Mitzvah #182 - Adultery

It is forbidden to have relations with somebody else's wife.

The punishment for both him and her is strangulation by Beth Din, unless her father is a Cohen, in which case she gets burned to death.

If she is betrothed (i.e. only had Kidushin; the first part of the Jewish marriage ceremony) and she is still living at her father's home, then they both get stoned to death.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Thou shalt not commit adultery" (7th of the 10 commandments - Shemos 20:13) and "With somebody else's wife you shall not" (Vayikra 18:10)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 124

- Danny
Sunday, 22 Tamuz 5770

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 #62 - Do not covet

One may not covet other people's possessions.

One transgresses whenever one thinks of ways to gain possession of the coveted article.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not covet (last of the 10 commandments.)

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

- Danny
Wednesday, 13 Tevet 5770

Mitzvah #61 - Do not force other to sell their possessions

One may not force other to part with their possessions.

One transgresses as soon as one tries to actively gain possession of the article; be it through threats, persuasion or asking others to intervene on one's behalf.

Even if one paid well above its worth one has still transgressed.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not force other to sell their possessions (last of the 10 commandments.)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 40

- Danny
Tuesday, 12 Tevet 5770

Mitzvah #59 - Testifying falsely

One may not testify falsely.

Included in this prohibition is to testify based on what one heard from others - even if the source of information is reliable.

Hiring witnesses who weren't there (false witnesses) and refusing to testify are also forbidden.

Applies to all those fit to be witnesses, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not testify as a false witness against your neighbor" (9th of the 10 commandments.)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 39

- Danny
Sunday, fast of 10 Tevet 5770

Mitzvah #50 - Do not kidnap

One may not kidnap a Jewish person.

If one sells the abductee, one has also transgressed "do not sell him as a slave" (Vayikra 25:42).

One is put to death by strangulation by Bet Din for kidnapping only if one abducts somebody, brings them into ones property, makes them work for one and then sells them.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Pasuk: "Do not steal" (7th of the 10 commandments)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Negative Mitzvah 33

- Danny
Monday, 3rd day Chanukah, 27 Kislev 5770

Mitzvah #49 - Do not murder

One may not take another's life.

This prohibition includes hastening somebody's demise, including touching somebody in their death throes.

A murderer is killed by Bet Din by the sword.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Pasuk: "Do not murder" (6th of the 10 commandments)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Negative Mitzvah 32

- Danny
Sunday, 2nd day Chanukah, 26 Kislev 5770

Mitzvah #44 - Swearing in vain

One is prohibited from swearing in vain. This includes 4 types of oaths:

- Swearing to change a fact. E.g.: that a boy is a girl, or a stone is gold

- Swearing for no reason. E.g.: that a stone is a stone

- Swearing to not a do a Mitzva that one is obligated to do

- Swearing to do the impossible. E.g.: To not sleep for 72 hours, or to not eat nor drink for a week.

One who swears in vain on purpose deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

One who makes an unnecessary Bracha has also transgressed this Mitzva.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Pasuk: "Do not take Gcd's name in vain" - 3rd of the 10 commandments

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Negative Mitzvah 29

- Danny
Sunday, 18 Kislev 5770

Mitzvah #19 - Don't serve idols

It's a Mitzvah not to worship idols in the manner they are normally worshipped.

Even of it's a disgraceful act - like throwing stones at Markulis - it's forbidden and the one who transgresses deserves to be stoned to death by Bet Din.

One who kisses or embraces an idol or who sweeps or washes it's room or otherwise shows it respect has transgressed.

One may not drink from water that is pouring out of the mouth of an idol-water-fountain, since it looks like one is kissing the idol.

Applies to everybody, all the time, everywhere.

Pasuk: ..and don't worship them... (2nd of the Ten Commandments - Shmot 20:5)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Negative Mitzvah 12

- Danny
Sunday, 14 Marcheshvan 5770

Mitzvah #17 - Do not bow down to idols

It's a Mitzvah not to bow down to idols - even of it's not the way this particular idol is worshipped - since bowing down is the way we worship Hashem.

One who transgresses deserves to be stoned to death by Bet Din.

Similarly one may not offer sacrifices, incense or wine to an idol, since these are all ways we serve Hashem in the Bet Hamikdash; even if the idol is not normally worshipped in this manner.

One should agree to be killed rather than transgress any of the above.

If one dropped something, or one gets a thorn in ones foot in front of an idol, one should not bend down to take care of it, since it looks like one is bowing down to the idol. Rather one should turn around - or to the side.

Applies to everybody, all the time, everywhere.

Pasuk: ...do not bow down to them (2nd of the Ten Commandments - Shmot 20:5)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Negative Mitzvah 11

- Danny
Wednesday, 10 Marcheshvan 5770

Mitzvah #14 - Do not create your own idols

It's a Mitzvah not to create idols that one will worship.


One who makes an idol by himself, or who one asks somebody else to make him an idol to worship has transgressed and deserves 39 lashes.


Applies to everybody, all the time, everywhere.


Pasuk: You shall not make for yourselves any idols (2nd of the Ten Commandments - Shmot 20:4)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Negative Mitzvah 9

- Danny
Sunday, 7 Marcheshvan 5770

Remember to say ותן טל ומטר לברכה

Mitzvah #13 - There is no other god besides for Gcd

It's a Mitzvah to not consider the existence of any other god besides for Hashem.


One who - Gcd forbid - entertains the existence of other deities, or entertains the existence of Hashem having partners, or considers Idol Worship to have any power, has denied a fundamental concept of Judaism.


One may not say or write anything which implies any of the above false possibilities. One must be prepared to die - or lose all ones money - rather than agreeing to any of the above.


Applies to everybody, all the time, everywhere.


Pasuk: You shall have no other gods besides Him (2nd of the Ten Commandments - Shmot 20:3)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Negative Mitzvah 8

Shabbat Shalom,

- Danny
Thursday, 4 Marcheshvan 5770

Mitzvah #10 - Do not do work on Shabbat

One may not do any of the 39 categories of forbidden work on Shabbat. (See http://www.answers.com/topic/39-categories-of-activity-prohibited-on-shabbat for a list.)


One also has to ensure that ones animals are not doing forbidden work.


Since the laws of Shabbat are numerous, complicated and are applicable every week, one should be sure to study them thoroughly and review them often.


Asking a non-Jew to do work for a Jew on Shabbat is forbidden by Rabbinic decree.


Saving lives takes precedence over Shabbat observance.


Shabbat is one of the bonds between Hashem and the Jewish people, and one who purposely transgresses the Shabbat publicly has the status of a non-Jew (for being counted in a Minyan or a Mezuman, touching wine, being a witness, etc.)


Applies to everybody, everywhere, every Shabbat.


Pasuk: Do not do any work (4th of the Ten Commandments, Shmot 20:10)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Negative Mitzvah 6

- Danny

Monday, 2nd day Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan 5770

Mitzvah #1 - To Believe that Gcd exists

It's a Mitzvah to believe that Hashem exists and that He created all that exists and continues to supervise all of creation.

This is a fundamental belief of Judaism and one who doesn't believe this is not considered a full-fledged Jew.

This is one of the rare Mitzvoth for which one is required to give up ones life rather than transgress it.

This Mitzvah applies all the time to both males and females. One fulfills it every time one thinks about Hashem's existence.

Pasuk: "I am Hashem your Gcd"; the first of the 10 commandments.

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 1

- Danny
 12 Tishrei 5770