You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
MYSTERIES OF THE TALLIT, THE TZITZIT AND THE TEKHLET<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
605. Prepare latrines outside <strong>the</strong> camps Deut. 23:13<br />
606. Prepare a shovel for each soldier to dig with Deut. 23:14<br />
607. Appoint a priest to speak with <strong>the</strong> soldiers during <strong>the</strong> war Deut. 20:2<br />
608. He who has taken a wife, built a new home, or planted a vineyard is<br />
given a year to rejoice with his possessions Deut. 24:5<br />
609. Not to dem<strong>and</strong> from <strong>the</strong> above any involvement, communal or military<br />
Deut. 24:5<br />
610. Not to panic <strong>and</strong> retreat during battle Deut. 20:3<br />
611. Keep <strong>the</strong> laws <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> captive woman Deut. 21:11<br />
612. Not to sell her into slavery Deut. 21:14<br />
613. Not to retain her for servitude after having sexual relations with her<br />
Deut. 21:14<br />
Here are some o<strong>the</strong>r attempts to count <strong>the</strong> comm<strong>and</strong>ments<br />
• Sefer ha-Mitzvoth ("Book <strong>of</strong> Comm<strong>and</strong>ments") by Rabbi Saadia Gaon<br />
• Sefer ha-Chinnuch ("Book <strong>of</strong> Education"), attributed to Rabbi Aaron ha-Levi<br />
<strong>of</strong> Barcelona (<strong>the</strong> Ra'ah);<br />
• Sefer ha-Mitzvoth ha-Gadol ("Large book <strong>of</strong> Comm<strong>and</strong>ments") by Rabbi<br />
Moses ben Jacob <strong>of</strong> Coucy;<br />
• Sefer ha-Mitzvoth ha-Katan ("Small book <strong>of</strong> Comm<strong>and</strong>ments") by Rabbi<br />
Isaac <strong>of</strong> Corbeil;<br />
• Sefer Yere'im ("Book <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> [God-]fearing") by Rabbi Eliezer <strong>of</strong> Metz<br />
• Sefer ha-Mitzvoth by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (<strong>the</strong> "Chafetz Chaim") - this<br />
work only deals with <strong>the</strong> comm<strong>and</strong>ments that are valid in <strong>the</strong> present time.<br />
In Torah Min Hashamayim ("Heavenly Torah"), Conservative Judaism's Rabbi<br />
Abraham Joshua Heschel writes:<br />
“Judah ibn Bal'am denigrates those who number <strong>the</strong> mitzvot, <strong>and</strong> who attempt "to<br />
force <strong>the</strong>ir count to equal 613." In his opinion, this is impossible, for if we were to<br />
count all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mitzvot, including those that were temporary comm<strong>and</strong>ments <strong>and</strong><br />
those that were intended to endure, <strong>the</strong> number would be far greater than 613. "And<br />
if we confined ourselves only to those that endure, we would find fewer than this<br />
number." (Behinat Hamitzvot Rabbi Yehiel Mikhel Gutmann, Breslau, 1928, p.26)<br />
118
Change language