613 commandments

According to Jewish tradition, the Torah contains 613 commandments ().

Although the number 613 is mentioned in the Talmud, its real significance increased in later medieval rabbinic literature, including many works listing or arranged by the . The most famous of these was an enumeration of the 613 commandments by Maimonides. While the total number of commandments is 613, no individual can perform all of them. Many can only be observed at the Temple in Jerusalem, which no longer stands. According to one standard reckoning, there are 77 positive and 194 negative commandments that can be observed today, of which there are 26 commandments that apply only within the Land of Israel. In addition, some commandments only apply to certain categories of Jews: some are only observed by kohanim, and others only by men or by women.

Symbolism of 613

thumb|300 px| (The [[mourning days) by Jan Voerman, ]]

Rav Hamnuna sourced the count of 613 in the verse ("Moses commanded us the Torah..."). The Talmud notes that the Hebrew numerical value (gematria) of the word Torah is 611 ( = 400,  = 6,  = 200,  = 5). Combining 611 commandments which Moses taught the people, with the first two of the Ten Commandments which were the only ones directly heard from God, a total of 613 is reached.

Other sources connect the tzitzit (ritual fringes of a garment) to the 613 commandments by gematria: the word (Hebrew: ציצית, in its Mishnaic spelling) has the value 600 ( = 90,  = 10,  = 400). Each tassel has eight threads (when doubled over) and five sets of knots. The sum of all these numbers is 613, reflecting the concept that reminds its wearer of all Torah commandments.

Many Jewish philosophical and mystical works (e.g., by Baal HaTurim, the Maharal of Prague and leaders of Hasidic Judaism) find allusions and inspirational calculations relating to the number of commandments.

Dissent and difficulties

Rabbinic support for the number of commandments being 613 is not without dissent. For example, Ben Azzai held that there exist 300 positive . Also, even as the number gained acceptance, difficulties arose in elucidating the list. Some rabbis declared that this count was not an authentic tradition, or that it was not logically possible to come up with a systematic count. No early work of Jewish law or Biblical commentary depended on the 613 system, and no early systems of Jewish principles of faith made acceptance of this Aggadah (non-legal Talmudic statement) normative. A number of classical authorities denied that it was normative:

Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra denied that this was an authentic rabbinic tradition. Ibn Ezra writes "Some sages enumerate 613 in many diverse ways [...] but in truth there is no end to the number of [...] and if we were to count only the root principles [...] the number of would not reach 613".
Nahmanides held that this particular counting was a matter of rabbinic controversy, and that rabbinic opinion on this is not unanimous. Nonetheless, he concedes that "this total has proliferated throughout the aggadic literature... we ought to say that it was a tradition from Moses at Mount Sinai".
Rabbi Simeon ben Zemah Duran likewise rejected the dogma of the 613 as being the sum of the Law, saying that "perhaps the agreement that the number of is 613... is just Rabbi Simlai's opinion, following his own explication of the . And we need not rely on his explication when we come to determine [and affect] the Law, but rather on the Talmudic discussions".
Gersonides held that the number 613 was only one rabbi's (Rabbi Simlai's) opinion, and if the conclusion of a Talmudic discussion indicated that the number of commandments was greater or lesser than 613, Rabbi Simlai's opinion would be overruled.
The Vilna Gaon suggested that there exist many more than 613 commandments (because otherwise large narrative parts of the Pentateuch would be without commandments, which he considered difficult to accept) and that the count of 613 refers to "roots" () of the other commandments.

Even when rabbis attempted to compile a list of the 613 commandments, they were faced with a number of difficulties:

Which statements were to be included amongst the 613 commandments? Every one of God's commands to any individual or to the entire people of Israel?
Would an order from God be counted as a commandment, for the purposes of such a list, if it could only be complied with in one place and time? Else, would such an order only count as a commandment if it could be followed at all times? (The latter is the view of Maimonides.)
Does counting a single commandment depend on whether it falls within one verse, even though it may contain multiple prohibitions, or should each prohibition count as a single commandment?

Ultimately, though, the concept of 613 commandments has become accepted as normative amongst practicing Jews and today it is still common practice to refer to the total system of commandments within the Torah as the "613 commandments", even among those who do not literally accept this count as accurate.

