Mitzvah
Mitzvah ( Hebrew : ,; plural means (from , "order"). This is a special case in Judaism to refer to either the requirements contained in the Torah , the rabbinic tradition considers the number to 613 , or the Jewish law itself.
These requirements are primarily (but not only) ethical or moral, the term mitzvah has come to describe an act of human kindness, such as tzedakah , visiting the sick or the burial of an unknown. According to the teachings of Judaism, all moral law is derived or derived from the divine commandments.
The rabbis have often asked the question of whether to seek the purpose of mitzvot, or not. Proponents of the latter attitude say that if the reason for each mitzvah could be determined, people would be tempted to do what they see as the mitzvah, without fulfilling the mitzvah itself.
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See Article 613 mitzvot
According to Rabbi Simla (Talmud Makkot 23b), the Act contains 613 commandments. For some, the figure of 613 comes from an oral tradition, so indisputable, but others think it is just an education without prescriptive , whose real meaning has been lost by precisely those took it literally. Rabbi divided into the Simla
- 365 negative prescriptions, as the number of days in a solar year, and 248 positive prescriptions, as the number of organs in the human body
According to Rabbi Ishmael , only the principal commandments of these 613 were given on Mount Sinai , the others were in the Tent of Meeting.
According to Rabbi Akiva , were all given on Mount Sinai, repeated in the Tent of Meeting, and a third time by Moses before his death.
The Midrash teaches that all God's commandments were given on Mount Sinai, and no prophet could not add or subtract (Midrash Sifra about Leviticus 27:34; Talmud , Yoma 80a).
Many works of rabbinic literature attempting to determine which commandments belong to the 613 commandments. The Sefer Hamitzvot of Maimonides , accompanied by commentary Ramban , is regarded as a reference material, and the Sefer HaHinoukh , attributed to Rabbi Aaron Halevi of Barcelona.
Other subdivisions
mitzvot biblical and rabbinical mitzvot
In biblical mitzvot, referred in the Talmud as deOraita mitzvot it opposes the mitzvot deRabbanan seven rabbinical origin requirements (failure to specify the origin rabbinical allows to "add" prescriptions those of the Torah, as not contravening the prohibition of Deuteronomy to add or subtract from the words of the Act). Although the source is in the Torah, they appear only after exegesis and not scripturally.
Among these mitzvot:
- The blessing, or thanksgiving for every occasion for celebration
- Hand washing before meals
- Lighting the candles of Shabbat
- the ' eruv in order to carry on Shabbat without violating
- The Hallel
- The candles of Hanukkah
- Reading the Book of Esther for Purim
These requirements are considered rabbinic Biblical commandments, in that they must perform before, reciting a prayer appropriate:
- Blessed are You Lord that we mitzvot toward one another and to the Seller
A division equally common, and unanimously recognized that there is:
- Mitzvot toward one another, that is to say driving prescriptions, personal and social ethics and morality. Ex: mitzvot included (sikhliot) and mitzvot are not included (shem'aot)
This is a subdivision common but little in the Middle Ages most commonly used:
- The mitzvot are sikhliot mitzvot whose meaning is "obvious" as the prohibition of theft, murder, ...
- The mitzvot shem'aot are inaccessible to reason, and must be observed because the Children of Israel have heard of God. Among these latter, the laws on ritual purity, the prohibition of wearing sha'atnaz , or can not eat the meat of certain animals.
Academic Considerations
Biblically speaking, six different law codes were given to Moses by HaShem , on Mount Sinai :
- The Decalogue.
- The Code of the Alliance which follows, and provides more detailed laws.
- The Ritual Decalogue , roughly summarizing the previous one, is presented after a short story where the instructions are given to construct the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle.
- The Priestly Code , containing a complete description of the laws concerning rituals and more general situations is given in the Tabernacle, once it and built the ark. This code is extended when situations arise not described previously, forcing Moses to request further information to YHWH.
- The Holiness Code is contained in the Priestly Code, towards the end of it, but it is individualized by the emphasis it puts on things that are holy and should be made to respect, honor and preserve holiness. It also contains the divine warnings about what would happen in case of violation of laws, and promises if the laws are respected.
- The Deuteronomic Code is recalled by Moses in the last speeches before his death, summarizing the above codes and laws, not detailed earlier, which Moses remembers that moment.
Biblical criticism are studied separately, in particular the laws to single occurrence, or which is the first appearance by both atheists , as the apologists. However, most of the mitzvot listed as part of a particular code is often found in the other, in another phrasification, or with other clauses. Moreover, certain themes such as idolatry, sexual conduct, ritual purity, and sacrificial offerings are shared by all codes, so that in theological studies increasingly motivated by the religious aspect, the mitzvot are studied by thematic and not by their location in the Bible.
The Mitzvot and Jewish Law
See article Halakha
In rabbinic thought, the will of God is the source or authority of any duty, religious or moral. In this sense, the mitzvot are the rules of conduct of divine institution.
Consequently, while Judaism considers the violation of the mitzvot as a sin, the Jewish perspective on sin differs from other religions.Rabbinic thought mitzvot usually divided into two main groups:
- Mitzvot Asse ( ) positive prescriptions, or mandatory.
