Mitzvah #254 - Must a Jew have a beard?

There are 5 sections of the beard that may not be shaved with a razor.

Since we no longer are sure where these 5 places are, it's forbidden to use a razor to shave any part of one's beard.

One who shaves his beard with a razor or knife has transgressed 5 times.

Trimming or cutting one's beard with scissors is permitted.

Applies to men, everywhere, always.

Verse: "...and do not destroy the corners of your beard" (Vayikra 19:27)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 177

- Danny
Monday, 17 Marcheshvan 5771

Please daven for

Rachel Rivka bat Aharona Zissel Sara (Lebetkin, 28)

who is missing since last Sunday.

Details at - http://tinyurl.com/Lebetkin

 

Mitzvah #253 - Payot; the Torah haircut

One is forbidden to shave off the corners of the head of a Jewish male.

Even cutting them off with scissors is forbidden. Trimming them is allowed.

("The corners of the head" is the hair that grows in the triangular area from the top of the ear to the forehead to the sideburns all the way to the bottom of the skull near the hole in the ear.)

One who shaves off both corners has transgressed twice.

The one who does the shaving has transgressed; a woman's "corners" may be shaved, but a woman may not shave a man's "corners".

The one being shaved has not transgressed, unless he assists in the process.

It is also forbidden to shave a boy's "corners" - even if he is under Bar Mitzva.

Applies to everybody, on males only, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not round off the corners of your heads" (Vayikra 19:27)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 176

- Danny
Sunday, 16 Marcheshvan 5771

Mitzvah #248 - Yid'oni; the bird fortune teller

A Yid'oni would take a bone from a certain bird and put it in his mouth and perform some ceremony, after which the bird would foretell the future.

It is forbidden to be a Yid'oni and do this ceremony.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Do not consult with the... Yid'oni" (Vayikra 19:31)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 171

- Danny
Sunday, Marcheshvan 5771

Mitzvah #247 - Ov, Hearing voices

Ov: A person who has the ability to hear voices coming from the ground, skulls or armpits, in response to questions one asks, using various means.

It is forbidden to become and act as an Ov.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not consult with an Ov" (Vayikra 19:31)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 170

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 6 Marcheshvan 5771

Mitzvah #243 - Auspicious times and illusions

It is forbidden to declare certain times as auspicious or inauspicious. Thus it's forbidden to say "this time frame (hour, month, day, month) is a good time to do something" or "this time frame is NOT a good time to start some activity".

Whoever plans his activities based on auspicious or inauspicious times, has transgressed this Mitzva.

Also included in the Mitzva is the sin of magical illusions by sleight of hand; giving the impression one is doing something amazing, when in reality nothing is being done.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Do not act on the basis of auspicious times" (Vayikra 19:26)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 166

- Danny
Sunday, 2 Marcheshvan 5771

Posted on 10-10-10 at 10:10 :-)

Mitzvah #242 - Divination

Divination: The practice of discerning the hidden significance of events and foretelling the future. (Britannica Concise Encyclopedia)

Divinations - of both past and future events - is forbidden. Examples of forbidden divinations include:

- "My bread fell out of my hand - so I will not go shopping today"
- "I dropped my walking stick - so I will not travel today"
- "If such-and-such happens, I will do something-or-another"

If one acts based on one's divinations, one has transgressed this Mitzva.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Do not practice divination (Vayikra 19:26)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 165

Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 29 Tishrei 5771

Mitzvah #240 - Tattoos

It is forbidden to get a permanent tattoo.

One who punctures their skin and inserts die or coloring agents, deserves 39 lashes in Bet Din.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "... and do not get a tattoo." (Vayikra 19:28)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 163

- Danny
Tuesday, 27 Tishrei 5771

Mitzvah #236 - Kneeling

It is forbidden to make a stone floor to be used for bowing down, even if one is bowing to Gcd.

One who fully prostrates himself to Gcd on a stone floor deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

Even simply kneeling on a stone floor to Gcd is forbidden.

On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippour one has to cover the stone floors in the synagogue (e.g. with a carpet or towel or paper) before bowing down.

One who kneels or prostrates himself in front of an idol, deserves to be stoned to death by Bet Din.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "..and a stone floor do not put in your land to prostrate upon" (Vayikra 26:1)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 161

- Danny
Tuesday, 13 Tishrei 5771

==> If you don't live in Israel, add a reminder to your calendar for Eruv Tavshilin for tomorrow and for next week,.