However, the 613 do not constitute a formal code of present-day halakha. Later codes of law such as the Shulkhan Arukh and the Kitzur Shulkhan Arukh do not refer to it. However, Maimonides' Mishneh Torah is prefaced by a count of the 613 mitzvot.

Works which enumerate the commandments

There is no single definitive list that explicates the 613 commandments. Lists differ, for example, in how they interpret passages in the Torah that may be read as dealing with several cases under a single law or several separate laws (see here for a visual comparison of several lists). Other "commandments" in the Torah are restricted as one-time acts, and would not be considered as "" binding on other persons. In rabbinic literature, Rishonim and later scholars composed to articulate and justify their enumeration of the commandments:

Halachot Gedolot ("Great Laws"), thought to be written by Rabbi Simeon Kayyara (the , author of the ) is the earliest extant enumeration of the 613 .
("Book of Commandments") by Rabbi Saadia Gaon. Written during the period of the Geonim, Saadia's work is a simple list (though it was later expanded by Rabbi Yerucham Fishel Perlow.)
Sefer Hamitzvot ("Book of Commandments") by Maimonides, with a commentary by Nachmanides. Maimonides employs a set of fourteen rules () which determine inclusion into the list. In this work, he supports his specification of each mitzvah through quotations from the midrash halakha and the Gemara. Nachmanides makes a number of critical points and replaces some items of the list with others.
Sefer ha-Chinnuch ("Book of Education"). This work generally follows Maimonides' reckoning of the 613 commandments. It is written in the order in which the commandments appear in the Torah rather than an arrangement by category (as in Maimonides' work.) In addition to enumerating the commandments and giving a brief overview of relevant laws, the also tries to explain the philosophical reasons behind the . It has been attributed to various authors, most commonly Rabbi Aaron ha-Levi of Barcelona (the ), though its true authorship is unknown.
Sefer Mitzvot Gadol or SMaG ("Large book of Commandments") by Rabbi Moses ben Jacob of Coucy.
by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (the ""). The 's work follows the reckoning of Maimonides but gives only the commandments relevant today. Notably, this listing omits commandments regarding temple service, ritual purity, sacrifices, and so on. Though the original work included only those commandments relevant in all places and at all times, later editions include agricultural laws relevant today only in the Land of Israel.

Works in which the number of commandments is not 613

by Eliezer ben Samuel lists only 417 commandments (including commandments only applicable when the Temple stood).
Menahem Recanati, in his book , counted 250 positive and 361 negative commandments, for a total of 611. These 611 include the two commandments of , indicating that this list is incompatible with the approach of R' Hamnuna in the Talmud (who said that of the 613 commandments, the two in Exodus 20:2 were given directly by God, and the remaining 611 via Moses).

— Not to borrow with interest
— Lend to and borrow from idolaters with interest
— Not to withhold payment incurred by any vow
— To fulfill what was uttered and to do what was avowed
— The hired worker may eat from the unharvested crops where he works
— The worker must not take more than he can eat
— The worker must not eat while on hired time
— To issue a divorce by means of a Get document
— A man must not remarry his ex-wife after she has married someone else
— He who has taken a wife, built a new home, or planted a vineyard is given a year to rejoice with his possessions
— Not to demand from the above any involvement, communal or military
— Not to demand as collateral utensils needed for preparing food
— The metzora must not remove his signs of impurity
— The creditor must not forcibly take collateral
— Not to delay its return when needed
— Return the collateral to the debtor when needed
— Pay wages on the day they were earned
— Relatives of the litigants must not testify
— Not to demand collateral from a widow
— A judge must not pervert a case involving a convert or orphan
— To leave the forgotten sheaves in the field
— Not to retrieve them
— The court must give lashes to the wrongdoer
— The court must not exceed the prescribed number of lashes
— Not to muzzle an ox while plowing
— To perform yibbum (marry the widow of one's childless brother)
— The widow must not remarry until the ties with her brother-in-law are removed (by halizah)
— To perform halizah (free the widow of one's childless brother from yibbum)
— Save someone being pursued even by taking the life of the pursuer
— Not to pity the pursuer
— Not to possess inaccurate scales and weights even if they are not for use
— Remember what Amalek did to the Jewish people
— Wipe out the memory of Amalek
— Not to forget Amalek's atrocities and ambush on our journey from Egypt in the desert
— To read the Torah portion pertaining to the presentation of first fruits
— To read the confession of tithes every fourth and seventh year
— Not to spend its redemption money on anything but food, drink, or ointment
— Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni while impure
— A mourner on the first day after death must not eat Ma'aser Sheni
— The court must not punish anybody who was forced to commit a crime
— To emulate His ways
— To assemble all the people on the Sukkot following the seventh year
— Each male must write a Sefer Torah
— Not to drink wine poured in service to idols

