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 #178 - Separating Challah

It's a Mitzva to separate Challah from dough and give it to a Cohen. (Nowadays, since the dough is impure, the Challah is burned, and not given to a Cohen.)

Applies to dough made of the 5 types of grains: wheat, barley, oats, spelt or rye.

Applies to dough the size of at least 43 1/5 eggs. (Opinions vary between 1.2 Kg and 2.5 Kg)

Applies to everybody, always, in Israel, and by Rabbinic decree outside of Israel, where it is burned.

Verse: "The first of your dough you should separate " (Bemidbar 15:20)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 57

- Danny
Monday, 16 Tamuz 5770

Mitzvah #174 - Chop off its head

One who does not want to redeem their firstborn male donkey with a sheep (as we learned in Mitzva #171), has a Mitzva to chop off it's head.

The Mitzva is to use an axe and chop the back of the neck until it dies.

Even after it's dead, it may not be used for anything and has to be buried.

Applies everywhere, always, to Israelites, since a donkey which belongs to a Cohen or Levi need not be redeemed.

Verse: "and if you don't redeem it then chop off its head" (Shemot 34:20)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 56

- Danny
Tuesday, 10 Tamuz 5770

Mitzvah #171 - Firstborn donkeys

A firstborn male donkey needs to be redeemed by giving a Cohen a sheep in its stead.

Even if the sheep costs a fraction of the price of the donkey, it can be used.

If one does not own a sheep, one can give the Cohen the monetary value of the donkey.

If the donkey belongs to a Cohen or Levi it need not be redeemed.

Applies to Israelites, everywhere, always

Verse: "...and a firstborn donkey redeem with a sheep" (Shemot 34:20) - "...the firstborns... shall be yours" (Bemidbar 18:15)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 55

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 5 Tamuz 5770

Mitzvah #168 - Redeeming the firstborn

Thirty days after a firstborn son is born, his father needs to redeem him, by giving 5 Shekalim (~117 grams of silver) or items of equivalent value to a Cohen.

The Cohen can use the money for anything he wants, it has no Kedusha - sanctity.

One who had no father at the time, needs to redeem himself when he becomes an adult.

If the firstborn's father or mother are Cohanim or Levi'im, he does not need to be redeemed.

Applies to Israelites, everywhere, always

Verse: "..redeem the firstborn male son. Redeem him at one month old." (Bemidbar 18:15-16)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 54

- Danny
Monday, 2 Tamuz 5770

Mitzvah #157 - Sowing mixtures - Kil'ayim

In Israel, one is forbidden from sowing a mixture of 2 or more different types of grains together. Outside of Israel this is permitted.

Grafting branches from one type of tree onto another, is forbidden everywhere.

Grafting trees with vegetables is forbidden everywhere.

The produce from all the above is always permitted.

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Planting vines in the vicinity of grains is forbidden everywhere, and one is forbidden from benefiting and eating the grains or the grapes.

Deriving benefit from this is a Torah prohibition in Israel, and Rabbinic outside of Israel.

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Applies to everybody, always.

Verse: "Do not sow your field with a mixture" (Vayikra 19:19)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 107

- Danny
Sunday, 17 Sivan 5770

Mitzvah #152 - Fresh grains before Pessach

Fresh grains from produce which sprouted roots before the 2nd day of Pessach may be eaten as soon as harvested.

Grain which was not planted before the 2nd day of Pessach, or had not yet taken root, may not be eaten until after the 2nd day of Pessach

Applies to the 5 types of grain, traditionally translated as "wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye".

At the time of the Bet Hamikdash, new grain becomes permitted after the Omer sacrifice is brought on the 2nd day of Pessach.

Nowadays, until the Bet Hamikdash is rebuilt, new grain is forbidden the entire 2nd day of Pessach.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere according to some opinions; in Israel-only according to other opinions

Verse: "...and fresh grain do not eat until this day" (Vayikra 23:14)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 103

- Danny
Sunday, 10 Sivan 5770

Please daven for a complete recovery for

  Chagai Yitzchak ben Pnina - חגי יצחק בן פנינה

Mitzvah #151 - Roasted grain before Pessach

Roasted grain from produce which sprouted roots before the 2nd day of Pessach may be eaten as soon as it's harvested.

Roasted grain from produce which was not planted before the 2nd day of Pessach, or had not yet taken root, may not be eaten until after the 2nd day of Pessach

Applies to the 5 types of grain, traditionally translated as "wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye".

At the time of the Bet Hamikdash, new grain becomes permitted after the Omer sacrifice is brought on the 2nd day of Pessach.

Nowadays, until the Bet Hamikdash is rebuilt, new grain is forbidden the entire 2nd day of Pessach.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere according to some opinions; in Israel-only according to other opinions

Verse: "...and roasted kernels and fresh grain do not eat until this day" (Vayikra 23:14)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 102

Chag Shavuoth Same'ach

- Danny
Tuesday, Erev Shavuoth, 5 Sivan 5770 - 49th day of the Omer

Please daven for a complete recovery for Chagai Yitzchak ben Pnina - חגי יצחק בן פנינה

Mitzvah #149 - Bread from new flour before Pessach

Bread made from grain that sprouted roots before the 2nd day of Pessach may be eaten as soon as it's harvested.

Bread made from grain that was not planted before the 2nd day of Pessach, or had not yet taken root, may not be eaten until after the 2nd day of Pessach

Applies to the 5 types of grain, traditionally translated as "wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye".

At the time of the Bet Hamikdash, new grain becomes permitted after the Omer sacrifice is brought on the 2nd day of Pessach.

Nowadays, until the Bet Hamikdash is rebuilt, new grain is forbidden the entire 2nd day of Pessach.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere according to some opinions; in Israel-only according to other opinions

Verse: "And bread and roasted kernels and fresh grain do not eat until this day" (Vayikra 23:14)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 101

- Danny
Sunday, 3 Sivan 5770 - 47th 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