, and asks David whether he can borrow his. "I will not lend you my axe,” David responds, “just as you didn’t lend me your scythe…”

Negative Commandment 305 Bearing a Grudge

“You shall not bear any grudge"—Leviticus 19:18.

We are not allowed to bear a grudge against another – even if we never act upon the grudge.

For example: David asks Isaac to lend him his scythe, and Isaac refuses. Next day, Isaac needs an axe, and asks David whether he can borrow his. "I will lend you my axe,” David responds, “I am not like you who refused to lend me your scythe…”

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvos Tishrei 29

Positive Commandment 207 Loving a Convert

“Love the convert"—Deuteronomy 10:19.

Although we are commanded to love every Jew – a commandment that certainly includes the convert – the Torah added a special mitzvah to love an individual who has taken the pain and effort to embrace and adopt the true belief.

Negative Commandment 302 Harboring Hate

"You shall not hate your brother in your heart"—Leviticus 19:17.

We are forbidden to harbor hate for a fellow Jew in our heart. Instead, if someone has wronged you, confront him and tell him that you’ve been hurt, and demand an explanation and/or an apology.

Positive Commandment 205 Rebuking

"You shall certainly rebuke your neighbor"—Leviticus 19:17.

We are commanded to verbally rebuke a fellow Jew who has sinned, and to rebuke and attempt to prevent an individual who is about to sin. This commandment applies to everyone, even if the one who has sinned (or is about to sin) is a great individual. To say, "I shall not sin; what another does is G‑d’s concern,” is contrary to the Torah’s viewpoint. And if the first rebuke has not accomplished its goal, we must do so again and again. We must be careful, however, to rebuke in a pleasant manner—not to embarrass our fellow, G‑d forbid.

Included in this commandment is the obligation to rebuke someone who has wronged you, as opposed to silently harboring a grudge against that individual.

Negative Commandment 303 Shaming

“And don’t bear sin because of him"—Leviticus 19:17.

It is forbidden to shame or embarrass one another. We derive this from the verse: "You shall certainly rebuke your neighbor, and don’t bear sin because of him.” Even when we rebuke a fellow for a sin he has done, which itself is a Torah command, we must be careful not to embarrass the individual—lest we “bear sin because of him.”

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 1st of Cheshvan

Positive Commandment 11 Studying and Teaching Torah

“And you shall teach them diligently to your children"—Deuteronomy 6:7.

We are commanded to study and teach Torah to our students, whom the Torah refers to as our "children.” We are instructed to study Torah to the extent that we are proficient in its teachings, and ready to answer without hesitation questions on that which we studied.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah Tishrei 28

Negative Commandment 64 Testing G‑d

“Do not test the L-rd, your G‑d"—Deuteronomy 6:16.

Once a prophet has been established as a true prophet – either through accurately forecasting the future on several occasions, or through the testimony of another established prophet – it is forbidden to further test or doubt his words.

Positive Commandment 8 Emulating G‑d

"And walk in His ways"—Deuteronomy 28:9.

We are commanded to emulate G‑d’s ways. As the Midrash explains, "Just as G‑d is merciful, you should be merciful; just as G‑d is gracious, you should be gracious; G‑d is righteous, you too should be righteous; G‑d is pious, you too should be pious.

Positive Commandment 6 Clinging to the Sages

"And cleave to Him"—Deuteronomy 11:22.

We are instructed to mingle with the sages and interact with then whenever possible: join in their meals, do business with them, etc. This way we will learn from their ways and come to adopt their true beliefs.

The verse tells us to "cleave” to G‑d—but is it possible to cleave to G‑d who is likened to a consuming fire? Rather this means that we must cleave to Torah scholars.

Positive Commandment 206 Loving Our Fellow

“Love your fellow as yourself"—Leviticus 19:18.