Typical order

{| class="collapsible" style="width:100%; border:1px solid #cedff2; background:#F5FAFF"

! Order as typically presented

To know there is a God —
Not to even think that there are other gods besides Him — Standard: ; Yemenite:
To know that God is One —
To love God —
To fear God —
To sanctify God's Name —
Not to profane God's Name —
Not to destroy objects associated with God's Name —
To listen to the prophet speaking in God's Name —
Not to try the unduly —
To emulate God's ways —
To cleave to those who know God —
To love other Jews —
To love converts —
Not to hate fellow Jews —
To reprove a sinner —
Not to embarrass others —
Not to oppress the weak —
Not to gossip —
Not to take revenge —
Not to bear a grudge —
To learn Torah —
To honor those who teach and know Torah —
Not to inquire into idolatry —
Not to follow the whims of your heart or what your eyes see —
Not to blaspheme —
Not to worship idols in the manner they are worshiped — Standard: ; Yemenite:
Not to worship idols in the four ways we worship God — Standard: ; Yemenite:
Not to make an idol for yourself — Standard: ; Yemenite:
Not to make an idol for others —
Not to make human forms even for decorative purposes — Standard: ; Yemenite:
Not to turn a city to idolatry —
To burn a city that has turned to idol worship —
Not to rebuild it as a city —
Not to derive benefit from it —
Not to missionize an individual to idol worship —
Not to love the idolater —
Not to cease hating the idolater —
Not to save the idolater —
Not to say anything in the idolater's defense —
Not to refrain from incriminating the idolater —
Not to prophesy in the name of idolatry —
Not to listen to a false prophet —
Not to prophesy falsely in the name of God —
Not to be afraid of the false prophet —
Not to swear in the name of an idol —
Not to perform ov (medium) —
Not to perform yidoni ("magical seer") —
Not to pass your children through the fire to Molech —
Not to erect a pillar in a public place of worship —
Not to bow down before a smooth stone —
Not to plant a tree in the Temple courtyard —
To destroy idols and their accessories —
Not to derive benefit from idols and their accessories —
Not to derive benefit from ornaments of idols —
Not to make a covenant with idolaters —
Not to show favor to idolaters —
Not to let idolaters dwell in the Land of Israel —
Not to imitate idolaters in customs and clothing —
Not to be superstitious —
Not to go into a trance to foresee events, etc. —
Not to engage in divination or soothsaying —
Not to mutter incantations —
Not to attempt to contact the dead —
Not to consult the ov —
Not to consult the yidoni —
Not to perform acts of magic —
Men must not shave the hair off the sides of their head —
Men must not shave their beards with a razor —
Men must not wear women's clothing —
Women must not wear men's clothing —
Not to tattoo the skin —
Not to tear the skin in mourning —
Not to make a bald spot in mourning —
To repent and confess wrongdoings —
To say the Shema twice daily —
To pray every day —
The Kohanim must bless the Jewish nation daily —
To wear tefillin (phylacteries) on the head —
To bind tefillin on the arm —
To put a mezuzah on the door post —
Each male must write a Torah scroll —
The king must have a separate Torah scroll for himself —
To have tzitzit on four-cornered garments —
To bless the Almighty after eating —
To circumcise all males on the eighth day after their birth —
To rest on the seventh day —
Not to do prohibited labor on the seventh day — Standard: ; Yemenite:
The court must not inflict punishment on Shabbat —
Not to walk outside the city boundary on Shabbat —
To sanctify Shabbat with Kiddush and Havdalah — Standard: ; Yemenite:
To rest from prohibited labor on Yom Kippur —
Not to do prohibited labor on Yom Kippur —
To afflict oneself on Yom Kippur —
Not to eat or drink on Yom Kippur —
To rest on the first day of Passover —
Not to do prohibited labor on the first day of Passover —
To rest on the seventh day of Passover —
Not to do prohibited labor on the seventh day of Passover —
To rest on Shavuot —
Not to do prohibited labor on Shavuot —
To rest on Rosh Hashanah —
Not to do prohibited labor on Rosh Hashanah —
To rest on Sukkot —
Not to do prohibited labor on Sukkot —
To rest on Shemini Atzeret —
Not to do prohibited labor on Shemini Atzeret —
