About COMMANDMENT

Hebrew Name

מִצְוָה

English Name

COMMANDMENT

Phonetic Spelling

MITZ-VAH

Succot,(feast,Of,Tabernacles),In,Jerusalem:,Jewish,Man,In,A

What does COMMANDMENT mean?

Mitzvah does not mean “a good deed,” as it is so often understood in popular culture, but rather “commandment.”

וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁמֹ֤עַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ וּלְעׇבְד֔וֹ בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃
If, then, you obey the commandments that I enjoin upon you this day, loving Hashem your God and serving Him with all your heart and soul,
v'-ha-YA im-sha-MO-a tish-m'-U el mitz-VO-tai a-SHER a-NO-khi m'-tza-VEH et-KHEM ha-YOM l'-a-ha-VA et a-do-NAI e-lo-HEI-khem u-l'-ov-DO b'-kol l'-va-v'-KHEM u-v'-kol naf-sh'-KHEM
Deuteronomy 11:13

וְהָיָ֣ה לָכֶם֮ לְצִיצִת֒ וּרְאִיתֶ֣ם אֹת֗וֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תָת֜וּרוּ אַחֲרֵ֤י לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַחֲרֵ֣י עֵֽינֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃
That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of Hashem and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge.
v'-ha-YA la-KHEM l'-tzi-TZIT, u-r'-I-TEM o-TO, u-z'-khar-TEM et-KOL mitz-VOT a-do-NAI, va-a-SEE-TEM o-TAM, v'-LO-ta-TU-ru a-cha-RAY l'-va-V'-KHEM, v'-a-cha-RAY a-YE-nay-KHEM, a-SHER a-TEM zo-NIM a-cha-RAY-hem
Numbers 15:39

Description about COMMANDMENT

Though many are familiar with the word mitzvah, its meaning is generally misunderstood. Mitzvah does not mean “a good deed,” as it is so often understood in popular culture, but rather “commandment.” While all human beings must observe the seven mitzvot that God commanded to Noah, the people of Israel were given 613 commandments as part of their unique mission to bring Godliness into all aspects of our lives, through thought, speech and action. God Himself promises that if the Israelites keep God’s commandments, “I will grant the rain for your land in season” and “I will also provide grass in the fields for your cattle—and thus you shall eat your fill.” (Deuteronomy 11:14-15). The spiritual devotion of the Israelites will bring physical blessing to the world. This appears to contradict the sages’ teaching that the Bible does not tell us the reward for keeping God’s commandments. The Baal Shem Tov explains that the Bible is not telling us the reward for fulfilling God’s commandments, but that nature will naturally bring blessings to the world when the Israelites follow God’s word. The mitzvah of wearing tzitzit, a four-cornered garment with fringes, reminds us of all of the commandments, as it says, “look at it and recall all the commandments of God and observe them” (Numbers 15:39). The numerical value of the Hebrew word tzitzit is 600. The fringes on each corner are doubled over to make 8 strings and those strings are tied into 5 sets of double knots. When we add 600, 8 and 5, we get 613, the total number of commandments in the Bible. By looking at the tzitzit, we recall all 613 of God’s commandments.

Attribute of COMMANDMENT

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