We are commanded to love and care for our fellow Jew as we love and care for ourselves. We should treasure our fellow and his possessions as we treasure our own. Whatever I wish for myself, I wish also for my fellow; and whatever I dislike for myself, I should also not want to befall him.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 27th of Tishrei

Negative Commandment 63 Desecrating the Name of G‑d "And you shall not profane My holy name"—Leviticus 22:32. We are commanded not to desecrate G‑d's Name. This mitzvah has three applications: a) Martyrdom: If an oppressive government arises and sets for itself the goal of eradicating Judaism and Torah, we are commanded to sacrifice our lives rather than deviate one iota from Jewish law or custom. And, at any time, we are obligated to allow ourselves to be killed rather than transgress one of the three cardinal sins—idolatry, murder, and certain forbidden sexual relations (such as adultery, incest, and homosexuality). One who allows himself to be martyred under these circumstances has sanctified G‑d's Name. One who transgresses, has desecrated His Name. b) Sins of Spite: One who transgresses G‑d's command not for pleasure or for the sake of perceived benefit, but simply to demonstrate indifference for G‑d's words, has desecrated G‑d's Name, having displayed open disregard for His wishes. c) Behavior Befitting a Torah Scholar: One who is renowned for his piety may not do anything that even smells of impropriety—even if there is no transgression involved. One Talmudic rabbi said that if he were to take meat from the butcher on credit, without paying immediately, that would constitute a desecration of G‑d's Name. When a Torah scholar behaves in exemplary fashion, this causes G‑d's Name to be sanctified—and vice versa. Negative Commandment 65 Destroying a Place of Worship "This you shall not do to the L-rd your G‑d"—Deuteronomy 12:4. We are forbidden from destroying G‑d's houses of worship (i.e. the Holy Temple), or any of its utensils—such as the altar or any part of the sanctuary. This prohibition also includes defacing the books of the Prophets or erasing any written Name of G‑d. Positive Commandment 172 Heeding a Prophet "You shall listen to him"—Deuteronomy 18:15. We are commanded to obey the instructions of a prophet. This as long as he doesn't instruct to permanently abolish any mitzvah. But we are commanded to listen to a prophet if he tells us to temporarily suspend the observance of a biblical precept.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 26th of Tishrei

Positive Commandment 3 Loving G-d "And you shall love the L-rd, your G-d"—Deuteronomy 6:5. We are commanded to love G-d. We foster a love for G-d by studying and contemplating His Torah, His commandments, and His awesome deeds. Through studying and meditating about G-d we come to have somewhat of an understanding of His greatness—which automatically spawns a deep love for Him. This mitzvah also includes sharing our knowledge of G-d with others, and calling upon our fellows to serve Him. After all, if we love G-d, we’d surely sing His praises before all who are ready to hear. Positive Commandment 4 Fearing G-d "You shall fear the L-rd, your G-d"—Deuteronomy 6:13. We are commanded to fear G-d; never to be complacent, and to always bear in mind that transgressing His will leads to divine retribution. This is also why we never say G-d's Name in vain – not in the context of a prayer or blessing – for this diminishes the fear and reverence we are commanded to harbor for Him. Positive Commandment 9 Sanctifying G-d's Name "And I will be sanctified among the Children of Israel"—Leviticus 22:32. We are commanded to sanctify G-d's holy Name by publicly proclaiming our faith and religion. In the event that a tyrant attempts to coerce us to renounce our belief in G-d, we are commanded to refuse to comply—even if the tyrant threatens to kill us. We may not even verbally deny our belief in G-d, though in our hearts we remain true to Him.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 25th of Tishrei

Positive Commandment 1 Belief in G-d "I am the L-rd, your G-d" —Exodus 20:2. The very first mitzvah is to believe in G-d--a primal entity that is the cause and origin of all that exists. Negative Commandment 1 Idol Worship "You shall have no other gods besides Me" —Exodus 20:3. The very first prohibition is against ascribing G-dly powers to any entity other than G-d. Positive Commandment 2 G-d’s Unity "Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One" —Deuteronomy 6:4. We are commanded to believe and acknowledge that the One who provides existence to all of creation is one.

