All Questions
30 questions
2
votes
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44
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How many times was the mitzvah of " עָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ - Make for me a Sanctuary" fulfilled?
In a sefer Haycha Timtzah, which received Haskamos from the likes of HaRav Moshe Feinstein, he asks the following riddle.
Riddle: Where do we find one of the 613 Mitzvos that was fulfilled only 6 ...
- 733
1
vote
1
answer
102
views
Why does Rambam learn the prohibition for adultery from Parashat Acharei Mot and not Yitro?
Yitro contains 16 mitzvos according to Rambam. Most of them are linked to the 10 commandments but notably one commandment is missing: adultery.
Instead he learns this prohibition from Acharei Mot:
...
- 611
4
votes
1
answer
149
views
Milchemes mitzvah in Shoftim according to Rambam
According to the Rambam that you need a Melech for a milchemes mitzvah, how does the Rambam understand all the milchamos in the book of Shoftim?
- 303
5
votes
2
answers
361
views
Is the war to protect the State of Israel from attacks from terrrorists a Milchemes Mitzvah
The Rambam in Melachim 5:1 says that one of the cases of Milchemes Mitzvah is coming to the aid of Jews being attacked by an enemy.
Does that mean that the war in Gaza (declared on 07/10/2023) is a ...
- 6,081
4
votes
0
answers
46
views
Why did the Rambam single out Ribui?
In Sefer HaMitzvos, Shoresh 2, the Rambam says that anything derived using Rabbi Yishmael's 13 principles of derivation, or a Ribui (extraneous wording which tells us to include new laws), does not ...
- 20.2k
3
votes
1
answer
208
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Sefer HaMitzvot and Sefer HaChinuch: Which should I study?
I want to study the 613 Mitzvot, and I was told about both the Sefer HaChinuch and Sefer HaMitzvot and I'm not sure which one to learn from. So, what's the difference? Do they include the exact same ...
- 85
0
votes
0
answers
46
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Rambam's MT chapters without Biblical founding Mitzvhas
IIRC, The 14 books of MT are all based on Rambam's systematization of the 613 Mitzvos. Most chapters start with the list of the founding Mitzvos from which the rest of the Halochos follow. For example,...
- 28k
3
votes
0
answers
112
views
Rambam and Mitzvas Talmud Torah
As opposed to other Codifiers of Halacha (e.g. Shulchan Aruch Harav see Hilchos Talmud Torah 1:1, 2:1 and the Kuntres Acharon there) the Rambam famously doesn't provide the reasons for the Mitzvahs ...
- 686
2
votes
2
answers
170
views
Why does Rambam list mitzvot before listing mitzvot?
In the Rambam's introduction to Mishneh Torah or just thereafter (depending where you consider the introduction to end) he lists his count of the 613 mitzvot twice. First he lists all the positive ...
- 4,019
1
vote
0
answers
72
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What's the practical difference between Mitzva Diorisas that Are listed as one of the 613; And those Not listed as one of the 613? [duplicate]
What's the (general) practical Difference between one of the 613 Mitzvahs ,counted by the Monay Hamotzvos,whether its an Asay or Lo-Tasay and an (Asay or Lo-Tasay) that isn't part of the 613 Mitzvahs?
...
- 487
0
votes
0
answers
37
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A listing according to Rambam's four categories of mitzvos
The Rambam in Shoresh 9 of Sefer HaMitzvos says that there are four categories of mitzvos:
דע שכל צוויי התורה ואזהרותיה הנה הם בארבעה דברים. בדעות ובפעולות ובמדות ובדבור
Deos (Beliefs, Attitudes, ...
- 20.2k
2
votes
3
answers
445
views
Why are "Remember and don't forget Amalek" two separate commandments?
Why did the Rambam list these as two distinct commandments:
P189- Remember what Amalek did to the Israelites. [Deut. 25:17]
N59- Don't forget what Amalek did to the Israelites. [Deut. 25:19]
Aren't ...
- 23.6k
0
votes
1
answer
90
views
The limits of "Do not covet"
The Rambam writes [Hilchot Gezelah v’Avedah 1:9]:
Anyone who covets a male or female servant, or the house or the goods of his neighbor, or anything that he can buy from him, and he exerts friendly ...
- 23.6k
5
votes
1
answer
152
views
What is the mitzvah of tzedakah dependent on?
We learn in the Rambam commentary on Avos (3:19) that it is preferable to give a little bit of tzedakah to many people than a few large amounts to a few people.
When does one fulfil the mitzvah of ...
- 533
7
votes
1
answer
258
views
Contradiction if forbidden relations are logical or beyond human reasoning
The Rambam (Shemoneh Perakim, end of Chapter 6) deals with different types of mitzvos. He says one type are logical, and thus a perfected person shouldn't want to transgress them. He says some call ...
- 20.2k
3
votes
0
answers
75
views
How does Rambam decide what defines a Mitzvah?
Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvos lists 14 rules that guided him in writing his Sefer Hamitzvos. Practically all of them focus on what does not consitute a Mitzvah Deoraytah:
השרש הראשון שאין ראוי למנות בכלל ...
- 28k
2
votes
0
answers
29
views
Counting parts of a Mitzvah as a Mitzvah (Rambam's 12th principle)
Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvos lays [his own] principles of what counts as a Mitzvah and what's not. The 12th principle says that:
שאין ראוי למנות חלקי המלאכה מהמלאכות שבא הצווי בעשייתם כל חלק וחלק בפני ...
- 28k
1
vote
0
answers
31
views
Why did the Rambam leave out Beis Din's obligation to enforce mitzvos
The Gemarra in Kesubos 86a and Chullin 132b teaches the following:
במצות עשה כגון שאומרין לו עשה סוכה ואינו עושה לולב ואינו עושה מכין אותו עד שתצא נפשו
With regard to positive mitzvot, for ...
- 20.2k
8
votes
1
answer
298
views
Rambam and Bahag disagree about the mitzvah of Shema?
The Rambam wrote his Sefer HaMitzvos as a polemic against the Bahag's selection of the 613 mitzvos (as is clear from reading his Shorashim). They have many disagreements, which the Rambam lays out in ...
- 20.2k
4
votes
1
answer
143
views
Why doesn't Rambam mention how many mitzvot are violated by not wearing tzitzit and not having a mezuzah?
In Hilchot Tefillin 4:26 Rambam writes:
וכל שאינו מניח תפילין עובר בשמונה עשה שהרי בארבע פרשיות צוה על תפילין של ראש ועל תפילין של יד
Whoever does not wear tefillin transgresses eight positive ...
- 50.3k
2
votes
0
answers
44
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Why for Rambam learning and teaching Torah are not two different Mitzvos?
Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvos #11 and in Mishne Torah Hil. Talmud Torah rules that studying and teaching Torah are one Mitzvah:
היא שצונו ללמוד תורה וללמדה וזהו הנקרא תלמוד תורה,
והוא אמרו ושננתם ...
- 28k
5
votes
1
answer
406
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What is the order of Mitzvot in Rambam's Sefer Hamitzvot?
What is the order of the positive and the negative Mitzvot in Rambam's Sefer Hamitzvot?
While some are grouped together, are they all ordered by any logic?
- 28k
0
votes
0
answers
54
views
Why does Rambam count learning from Midos in 613 Mitzvos?
This is a follow-up question to "why-one's-daughter-is-not-mentioned-in-arayos-in-the-torah" (please read before continuing).
Both the Gemmorah and Rambam agree that the prohibition of one's ...
- 28k
17
votes
1
answer
636
views
Discrepancy between Sefer HaMitzvos and Sefer Hachinuch
The Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvos, Lo Saaseh 148 writes that a non-Kohen who eats kodshim/holy food breaks a negative mitzvah:
שהזהירנו שלא לאכול זר מבשר קדשי הקדשים. והוא אמרו יתעלה וזר לא יאכל כי קדש ...
- 20.2k
1
vote
4
answers
384
views
Do the Kabbalistic views on Taamei Hamitzvoth contradict Rambam's and Hirsch's?
So according to Rambam and other Rabbis, such as R' Hirsch, the mitzvoth are supposed to give us some ideas, some philosophies, to refine our ethics, or to achieve some practical objective.
What ...
- 599
4
votes
1
answer
149
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Omission from Koteret to Hil. Talmud Torah
The Rambam wrote small introductions to sections of Mishna Torah called a Koteret. In the introduction to Hilchos Talmud Torah he writes:
יש בכללן שתי מצוות עשה--(א) ללמוד תורה; (ב) לכבד מלמדיה ...
- 36k
2
votes
4
answers
237
views
Maimonides' Responsum on Pre-Sinaic Mitzva Observance
The Maimonides Reader (p. 478) quotes Maimonides' responsum to Hasdai Ha-Levi where he states that our forefathers didn't keep the mitzvos at all.
Where else can this responsum be found? (...
- 36k
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Differences between RaMbaM and RaMbaN's mitzvah count
I know both the Rambam and Ramban listed all of the 613 mitzvos, and that they differ in some (I think like 16ish?)
What are the ones upon which they differ? If possible please include why they differ ...
- 20.2k
1
vote
2
answers
4k
views
Why does the Rambam (Maimonides) equate all sex outside marriage as prostitution?
Shalom told me about it in his answer to this question:
What does adultery mean in the 7th commandment?
That Si'naf in 7 commandments means only having sex with someone else' wife. However, judaism ...
- 4,383
3
votes
1
answer
79
views
What is the connection between joy and divine love in Rambam's mitzva #3?
Ramba"m lists love of God as the third positive commandment in his Book of Commandments. It includes the following line, which somehow relates the comprehension of God with joy and the ultimate ...
- 24k