- Mitzvot lo ta'ass ( ), requirements / negative injunctions or prohibitions.
The system describing the practical application of regulations called the Halacha (very roughly,
Halakha is the development of the mitzvot contained in the written law, through discussion and debate in the Oral Law , recorded in the Talmudic literature , especially the Mishnah and the Talmud. Every mitzvah that can not be accomplished by violating another requirement is deemed illegal and meaningless.Halakha dictates everything a Jewish Orthodox fact, sunrise to sunset. It is particularly extensive, including codes of conduct applicable to virtually any situation imaginable, including hypothetical situations.
In general, it is regarded in Judaism as proselytes , during their initiation into Judaism, should be familiar with the commandments of large and small size (Yeb. 47b).
Many laws affect only a particular class of people, like kings , the priests , the Levites , or Nazarites , or only apply to temporary or local circumstances, for example, the agrarian laws, sacrificial Leviticus.
According to the majority of classical rabbis, the commands will still apply to Messianic times. However, a significant minority of rabbis said that most of the commandments are simply nullified in the messianic era, or the messianic themselves. Among them:
- Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as the old days as in former years. (Malachi 3:4)
- Today, we must observe the commandments. (Babylonian Talmud, Avodah Zarah Treaty 3a, 4b).
- Today, we must observe the commandments, because we do not observe in the world to come (Rashi ad loc).
- In the future, every sacrifice, except the offering of thanks, be interrupted. (Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 9:7)
- All sacrifices will be annulled in the future. (19 Tanchumah Emor, Vayikra Rabbah 9:7)
- God will allow what is now forbidden (Midrash Sho'har Tov Mizmor 146:5).
- Most of the mitzvot are no longer in effect. (Babylonian Talmud, Niddah 61b Treaties and Shabbat 151b).
There is no authoritative answer in Judaism as to which mitzvot will be canceled in messianic times, or even if they will be.
Outline of the mitzvot
Masters of Jewish Judaism encourage not to give more importance to certain mitzvot, rather than others, because (as written in Pirkei Avot) reward for each is unknown.
One mitzvah takes precedence, the piqoua'h nefesh (saving life). It is required to break all the mitzvot, even the Sabbath to save or help save a life with three exceptions , where one is obliged to sacrifice his life rather than to achieve- an act of idolatry (death due to refusal to recant is an act of kiddush hashem )
- murder
- prohibited sexual relationships (for example, with a close relative).
Differences between men and women
The Halacha exempts women positive prescriptions determined by time (she Hazman geramman Ass mitzvot), as the sukkah , the shofar or the lulav (Mishnah Kiddushin 1:7; Tosefta Kiddushin 1:10; Babylonian Talmud Kiddushin 34a), but there are exceptions to this rule as the lighting of candles of Shabbat (Brachot 20b), rejoicing at feasts, or the exclusive consumption of matza (Kiddushin 34a)
The meaning of the mitzvot
Many hypotheses have been advanced to elucidate the meaning of mitzvot, especially shem'aot mitzvot, whose meaning eludes the human mind. Moreover, if an explanation is given for some, the simplest general explanation for mitzvot is given by the Torah: Jewish allow to accumulate merit in this world (the world of action) to receive its reward in the future world (the world of the reward).
The Midrash Tanchumah (Shemini, Pisqa ') suggests that they were given to "improve the creatures."
Maimonides concurs, saying that the qualities of the perfect man, and away from idolatry ( Guide for the Perplexed 3:26)The Maharal of Prague suggests that they facilitate the reception of the divine majesty, while Ramhal think they bonifient man.
The Sefer HaHinoukh , which lists the 613 mitzvot tries to make sense of each through the Bible and philosophy.
The Rav Kook explains that search for the meaning of the mitzvot is an important task in the study of Torah , and he himself tried to explain the requirements "mysterious" as shaatnetz or prohibition of mixed milk / meat.Related articles
- Torah
- 613 mitzvot
- Mitzvot derabbanan
- Sefer Hamitzvot & Sefer HaHinoukh
- Shaagas Aryeh
- Positive mitzvot whose duration is limited
Jewish lifeThe Jewish life Laws of the alarm and raise Blessings Ablution Ritual Fringes & phylacteries reading shema & Prayers Torah reading Acts of meals & thanksgiving after meals Laws of modesty Time set ( Sabbath , new moons , Christmas & fasting ) 
Areas of knowledge Codex Alimentarius Laws idolatry Laws on loans Laws of Family Purity Laws of ritual purity Laws vows Respect for parents and teachers The study of Torah Social Law Circumcision laws on the rolls of the Torah & the mezuzah Laws of tithes over the dough & the harvest Excommunication Laws of mourning The stone hello Laws on sexuality , marriage , divorce , the levirate , non-consensual unions & Marital Infidelity Foundations of justice Laws on land ownership , loans, mortgages, debts, theft, inheritance, witnesses, theft, loss & damage See also The 613 commandments Requirements Biblical & Rabbinic Laws & Customs Laws of the Land of Israel
Time measurements , weight and capacity
- Mitzvot toward one another, that is to say driving prescriptions, personal and social ethics and morality. Ex: mitzvot included (sikhliot) and mitzvot are not included (shem'aot)
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