Mitzvah #232 - Free eggs!

If one chances upon a mother bird roosting on her eggs or her nestlings, and one wants to take the eggs or the nestlings, one has a Mitzva to first send away the mother bird.

The correct way to do this Mitzva is to pick up the bird and shoo her away.

If she returns and hovers over the nest before you take the eggs or nestlings, you have to send her away again and again - no matter how often she returns.

Only applies to Kosher birds that don't belong to anybody, eggs that are not yet fertilized and nestlings that cannot fly yet

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "You shall send away the mother bird, and take the offspring" (Devarim 22:7)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 74

- Danny
Wednesday, 7 Tishrei 5771

Mitzvah #2 - Do not eat the Gid haNasheh; the sciatic nerve

The sciatic nerve (Gid haNasheh) has to be removed from both hind legs before an animal is Kosher for eating.

Does not apply to birds.

While the sciatic nerve may not be eaten, it may be used for other purposes.


This Mitzva applies to males and females, everywhere at all times.

Pasuk: Therefore Bnei Yisrael don't eat the Gid haNasheh (Breishis 32:32)

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


- Danny
 13 Tishrei 5770