Mitzvah #268 - Save the trees

It is forbidden to destroy fruit trees - and one who does so deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

If a fruit tree is causing damage to other trees or nearby fields, it may be chopped down.

Non-fruit bearing trees, and fruit trees that no longer produce a significant amount of fruit can be chopped down without any special reason.

By Rabbinical decree it's forbidden to needlessly destroy any item, including vessels, clothes, buildings and food.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "when you besiege a city... do not destroy its trees" (Devarim 20:12)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 191

- Danny
Sunday, 5 Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #264 - Feeding others while you work

When allowed to eat during the final harvesting stages, a worker may not pick up (with the intention of eating) more than one mouthful at a time.


He may also not pick up anything and give it to others to eat.


Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.


Verse: "...and into your vessels do not put any" (Devarim 23:25)


Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 187

Chodesh Tov

- Danny

Monday, 2nd day Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5771

Mitzvah #263 - Eating while you work

A worker may not eat from the food he is working with, except in a field during the final stages of harvesting. While reaping he may not yet eat from the crop.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "...do not lift a sickle onto your neighbors's crop" (Devarim 23:26)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 186

Chodesh Tov

- Danny
Sunday, 30 Marcheshvan - 1st day Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5771

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 #204 - Eat and work?

It's a Mitzva for the farmer to allow his workers to eat from the fruit they are picking.

This applies to any work being done on produce, fruit and vegetables that have not been picked yet.

The worker may eat from the tree or from the fruit he already picked - as long as it hasn't been processed to the point where one would need to separate Trumot and Maasrot.

A watchman may not eat from the fruit he is guarding, as his job does not directly involve the fruit on the tree.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "When coming into your friends' vineyard, you may eat..." (Devarim 23:25-26)

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

- Danny
Wednesday, 24 Av 5770

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 #159 - Slaughtering cow and calf

One may not slaughter a Kosher animal and its offspring on the same day.

If one did, both animals are still Kosher and may be eaten.

The day starts and ends at nightfall:

- If the mother was slaughtered at night, the calf may not be slaughtered the following day.

- If the calf was slaughtered before sunset, the mother may be slaughtered later that evening.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "And whether it be cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and her young both in one day" (Vayikra 22:28)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 108

- Danny
Tuesday, 19 Sivan 5770

Mitzvah #158 - The foreleg, jaw and maw

It's a Mitzva to give a Cohen the right foreleg, lower jaw with the tongue and the maw (the last of cow's 4 stomachs) of any Kosher animal that is slaughtered.

The Cohen may eat them, or sell them to anybody, or feed them to the dogs, since they have no Kedusha (sanctity).

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always according to some opinions, while others are lenient and say it does not apply nowadays.

Verse: "and you shall give the Cohen the foreleg, jaw and maw" (Devarim 18:3))

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 51

- Danny
Monday, 18 Sivan 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.

-

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.

-

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 #156 - Do not eat with the blood

One is forbidden to eat in the manner of a rebellious son, in a gluttonous and drunken way, as this may lead to bloodshed.

It's also forbidden to eat from an animal after it was slaughtered before it's completely dead.

It's also forbidden to eat a meal before morning prayers; before having prayed for one's life.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Do not eat on the blood" (Vayikra 19:26)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 106

Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 14 Sivan 5770

Mitzvah #155 - Orlah; the first 3 years

One may not eat fruit from a tree during its first 3 years after being planted.

In Israel: if one is unsure if the tree is more than 3 years old, the fruit is forbidden.

Outside Israel: only fruit that definitely came from a tree in its first 3 years is forbidden.

Applies to everybody, always, everywhere

Verse: "Three years it shall be forbidden, not to be eaten" (Vayikra 19:23)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 105

- Danny
Wednesday, 13 Sivan 5770

Mitzvah #153 - Chametz on Erev Pessach

One may not eat Chametz during that time when one could bring the Pessach sacrifice.

Therefore one who eats Chametz on Erev Pessach after noon deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

By Rabbinic decree one is forbidden to derive benefit from Chametz already two hours before midday, and one may not eat Chametz from as early as 3 hours before midday on Erev Pessach.

These hours are calculated by dividing the daylight hours by 12.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, on Erev Pessach afternoon.

Verse: "Do not eat on it Chametz" (Devarim 16:3)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 104

- Danny
Monday, 11 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 #150 - Covering the blood

After slaughtering birds or Kosher wild animals (like deer) one has to cover their blood with sand or earth.

There needs to be a layer of sand or dirt on the ground onto which one slaughters, so that the blood will be covered below as well as above.

There is no Mitzva to cover the blood of domesticated animals such as sheep, cows and goats.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "...and slaughter it and cover its blood" (Vayikra 18:13)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 49

On Shavu'ot we celebrate the giving of the Torah. Help spread Torah learning by inviting your Jewish friends to our Mitzva a Day group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=140905878541
Thanks

- Danny
Monday, 4 Sivan 5770 - 48th 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 #148 - Eating parthenogenetically produced creatures

One may not eat creatures produced by parthenogenesis; meaning they do not come from a male and female mating.

One who eats an olive-size worth of such creatures deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "Do not defile yourselves with parthenogens which crawl on the ground" (Vayikra 11:44)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 100

Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom

- Danny
Thursday, 29 Iyar 5770 - 44th day of the Omer

Mitzvah #147 - Eating water bugs

One may not eat aquatic insects including frogs and crabs.

One who eats an olive-size worth of aquatic insects, or one who eats an entire aquatic insect deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Don't defile yourselves with any worm" (Vayikra 11:43)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 99

- Danny
Wednesday, 28 Iyar 5770 - Yom Yerushalayim - 43rd day of the Omer

Mitzvah #146 - Shechita - Ritual slaughter

It's a Mitzva to slaughter all animals and birds that one wants to eat.

The laws of slaughtering the Kosher way - Shechita - were given to Moshe on Mt. Sinai as part of the Oral Law.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always.

Verse: "Slaughter your sheep and cattle... as I have commanded you" (Devarim 12:21)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 48

- Danny
Tuesday, 27 Iyar 5770 - 42nd day of the Omer

Mitzvah #145 - Don't eat fruit worms

One may not eat insects that grow in fruit, vegetables or grain.

One who eats an olive-size worth of such insects, or one who eats an entire insect deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din.

Applies to everybody, everywhere, always

Verse: "All creepy thing on earth don't eat" (Vayikra 11:42)

Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 98

- Danny
Monday, 26 Iyar 5770 - 41st day of the Omer