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Daily Mitzvah 25th of Tishrei

Principle 10 Do not count a preparatory act as an independent mitzvah. E.g., "You shall take fine flour and bake it [into] twelve loaves" (Leviticus 24:5). This is not an independent mitzvah, but a necessary prerequisite to the mitzvah of placing Showbreads on the Table in the Temple's sanctuary. Similarly, "Command the children of Israel, and they shall take to you pure olive oil" (ibid. 27:2) is not counted as one of the 613 mitzvot, rather it is a preamble to the mitzvah of kindling the Temple Menorah daily. Principle 11 If a mitzvah is comprised of a number of elements, do not count them separately. E.g. "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day [of Sukkot], the fruit of a beautiful tree, date palm fronds, a branch of a braided tree, and willows of the brook" (ibid. 23:40). All these individual elements come together to create a single mitzvah—the mitzvah of taking the Four Species. As such, they are collectively counted as only one mitzvah. Principle 12 When commanded to do a certain action, do not count each part of the action separately. E.g. "They shall make Me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8). There's a general mitzvah to construct a sanctuary for G‑d. For this purpose, it is necessary to construct an Ark, a Menorah, altars, etc.—but these are all details of the overarching mitzvah of creating a sanctuary for G‑d. Principle 13 We do not count the amount of days a mitzvah is preformed. E.g. we are commanded to dwell in a sukkah during the seven days of the holiday of Sukkot—yet this is one mitzvah. We are commanded to bring a special offering in the Temple on Rosh Chodesh—yet this is one mitzvah, not twelve. We are commanded to make pilgrimage to the Temple thrice yearly—but this is one mitzvah, the mitzvah of pilgrimage. Principle 14 We do not count the punishment administered for each transgression. The Torah specifies many forms of punishments that the courts administer: Four types of capital punishment, corporal punishment, financial remuneration, sacrificial penalties, etc. While each form of punishment constitutes an independent mitzvah, we do not count the penalty for a particular transgression as part of the 613. For example, there are many different transgressions that mandate the bringing of a sin-offering. Yet, the bringing of a sin-offering is counted as only one mitzvah.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 23rd of Tishrei

Principle 4 We do not include "encompassing" directives in the count. E.g. "And keep My covenant" (Exodus 12:5), or "Concerning all that I have said to you, you shall beware..." (ibid. 22:30), or "And you shall be a holy people to Me" (ibid. 23:23). Verses that don't instruct us regarding a specific action, but regarding the imperative to observe all of the Torah's commandments, are not included in the 613. Principle 5 The reason for a mitzvah is not counted on its own. At times, the Torah tells us the reason for a command in language that could be understood as an independent precept—when in fact it is simply the rationale behind the words that precede it. For example, "He shall not leave the Sanctuary, and he shall not desecrate the holy things of his G‑d" (Leviticus 21:12). Not desecrating the holy is not a commandment on its own, rather it is the reason why the Kohen may not leave the sanctuary. Or, "Her first husband, who had sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife...and you shall not bring sin to the land" (Deuteronomy 24:4). Here, too, "bringing sin to the land" is not an independent prohibition, but the reason why one may not remarry his divorced wife if she has remarried in the interim. Principle 6 A mitzvah that has both negative and positive components is counted as two—one Positive Commandment and one Negative Commandment. E.g. we are commanded to rest on Shabbat and desist from work on the Shabbat. We are commanded to "afflict" ourselves on Yom Kippur and we are commanded not to eat on this holy day. Though a transgression of one is also a transgression of the other – if you eat on Yom Kippur you have not afflicted yourself; if you work on Shabbat you have not rested – nevertheless these are considered two independent mitzvot. Principle 7 The different applications of a mitzvah are not individually counted. E.g. one who inadvertently defiles the Temple or holy foods is required to bring a sin offering (Leviticus 5). If his financial situation allows, he is to bring a sheep or she-goat; otherwise he brings two birds; and if he is completely impoverished, he brings a flour offering. All this, however, is counted as one mitzvah—the mitzvah of bringing a sin offering when this particular offense is committed—although the execution of the mitzvah varies depending on the situation. Principle 8 Do not count a negative statement amongst the prohibitions. The Hebrew word "lo" can mean both "do not" and "shall not"; and only the "do not"s are counted as prohibitions. The only way to discern between the two is by studying the context of the word. Examples: "She shall not go free as the slaves go free" (Exodus 21:7). This verse should not be construed as a prohibition, it is simply telling us that the circumstances that mandate the emancipation of a Canaanite slave do not apply to a Hebrew maidservant. Certainly, however, if the owner wishes to free her, he may do so. Or, "So he shall not to be like Korach and his company" (Numbers 17:5). This is not a prohibition, rather a warning that anyone who dares contest the priesthood of Aaron's descendents will meet the same fate as Korach and his cohorts. Principle 9 Do not count the number of times a commandment is mentioned in the Torah, only the act which is prohibited or commanded. Certain commandments are repeated in the Torah numerous times. For example, the commandment to rest on Shabbat is mentioned twelve times and the prohibition against consuming blood is repeated no less than seven times. Nevertheless, when counting the 613 mitzvot, we only count a prohibited or prescribed act once. (The exception to this rule is those instances where the Sages have deduced that the repetition of a particular commandment is intended to prohibit or instruct us regarding a different act. In such a case, the [seemingly] repetitive verse is counted as a separate mitzvah—for it is in fact instructing us regarding something different than the first verse.) It should be noted that though we count the prohibited acts, and not the amount of times mentioned, we only count prohibited acts individually specified in the Torah. At times, the Torah will issue a prohibition employing general terminology, for this prohibition includes multiple acts. For example, "You shall not eat over the blood" (Leviticus 19:26). This prohibition teaches us not to eat sacrificial flesh before the blood is sprinkled on the altar, not to eat from any animal before its soul (contained in its blood) has fully departed, that the members of a court may not eat on the day that they implement a capital verdict, and more. Though all these are biblically forbidden, none are counted as part of the 613—as none of them are mentioned specifically in the Torah.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 22nd of Tishrei

