Hamitzvot

HaMitzvot refers to the 613 commandments traditionally identified in the Torah as the core duties of Jewish life. The commandments are divided into positive commandments (mitzvot aseh), which require doing an action, and negative commandments (mitzvot lo taʿaseh), which prohibit certain acts. The term mitzvah literally means commandment, obligation, or a good deed, and HaMitzvot is often treated as the complete body of biblical and rabbinic duties.

The enumeration of 613 mitzvot originates in rabbinic literature, most prominently in Maimonides’ Sefer HaMitzvot (The Book of Commandments). Maimonides lists 613 mitzvot drawn from the Torah and separates them into biblical and rabbinic sources, as well as into positive and negative categories. The Sefer HaChinuch, a medieval work, provides explanations for individual mitzvot and their educational purpose. Different traditional communities may slightly differ in counting, but the general framework remains widely accepted in classical Judaism.

Not all mitzvot apply in every historical or geographic circumstance. Some commands are tied to the Land of Israel, to the Temple, or to specific roles such as priests or kings. Others are time-bound or ritual in nature, while many are ethical and universal in appeal. Rabbinic authorities have elaborated practical details (halacha) through the Oral Torah, enabling observance in the Jewish diaspora when possible. Modern interpretations vary across denominations, but HaMitzvot remains a central concept in Jewish law and ethics.