Mitzvah #138 - Eating non-Kosher animals

One who eats meat or milk from an animal that does not have split hooves or does not chew its cud deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

Mother's milk is Kosher, however nursing is forbidden for anybody over the age of 5.

Honey is Kosher.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "These are the animals you may eat..." (Vayikra 11:4)

Human flesh is also forbidden, but not from this verse.

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 93

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 15 Iyar 5770 - 30th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #137 - Don't eat meat with milk

One may not eat meat and milk that were cooked together.

One who eats either the meat or the milk deserves 39 lashes in Bet Din.

By Rabbinic decree, meat and milk that were mixed together but not cooked are also forbidden to be eaten, but one may derive benefit from the mixture.

By Rabbinic decree poultry is considered to be meat and may not be eaten with milk.

Kosher grasshoppers, eggs and fish may be cooked and eaten with milk.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Do not cook a kid in it's mother's milk" (Shmot 34:26)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 92

- Danny
Wednesday, 14 Iyar 5770 - 29th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #136 - Yibum, the levirate marriage

It's a Mitzva to marry one's deceased brother's wife, if he died without leaving behind offspring. This is called "Yibum".

(Since nowadays one cannot be sure that the intention of the marriage is only for the purpose of fulfilling the Mitzva, Chalitza is always performed instead.)

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere

Verse: "When 2 brothers live at the same time and one of them dies... the brother of the deceased shall marry her" (Devarim 25:5)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 45

- Danny
Tuesday, 13 Iyar 5770 - 28th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #135 - Cooking meat with milk

One may not cook meat with milk - even of one does not intend to eat the mixture.

One who cooks an olive-size of meat and milk together deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

One may not use the mixture resulting from meat cooked with milk - even to feed one's animals.

Applies to meat from Kosher animals with milk from Kosher animals.

One may cook and use Kosher milk with meat from non-Kosher animals, or Kosher meat with milk from non-Kosher animals; though one may not eat the mixture (obviously).

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere

Verse: "Do not cook a kid in its mother's milk" (Shmot 23:19)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 91

- Danny
Monday, 12 Iyar 5770 - 27th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #134 - Don't eat limbs from a live animal

One may not eat any part of an animal that was cut off before the animal was slaughtered.

One who eats such, deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Don't eat the soul and the meat" (Devarim 12:23)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 90

- Danny
Sunday, 11 Iyar 5770 - 26th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #133 - Marriage the Jewish way

The Mitzva of marriage consists of a two-step process:

First the man has to give a woman something of value in front of 2 Kosher witnesses - this is called Kidushin and requires a Bracha beforehand.

He then has to write her a Ketuba and seclude himself with her, after which he says the 7 blessings (Sheva Brachot) - this is called Nisu'im.

They are now considered husband and wife.

To get divorced, a special document has to be given from him to her - this is called a Get.

One who has not studied the intricacies of the laws of marriage and divorce is not allowed to officiate at weddings or divorce proceedings.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "When a man marries a woman... if he doesn't like her... he should write her a book of detachment" (Devarim 24:1)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 44

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 8 Iyar 5770 23rd day of the Omer

Mitzvah #132 - Don't eat blood

There's a Mitzva to not eat the blood of any animal or bird.

One who eats blood on purpose deserves Karet. One who eats blood by mistake will need to bring a Korban-Chatat (sin offering) as soon as the Bet Hamikdash is rebuilt.

Human blood is forbidden by Rabbinic decree, once it has separated from the body.

Blood from kosher fish and kosher grasshoppers is permitted.

Applies to everywhere, everybody, always

Verse: "Don't eat any blood... from fowl and animals" (Vayikra 7:26)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 89

- Danny
Wednesday, 7 Iyar 5770 22nd day of the Omer

Mitzvah #131 - Getting married

It's a Mitzva for men to get married and have children.

The obligation begins when he turns 18 unless he prefers to spend all his time learning Torah, in which case he can delay getting married until his 25th birthday.

Applies to men, everywhere, always

Verse: "And He said to them:be fruitful and multiply" (Breishith 1:28)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 43

- Danny
Monday, 5 Iyar 5770 20th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #130 - Not to eat certain animal fats

Certain animal fats - like the fat around the intestines and kidneys - are sacrificed on the altar.

These fats are forbidden to be eaten from those types of animals which are sacrificed; cattle, sheep and goats.

All the fats from non-domestic Kosher animals - like deer - may be eaten.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere

Verse: "Do not eat the Cheilev-fat of the ox, sheep or goat" (Vayikra 7:23)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 88

Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 2nd day Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5770, 16th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #129 - Eating animals that were wounded

Any animal or fowl that is considered Taref - torn - may not be eaten, even if it was slaughtered properly. This includes:

• Animals with wounds that would prevent them from living another 12 months
• Animals with punctured internal organs
• Animals with missing vital organs
• Animals which fell and can no longer walk
• Animals with certain limbs broken 

One who eats a Treifa - animal or fowl - deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "And torn meat in the field do not eat" (Shemot 22:30)

 

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 87

 

Chodesh Tov

 

- Danny
Wednesday, 1st Day Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5770, 15th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #128 - Fearing parents

One should fear one's parents. This includes:

• Not standing or sitting on their designated places
• Not contradicting them
• Not addressing them by name

A parent may give permission to their child to do any of the above, if they so wish.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "A person should fear his mother and father" (Vayikra 19:3)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 42

- Danny
Tuesday, 29 Nissan 5770, 14th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #127 - Eating animals that died

A Neveila is an animal that died a natural death or was slaughtered incorrectly - and may not be eaten.

One who eats a Neveila - animal or fowl - deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

A stillborn is considered to be a Neveila.

One may not eat a newborn animal until it is 8 days old unless one is sure it was born after a full term pregnancy.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Do not eat any Neveila" (Devarim 14:21)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 86

- Danny
Monday, 28 Nissan 5770, 13th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #126 - Encroachment

One who moves his boundary fence and encroaches on his neighbor's property in the land of Israel, has transgressed this Mitzva.

This is besides for the sin of stealing, of which one would be guilty worldwide.

Applies to everybody, always, in Israel

Verse: "Do not encroach onto your neighbors's property" (Devarim 19:14)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 85

- Danny
Sunday, 27 Nissan 5770, 12th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #125 - Honoring parents

Honoring parents includes providing them with food and drinks, clothing and warm covers.

A child should serve his parents like a slave would serve his master.

One should not obey ones parents if they request one to transgress a Mitzvah or Halacha.

A father's honor takes precedence over the mother's honor, when there's a conflict.

A wife is exempt from this Mitzva if her husband prevents her from doing it.

One who doesn't take their parent's honor seriously has transgressed this Mitzva, unless the parents willingly allowed him to behave so.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Honor your father and mother" (Shmot 20:12 - 5th of the 10 commandments)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 41

Shabbat Shalom uMevorach

- Danny
Thursday, 24 Nissan 5770, 9th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #124 - Owning inaccurate weights or measures

One is not allowed to have in one's possession scales or rulers or any other item for weighing, measuring or counting that is in accurate.


This is true even of one does not use the inaccurate item for it's designated purpose, but keeps it as a paperweight or a souvenir.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "You should not have in your pocket an inaccurate weight..." (Devarim 25:13)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 84

- Danny
Wednesday, 23 Nissan 5770, 8th day of the Omer