mitzvah

Mitzvah is a Hebrew word that primarily means commandment: a divine obligation as laid out in the Torah. In ordinary usage it also denotes a good deed or righteous act performed to fulfill a commandment or to benefit others. The term comes from the root tzavah, “to command,” and is central to Jewish law and ethical life. Traditional Jewish literature speaks of 613 mitzvot enumerated in the Torah and later codified by rabbinic authorities, though the exact counting and categorization vary by tradition.

Mitzvot are broadly divided into positive commandments (mitzvot aseh), which require action, and negative commandments (mitzvot lo ta’aseh), which prohibit certain actions. Many mitzvot are time-bound or location-specific, while others, in rabbinic thought, are universal. Some commandments pertain to ritual obligations in the Land of Israel or the Temple service, while others apply to Jews regardless of place and time, reflecting ongoing ethical and legal concerns. In addition to the strict religious sense, Seven Noahide Laws are often described as the set of universal commandments binding to all humanity.

In daily life, mitzvot guide ritual observance, ethical conduct, and social responsibility. Examples range from honoring parents, charity, and acts of kindness to ritual duties such as observing Shabbat, keeping kosher, or wearing tefillin. The everyday phrase “to do a mitzvah” is commonly used to describe performing a good, morally commendable act, even when it is not legally required.

Overall, mitzvah embodies the fusion of command and conduct at the heart of Jewish practice: obedience to divine instruction and the ethical imperative to improve the world.