Not to eat chametz on the afternoon of the 14th day of Nisan —
To destroy all chametz on 14th day of Nisan —
Not to eat chametz all seven days of Passover —
Not to eat mixtures containing chametz all seven days of Passover —
Not to see chametz in your domain seven days —
Not to find chametz in your domain seven days —
To eat matzah on the first night of Passover —
To relate the Exodus from Egypt on that night —
To hear the Shofar on the first day of Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah) —
To dwell in a Sukkah for the seven days of Sukkot —
To take up a Lulav and Etrog on the first day of Sukkot (in the temple, all seven days) —
Each man must give a half shekel annually —
Courts must calculate to determine when a new month begins —
To afflict oneself and cry out before God in times of calamity —
To marry a wife by means of ketubah and kiddushin —
Not to have sexual relations with women not thus married —
Not to withhold food, clothing, and sexual relations from your wife —
To have children with one's wife —
To issue a divorce by means of a Get document —
A man must not remarry his ex-wife after she has married someone else —
To perform yibbum (marry the widow of one's childless brother) —
To perform halizah (free the widow of one's childless brother from yibbum) —
The widow must not remarry until the ties with her brother-in-law are removed (by halizah) —
The court must fine one who sexually seduces a maiden —
The rapist must marry his victim if she is unwed —
He is never allowed to divorce her —
The slanderer must remain married to his wife —
He must not divorce her —
To fulfill the laws of the Sotah —
Not to put oil on her meal offering (as usual) —
Not to put frankincense on her meal offering (as usual) —
Not to have sexual relations with your mother —
Not to have sexual relations with your father's wife —
Not to have sexual relations with your sister —
Not to have sexual relations with your father's wife's daughter —
Not to have sexual relations with your son's daughter —
Not to have sexual relations with your daughter —
Not to have sexual relations with your daughter's daughter —
Not to have sexual relations with a woman and her daughter —
Not to have sexual relations with a woman and her son's daughter —
Not to have sexual relations with a woman and her daughter's daughter —
Not to have sexual relations with your father's sister —
Not to have sexual relations with your mother's sister —
Not to have sexual relations with your father's brother's wife —
Not to have sexual relations with your son's wife —
Not to have sexual relations with your brother's wife —
Not to have sexual relations with your wife's sister —
A man must not have sexual relations with an animal —
A woman must not have sexual relations with an animal —
A man must not have sexual relations with a man —
Not to have sexual relations with your father —
Not to have sexual relations with your father's brother —
Not to have sexual relations with someone else's wife —
Not to have sexual relations with a menstrually impure woman —
Not to marry non-Jews —
Not to let Moabite and Ammonite males marry into the Jewish people —
Not to refrain from letting a third-generation Egyptian convert enter the Assembly —
Not to refrain from letting a third-generation Edomite convert enter the Assembly —
Not to let a mamzer (a child born due to an illegal relationship) marry into the Jewish people —
Not to let a eunuch marry into the Jewish people —
Not to offer to God any castrated male animals —
The High Priest must not marry a widow —
The High Priest must not have sexual relations with a widow even outside of marriage —
The High Priest must marry a virgin maiden —
A Kohen (priest) must not marry a divorcee —
A Kohen must not marry a zonah (a woman who has had a forbidden sexual relationship) —
A Kohen must not marry a chalalah ("a desecrated person") (party to or product of 169–172) —
Not to make pleasurable (sexual) contact with any forbidden woman —
To examine the signs of animals to distinguish between kosher and non-kosher —
To examine the signs of fowl to distinguish between kosher and non-kosher —
To examine the signs of fish to distinguish between kosher and non-kosher —
To examine the signs of locusts to distinguish between kosher and non-kosher —
Not to eat non-kosher animals —
Not to eat non-kosher fowl —