Principle 1 Do not count Rabbinic Commandments in this list. E.g. lighting Chanukah candles or reciting the Hallel. Indeed, this seems obvious, for the Talmud says that 613 mitzvot "were given to Moses at Sinai," and rabbinic mitzvot were not instituted until later dates. But in truth, we follow rabbinic rulings because of a biblical mandate: "You shall not divert from the word they tell you, either right or left" (Deuteronomy17:11); and as such, before performing a rabbinic mitzvah, we say a blessing in which we thank G‑d for "sanctifying us with His commandments and commanding us to..." Nevertheless, the individual rabbinic precepts are not counted as part of the 613 (and, are considered "rabbinic," a classification that has certain halachic implications). Principle 2 Do not include laws which are derived from one of the Thirteen Principles of Torah Exegesis. Every word and letter in the Torah is exact, and the Sages extrapolated many laws from an extra (or missing) word or letter, or a particular sequence which the Torah chooses to use (click here for more on this topic). Nevertheless, unless the Sages explicitly say that a particular law that they derived is categorized as biblical, it is not counted as part of the 613. An example of this is the obligation to accord honor to parents-in-law, a precept derived from an extra word ("et") in a verse. Though the Torah alludes to the concept, it is not considered a biblical command. Principle 3 Do not count mitzvot which are not binding on all generations. E.g. the laws regarding the disassembly of the Tabernacle, or the prohibition against waging war on Amon and Moab, which only applied to the Israelites in the desert.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah Tishrei 21

