mitzvahs

Mitzvah, plural mitzvot, is a Hebrew term meaning commandment or obligation. In Jewish law, mitzvot are duties commanded by God that guide moral, ritual, and communal life. In everyday language, the word mitzvah is also used to mean a good deed performed as part of a religious or ethical obligation.

Traditional Jewish sources often enumerate 613 mitzvot, drawn from the Written Torah and explained in the Oral Torah. These are divided into positive commandments (aseh) that instruct action and negative commandments (lo ta’aseh) that prohibit certain acts. Some mitzvot are ritual or ceremonial, while others concern ethical conduct, civil law, or interpersonal relations. Many mitzvot are further categorized as relating to God (bein adam laMakom) or relating to other people (bein adam lechavero). Some apply only in the land of Israel, while others are considered universal.

The legal framework for observing mitzvot is halakha, the body of Jewish law. Key codifications include Maimonides’ Sefer HaMitzvot and Mishneh Torah, as well as the later Shulchan Aruch, though different communities interpret and emphasize mitzvot in varying ways. Orthodox traditions generally regard most biblical and rabbinic mitzvot as binding, while Conservative and Reform groups may adapt or reinterpret their application.

Practically, mitzvot shape daily life through practices such as observing Shabbat, keeping kosher, praying, wearing ritual fringes, affixing mezuzot, and celebrating festivals. They also include ethical commands like charity, honoring parents, truthful business conduct, and helping the vulnerable. In contemporary usage, mitzvah commonly refers to performing a kind deed or obligation for others, reflecting the broader social and ethical dimensions of the concept.