Mitzvah #221 - When is it a Mitzva to unload a donkey?

If one sees a donkey collapsed under it's heavy load, it's a Mitzva to help the donkey-driver unload the animal.

Even if the load was excessive it's a Mitzva to help.

Unloading the animal must be done without asking for remuneration.

If - after reloading the donkey - it again collapses, it's a Mitzva to help unload again, and again.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "When you see your fellow man's donkey collapsing under its load... you shall surely help him" (Shmot 23:5)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 70

- Danny
Sunday, 19 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #213 - Replicating the Ketoret incense

One may not produce incense using the recipe used to make the Ketoret used twice daily in the Bet HaMikdash (Temple).

It is forbidden to make ¼, ½ or ¾ or any other ratio of the recipe.

If it is made for its aroma, it's forbidden even if it was not subsequently used. One is permitted to make Ketoret for study-purposes only.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "..and the Ketoret incense... do not make for yourself" (Shmot 20:37, 38)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 146

- Danny
Tuesday, 7 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #212 - Replicating the Anointing Oil

It's forbidden to make scented oil using the recipe used for the Anointing Oil as described in Shemot Ch. 30, which was used by Moshe Rabbeinu to anoint the Mishkan and the Cohanim.

This is forbidden only if one intends to use the oil as lotion. If one simply wants to learn how the Anointing Oil was made, then it's permitted to make it.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere

Verse: "..and it's recipe do not replicate" (Shemot 30:32)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 145

- Danny
Monday, 6 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #210 - Graven images

Making sculptures of the human head (with or without the body) is forbidden and is punishable by 39 lashes from Bet Din.

Drawing and engravings of heads are permitted.

Rings with seals of human heads:

- If the image is engraved, one may own it, but one may not affix a seal with it, since the seal will have an embossed head on it.

- If the image is embossed, one may not own it, but one may affix a seal with it, since the seal will have an engraved image on it.

One may not draw, engrave or emboss the likeness of the sun or moon.

One is permitted to draw, engrave and emboss animals, trees and plants.

One may not build a building with the same measurements as the Bet HaMikdash.

One may not make a table identical to the one used in the Bet Hamikdash.

One may not make a 7-branched Menorah out of any metal.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "You shall not make..." (Shmos 20:23)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 144

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 2 Elul 5770

Please daven for the complete recovery of Sara bat Hodda who will be going for a bone marrow transplant today

Mitzvah #194 - Lending money

It's a Mitzva to lend money to the poor.

This Mitzva is greater than giving charity.

If one has the money and refuses to lend it to the needy, one has sinned. (as per Devarim 15:9)

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "When you lend money to the poor..." (Shemot 22:24)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 62

- Danny
Wednesday, 10 Av 5770

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 #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 #164 - Firstborn Kosher animals

It's a Mitzva to sanctify all firstborn male Kosher animals, by declaring "This animal is Kadosh".

Even if one did not do so, the animal is still holy.

Nowadays first born Kosher male animals have to be given to a Cohen who can eat them after they becomes permanently blemished.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Sanctify for Me all firstborn... animals" (Shemot 13:1)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 53

- Danny
Tuesday, 26 Sivan 5770

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 #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 #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 #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 #112 - Kosher witnesses

A Bet Din may not accept witnesses who intentionally do not keep all aspects of Jewish law.

If one knows that the other witness is not Kosher, but the Bet Din do not, then one may not give testimony.

Similarly, if one knows that the 2nd witness will lie, one may not testify.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Do not give a hand to a wicked person to be a witness" (Shemot 23:1)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 75

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 25 Adar 5770

Mitzvah #106 - Bribery

A judge is forbidden from taking bribes - even if he intends to mete out justice.

A judge who took a bribe has to return it.

A judge may be paid for his time; but only if both parties pay the same amount.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Do not take bribery" (Shmot 23:8)

One who gives bribes to a judge has transgressed "Do not put a [spiritual] stumbling block in front of the blind" (Vayikra 19:14)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 71

- Danny
Wednesday, 17 Adar 5770

Mitzvah #100 - Having the wicked lose in court

A judge may not decide that a sinner deserves to lose the case simply because the other side is more righteous.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere.

Verse: "Do not pervert the justice of the poor" (Shmot 23:6), where "poor" refers to the spiritually poor.

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 67

- Danny
Monday, 8 Adar 5770

Mitzvah #99 - Favoring the poor in judgement

One may not give the poor preferential treatment in judgement.

A judge may not decide that since the rich person should support the poor, the poor person should win the case.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere.

Verse: "Do not favor the poor in court" (Shemot 23:3) and (Vayikra 19:15)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 66

- Danny
Sunday, 7 Adar 5770

Mitzvah #97 - Hearing only one side of the argument

A judge is prohibited from hearing one side of the case without both sides being present.

A person involved in judgement may not tell his side of the story to the judge without the other side being present.

Included in this verse is the prohibition of talking evil about others,and giving false testimony.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere.

Verse: "Thou shalt not raise a false report" (Shmot 23:1)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 65

- Danny
Wednesday, 3 Adar 5770

Mitzvah #94 - Cursing a judge

Besides for the prohibition of cursing any Jew, one may also not curse a Dayan - a judge in a Bet Din.

One who curses a Dayan with reference to Hashem gets two sets of 39 lashes by Bet Din.

Included in this verse is the prohibition of cursing Gcd; one who transgresses gets stoned to death by Bet Din.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not curse the judge" (Shemot 22:26)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 63

Chodesh Tov,

- Danny
Sunday, 1st day Rosh Chodesh Adar 5770

Mitzvah #82 - Lending with interest

One may not lend anything to a fellow Jew if the repayment is larger than the loan.

This includes money, goods and even services.

The lender transgresses 4 sins.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Do not charge him interest" (Shmot 22:24, Vayikra 25:36; Vayikra 25:37, twice)

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

- Danny
Wednesday, 12 Shvat 5770