Maimonides' Introduction to Sefer Hamitzvot In Maimonides' introduction to the Sefer Hamitzvot ("The Book of Commandments"), he states the goal he set to accomplish with authoring this work. The Talmud (end of Tractate Makkot) tells us that there are 613 biblical precepts—248 of which are "positive commandments," i.e., mitzvot that require an action on our part, and 365 "negative commandments," i.e., prohibitions. The 248 positive commandments correspond to the 248 limbs in the human body, each limb, as it were, demanding the observance of one commandment. The 365 negative commandments correspond to the 365 days of the solar year, each day enjoining us not to transgress a certain prohibition. While the Talmud gives us these precise numbers, it does not list the 248 positive commandments or the 365 negative ones. Thus, numerous "mitzvah counters" have arisen throughout the generations – many who preceded Maimonides – each one attempting to provide a comprehensive listing of the mitzvot, each one's list differing slightly from all others'. Maimonides prefaces his Sefer Hamitzvot with fourteen guiding principles that allow us to determine which Torah precepts are included in the count, and which are not. He then references these principles throughout the work, and thus arrives at precisely 248 positive commandments and 365 negative ones. Maimonides explains in his introduction that the objective of the Sefer Hamitzvot is not to explain or elaborate upon the commandments. In an instance where he does speak about the details of a particular mitzvah, the intention is simply to identify which mitzvah he is referring to. The only goal of this work is to enumerate the biblical commandments and to provide explanation as to why certain precepts are counted while others are not. The following are the fourteen principles (they will be explained at length in the following chapter): Do not count Rabbinic Commandments in this list. Do not include laws which are derived from one of the Thirteen Principles of Torah Exegesis. Do not count mitzvot which are not binding on all generations. We do not include "encompassing" directives in the count. The reason for a mitzvah is not counted on its own. A mitzvah that has both negative and positive components is counted as two. The different applications of a mitzvah are not individually counted. Do not count a negative statement amongst the prohibitions. Do not count the number of times a commandment is mentioned in the Torah, only the act which is prohibited or commanded. Do not count a preparatory act as an independent mitzvah. If a mitzvah is comprised of a number of elements, do not count them separately. When commanded to do a certain action, do not count each part of the action separately. We do not count the amount of days a mitzvah is performed. We do not count the punishment administered for each transgression.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 13th of Tishrei

Positive Commandment 179 Examining the Witnesses "You shall inquire, search, and ask diligently"—Deuteronomy 13:15. Judges are commanded to deliberately, thoroughly and painstakingly cross-examine witnesses, and only then to issue a verdict and punish.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 11th and 12th of Tishrei

Negative Commandment 318 Cursing a Parent It is forbidden to curse a parent, even posthumously. Negative Commandment 319 Hitting a Parent It is forbidden to hit a parent. Positive Commandment 210 Honoring Parents "Honor your father and your mother"—Exodus 20:12. We are commanded to honor our parents. This mitzvah includes serving them food and drink, and helping them dress and go. Positive Commandment 211 Revering Parents "Every man shall revere his mother and father"—Leviticus 19:3. We are commanded to revere our parents; our consideration of them should be as we consider an individual whom we fear, who is able to administer punishment, such as a king. This mitzvah includes not sitting in a place reserved for them, not voicing an opinion in their presence, and not contradicting them. Negative Commandment 195 Gluttonous Eating and Drinking "You shall not eat over the blood"—Leviticus 19:26. A youth is forbidden to eat and drink in a gluttonous fashion, according to the specific [extreme] conditions that define a "rebellious son." (A rebellious son is put to death. As such, the Sages interpret the afore-cited verse to mean: "Do not eat [in such a manner that will cause] blood [i.e., death].") Positive Commandment 37 A Priest's Attendance at a Next of Kin's Funeral "For [his sister], he must become impure"—Leviticus 21:3. Priests are commanded to become ritually impure [by attending the funerals of] their next of kin. Since the Torah normally forbids priests from becoming impure through contact with a corpse, one might think that the allowance for them to attend the funeral of a relative is simply to provide them with that option, but is not compulsory. Therefore the Torah clarifies that it is mandatory. As the Talmud related that Yosef the Priest's wife died on the eve of Passover and he didn't want to become impure by attending her funeral [so that he should be able to sacrifice and eat from the Paschal Offering], so the Sages "pushed" him and forced him become impure. Included in this mitzvah is the general obligation that everyone – priests and Israelites alike – mourn the deaths of their next of kin. (And it is because of the priest's obligation to mourn that the Torah obligates him to attend the funeral and show his respects.) According to Torah law, the mourning period is one day [following the burial]; the Sages extended this to a seven-day period of mourning.

[613mitzvos]

Daily Mitzvah 11th of Tishrei

Negative Commandment 318 Cursing a Parent

It is forbidden to curse a parent, even posthumously.

There are many requirements within the mitzvah of k’vod av v’em (honoring your mother and father) these include hundreds - perhaps thousands - of specific details in our daily behavior towards our parents. A person must always remember that our parents partnered with G-d to bring us into the world, to give us a chance to perform mitzvos, and to make a difference. For that alone - even if it weren’t for all the other things they have done for us - they deserve a deep respect.