Not to eat non-kosher fish —
Not to eat non-kosher flying insects —
Not to eat non-kosher creatures that crawl on land —
Not to eat non-kosher maggots —
Not to eat worms found in fruit on the ground —
Not to eat creatures that live in water other than (kosher) fish —
Not to eat the meat of an animal that died without ritual slaughter —
Not to benefit from an ox condemned to be stoned —
Not to eat meat of an animal that was mortally wounded —
Not to eat a limb torn off a living creature —
Not to eat blood —
Not to eat certain fats of clean animals —
Not to eat the sinew of the thigh —
Not to eat mixtures of milk and meat cooked together —
Not to cook meat and milk together —
Not to eat bread from new grain before the Omer —
Not to eat parched grains from new grain before the Omer —
Not to eat ripened grains from new grain before the Omer —
Not to eat fruit of a tree during its first three years —
Not to eat diverse seeds planted in a vineyard —
Not to eat untithed fruits —
Not to drink wine poured in service to idols —
To ritually slaughter an animal before eating it —
Not to slaughter an animal and its offspring on the same day —
To cover the blood (of a slaughtered beast or fowl) with earth —
To send away the mother bird before taking its children —
To release the mother bird if she was taken from the nest —
Not to swear falsely in God's Name —
Not to take God's Name in vain — Standard: ; Yemenite:
Not to deny possession of something entrusted to you —
Not to swear in denial of a monetary claim —
To swear in God's Name to confirm the truth when deemed necessary by court —
To fulfill what was uttered and to do what was avowed —
Not to break oaths or vows —
For oaths and vows annulled, there are the laws of annulling vows explicit in the Torah —
The Nazirite must let his hair grow —
He must not cut his hair —
He must not drink wine, wine mixtures, or wine vinegar —
He must not eat fresh grapes —
He must not eat raisins —
He must not eat grape seeds —
He must not eat grape skins —
He must not be under the same roof as a corpse —
He must not come into contact with the dead —
He must shave his head after bringing sacrifices upon completion of his Nazirite period —
To estimate the value of people as determined by the Torah —
To estimate the value of consecrated animals —
To estimate the value of consecrated houses —
To estimate the value of consecrated fields —
Carry out the laws of interdicting possessions (cherem) —
Not to sell the cherem —
Not to redeem the cherem —
Not to plant diverse seeds together —
Not to plant grains or greens in a vineyard —
Not to crossbreed animals —
Not to work different animals together —
Not to wear shaatnez, a cloth woven of wool and linen —
To leave a corner of the field uncut for the poor —
Not to reap that corner —
To leave gleanings —
Not to gather the gleanings —
To leave the unformed clusters of grapes —
Not to pick the unformed clusters of grapes —
To leave the gleanings of a vineyard —
Not to gather the gleanings of a vineyard —
To leave the forgotten sheaves in the field —
Not to retrieve them —
To separate the "tithe for the poor" —
To give charity —
Not to withhold charity from the poor —
To set aside Terumah (heave offering) Gedolah (gift for the Kohen) —
The Levite must set aside a tenth of his tithe —
Not to preface one tithe to the next, but separate them in their proper order —
A non-Kohen must not eat Terumah —
A hired worker or a Jewish bondsman of a Kohen must not eat Terumah —
An uncircumcised Kohen must not eat Terumah —
An impure Kohen must not eat Terumah —
A chalalah (party to #s 169-172 above) must not eat Terumah —
To set aside Ma'aser (tithe) each planting year and give it to a Levite —
To set aside the second tithe (Ma'aser Sheni) —
Not to spend its redemption money on anything but food, drink, or ointment —
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni while impure —
A mourner on the first day after death must not eat Ma'aser Sheni —
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni grains outside Jerusalem —
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni wine products outside Jerusalem —
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni oil outside Jerusalem —
The fourth year crops must be totally for holy purposes like Ma'aser Sheni —
To read the confession of tithes every fourth and seventh year —