Mitzvah #227 - Setting the record straight: Rebuke

It's a Mitzva to rebuke a sinner by informing him which action was improper and that it's in his best interest to improve his ways, in order that he merit eternal bliss in Olam Haba - the world to come.

However, one may not embarrass the sinner, by rebuking them in the presence of other people.

One need only rebuke those people who might listen to the rebuke and stop sinning.

Conversely, it's a Mitzva to accept rebuke and to love the person doing the rebuking.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere

Verse: "You shall surely rebuke your fellow man" (Vayikra 19:17)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 72

- Danny
Tuesday, 28 Elul 5770

Please daven for a complete recovery for Chava Ahuva bas Glika

==> Add a reminder to your calendar to do Eruv Tavshilin tomorrow <==

Mitzvah #226 - Setting a good example

Any behavior which causes a Chillul Hashem - a desecration of Gcd's name - is forbidden.

There are 3 aspects to this prohibition:

1. If one is being coerced to sin with the intention of profaning one's religion, then one has to be prepared to be killed rather than sin. In the case of idolatry, adultery and idol worship, even if the intention is not religiously oriented one has to be prepared to die rather than sin. One who sins rather than dies has done a Chillul Hashem.

2. One who does any sin merely for the sake of rebelling against Gcd, and not because he will benefit from the sin, has done a Chillul Hashem.

3. When a person who people look up to (like a Rabbi or teacher) does something which most people assume is wrong (even if technically it's permitted) then he has done a Chillul Hashem.

The sin of Chillul Hashem - desecrating Gcd's name - is so severe that Teshuva (repentance) and Yom Kippur are not sufficient to eradicate it; and only death completes the atonement.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not desecrate My Holy Name" (Vayikra 22:32)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 155

- Danny
Monday, 27 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #225 - Shmini Atzeret is not a work day

One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on the 8th day of Sukkoth; Shmini Atzeret.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "And the 8th day... all work you shall not do" (Vayikra 23:36)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 154

- Danny
Sunday, 26 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #223- First day Sukkoth is not a work day

One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on the first day of Sukkoth.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "And on first day... all work you shall not do" (Vayikra 23:36)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 153

- Danny
Wednesday, 22 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #222 - Abstaining from food and drink on Yom Kippour

It is forbidden to eat or drink on Yom Kippour.

By Rabbinic decree it is also forbidden to wash, anoint, wear leather shoes and have marital relations on Yom Kippour.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "for who ever does not fast... will be cut off" (Vayikra 23:29)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 152

- Danny
Monday, 20 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #220 - Yom Kippour is not a work day

One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on Yom Kippour.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "..and all work you shall not do" (Vayikra 23:28)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 151

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 16 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #219 - Rosh Hashana is not a work day

One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on the first day of Rosh Hashana.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "And on first day of the seventh month... all work you shall not do" (Vayikra 23:24)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 150

- Danny
Wednesday, 15 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #217 - Shavuoth is not a work day

One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on Shavuoth.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "And on the 15th of the first month... all work you shall not do" (Vayikra 23:21)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 149

- Danny
Monday, 13 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #216 - Last day Pessach is not a work day

One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on the last day of Pessach.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "And on the 7th day... all work you shall not do" (Vayikra 23:8)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 148

- Danny
Sunday, 12 Elul 5770

Erratum: A Peruta is only 0.025 grams of pure silver; currently less than 2 US pennies.

Mitzvah #215 - First day Pessach is not a work day

One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on the first day of Pessach.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "And on the 15th of the first month... all work you shall not do" (Vayikra 23:6)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 147

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 9 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #214 - Returning stolen objects

Items that one stole need to be returned to their rightful owners, if their worth is more than a Peruta. (0.025 grams of pure silver; currently less than 2 US pennies.)

If the person one stole from died, one returns the objects to their Halachic heirs.

If the stolen objects are no longer in one's possession, one returns their value.

Included on this Mitzva is returning money that one overcharged.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "and he should return the stolen objects that he stole" (Vayikra 5:23)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 68

- Danny
Wednesday, 8 Elul 5770

Mitzvah #211 - Adjudicate the Torah way

It's a Mitzva to adjudicate business disputes using the Halachot set down by the Torah.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "When you buy from fellow man or sell to him..." (Vayikra 25:14)

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

- Danny
Sunday, 5 Elul 5770