Mitzvah #271 - Never forget Amalek's evil deeds

We are commanded to never forget the evil that Amalek did for us when he ambushed us on our journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.

The Mitzva is to never forget our hatred and animosity towards them.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Remember what Amalek did to you... don't forget" (Devarim 25: 17-19)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 194

This ends the

 77 positive and 194 negative

Torah commandments

that are applicable nowadays.

- Danny
Wednesday, 8 Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #270 - Ascending the Temple Mount

Anybody who is Tameh (spiritually impure) is not allowed to go into the "Levite Camp" - which is the Har HaBayit; where the Bet HaMikdash stood.

Since nowadays we are all Tameh, (for example, having been under the same roof as a corpse,) and we cannot become ritually pure since we don't have the Para Aduma (Red Heifer) ashes, therefore this restriction applies to all of us.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "...who is impure, shall not come into the camp" (Devarim 23:11)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 193

- Danny
Tuesday, 7 Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #269 - Leaving Israel

It's forbidden to live in Egypt; however one may go there temporarily for business.

It's forbidden to leave the Land of Israel ever, except to learn Torah, or to get married, or to escape from enemies or to do business.

To leave Eretz Yisrael to settle permanently in the Diaspora is forbidden - unless there's a serious famine in the land.

Whoever lives in Eretz Yisrael - his sins are forgiven. Even walking 4 cubits in Eretz Yisrael is a Mitzva.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "You shall not go back on that way again" (Devarim 17:16)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 192

- Danny
Monday, 6 Kislev 5771

--> Rare and hard to find sefarim about Eretz Yisrael available on VirtualGeula <--

Mitzvah #268 - Save the trees

It is forbidden to destroy fruit trees - and one who does so deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

If a fruit tree is causing damage to other trees or nearby fields, it may be chopped down.

Non-fruit bearing trees, and fruit trees that no longer produce a significant amount of fruit can be chopped down without any special reason.

By Rabbinical decree it's forbidden to needlessly destroy any item, including vessels, clothes, buildings and food.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "when you besiege a city... do not destroy its trees" (Devarim 20:12)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 191

- Danny
Sunday, 5 Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #267 - Keep your house safe

It is forbidden to have anything dangerous in one's house, like an unsafe fence (or no fence) around one's roof or pool, or owning dangerous dogs.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "..do not put dangerous objects in your house" (Devarim 22:8)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 190

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 4 Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #266 - Hunting birds

If one finds a bird roosting on her eggs or hatchlings, it is forbidden to capture her.

(Compare to Mitzva 232 - http://mitzvoh.blogspot.com/2010/09/mitzvah-232-free-eggs.html)

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "...do not take the mother when she is roosting on the eggs" (Devarim 22:6)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 189

- Danny
Wednesday, 3 Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #265 - Let the animals eat while they work

It is forbidden to prevent an animal from eating while it works - especially from the produce it is working with.

One may not muzzle the animal even before starting to work. One may not even yell at it to prevent it from eating.

This is true even if the animal belongs to a non-Jew.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not muzzle an ox while it's threshing" (Devarim 25:4)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 188

- Danny
Tuesday, 2 Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #264 - Feeding others while you work

When allowed to eat during the final harvesting stages, a worker may not pick up (with the intention of eating) more than one mouthful at a time.


He may also not pick up anything and give it to others to eat.


Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.


Verse: "...and into your vessels do not put any" (Devarim 23:25)


Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 187

Chodesh Tov

- Danny

Monday, 2nd day Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #263 - Eating while you work

A worker may not eat from the food he is working with, except in a field during the final stages of harvesting. While reaping he may not yet eat from the crop.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "...do not lift a sickle onto your neighbors's crop" (Devarim 23:26)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 186

Chodesh Tov

- Danny
Sunday, 30 Marcheshvan - 1st day Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #262 - Don't delay; keep your promise

It's forbidden to delay the fulfillment of a promise.

One does not transgress "delaying" until all 3 festivals (Pessach, Shavuoth and Succoth) has gone by.

However, when pledging to give Tzedaka, one transgresses "delaying" as soon as one meets someone who deserves to get the charity, or a representative of the institution one pledged the money to.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "When you promise... do not delay its fulfillment" (Devarim 23:22)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 185

Shabbat Shalom uMevorah

- Danny
Thursday, 27 Marcheshvan 5771

Mitzvah #261 - Keep your promises

It is forbidden to break a promise; if you promise something you have to keep to it.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "One who makes a promise... should not break his promise" (Bemidbar 30:3)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 184

- Danny
Wednesday, 26 Marcheshvan 5771

Mitzvah #260 - Ignoring animals in distress

If one sees an animal that has collapsed under its burden, one may not ignore it and choose not to assist unloading it.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "When seeing the animal collapse under it's burden, you may not ignore it" (Devarim 22:4)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 183

- Danny
Tuesday, 25 Marcheshvan 5771

Mitzvah #259 - Lost property; don't ignore it

It is forbidden to ignore lost property that belongs to a fellow-Jew; if you notice it, you must pick it up.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not ignore your friend's lost property..." (Devarim 22:1-3)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 182

- Danny
Monday, 24 Marcheshvan 5771