To set aside the first fruits and bring them to the Temple —
The Kohanim must not eat the first fruits outside Jerusalem —
To read the Torah portion pertaining to their presentation —
To set aside a portion of dough for a Kohen —
To give the foreleg, two cheeks, and abomasum of slaughtered animals to a Kohen —
To give the first shearing of sheep to a Kohen —
To redeem firstborn sons and give the money to a Kohen —
To redeem the firstborn donkey by giving a lamb to a Kohen —
To break the neck of the donkey if the owner does not intend to redeem it —
To rest the land during the seventh year by not doing any work which enhances growth —
Not to work the land during the seventh year —
Not to work with trees to produce fruit during that year —
Not to reap crops that grow wild that year in the normal manner —
Not to gather grapes which grow wild that year in the normal way —
To leave free all produce which grew in that year —
To release all loans during the seventh year —
Not to pressure or claim from the borrower —
Not to refrain from lending immediately before the release of the loans for fear of monetary loss —
The Sanhedrin must count seven groups of seven years —
The Sanhedrin must sanctify the fiftieth year —
To blow the Shofar on the tenth of Tishrei to free the slaves —
Not to work the soil during the fiftieth year (Jubilee) —
Not to reap in the normal manner that which grows wild in the fiftieth year —
Not to pick grapes which grew wild in the normal manner in the fiftieth year —
Carry out the laws of sold family properties —
Not to sell the land in Israel indefinitely —
Carry out the laws of houses in walled cities —
The Tribe of Levi must not be given a portion of the land in Israel, rather they are given cities to dwell in —
The Levites must not take a share in the spoils of war —
To give the Levites cities to inhabit and their surrounding fields —
Not to sell the fields but they shall remain the Levites' before and after the Jubilee year —
To build a Temple —
Not to build the altar with stones hewn by metal — Standard: ; Yemenite:
Not to climb steps to the altar — Standard: ; Yemenite:
To show reverence to the Temple —
To guard the Temple area —
Not to leave the Temple unguarded —
To prepare the anointing oil —
Not to reproduce the anointing oil —
Not to anoint with anointing oil —
Not to reproduce the incense formula —
Not to burn anything on the Golden Altar besides incense —
The Levites must transport the ark on their shoulders —
Not to remove the staves from the ark —
The Levites must work in the Temple —
No Levite must do another's work of either a Kohen or a Levite —
To dedicate the Kohen for service —
The work of the Kohanims shifts must be equal during holidays —
The Kohanim must wear their priestly garments during service —
Not to tear the priestly garments —
The Kohen Gadols (High Priest) breastplate must not be loosened from the Efod —
A Kohen must not enter the Temple intoxicated —
A Kohen must not enter the Temple with his head uncovered —
A Kohen must not enter the Temple with torn clothes —
A Kohen must not enter the Temple indiscriminately —
A Kohen must not leave the Temple during service —
To send the impure from the Temple —
Impure people must not enter the Temple —
Impure people must not enter the Temple Mount area —
Impure Kohanim must not do service in the temple —
An impure Kohen, following immersion, must wait until after sundown before returning to service —
A Kohen must wash his hands and feet before service —
A Kohen with a physical blemish must not enter the sanctuary or approach the altar —
A Kohen with a physical blemish must not serve —
A Kohen with a temporary blemish must not serve —
One who is not a Kohen must not serve —
To offer only unblemished animals —
Not to dedicate a blemished animal for the altar —
Not to slaughter it —
Not to sprinkle its blood —
Not to burn its fat —
Not to offer a temporarily blemished animal —
Not to sacrifice blemished animals even if offered by non-Jews —
Not to inflict wounds upon dedicated animals —
To redeem dedicated animals which have become disqualified —
To offer only animals which are at least eight days old —
Not to offer animals bought with the wages of a harlot or the animal exchanged for a dog. Some interpret "exchange for a dog" as referring to wage of a male prostitute.