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The 613 Mitzvot (Commandments)
613 is one of the most famous Jewish numbers, representing all the commandments of the Torah. How many can you name?
The following is a brief listing of the 613 commandments (mitzvot), as recorded and classified by Maimonides in the 12th century. This listing is taken from his classic compendium of Jewish law, the "Mishneh Torah," which contains 14 primary "books" or sections.
This list should not be used as a source for any practical Halachic ruling. There are differences of opinion over the applicability today of some commandments in this list. Similarly, distinctions must often be made between rabbinically-decreed commandments and those that still have binding force as Torah-law today. In all cases of doubt, a competent rabbinical authority should be consulted.
This list is reprinted from the book, "Bible Basics," a user-friendly, illustrated reference guide to the Five Books of Moses. (Published by International Traditions Corporation, Jerome S. Hahn, General Editor.)
COMMANDMENT SOURCE
BOOK ONE: THE BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE
| Fundamentals of Torah: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | To know there is a God | Ex. 20:2 |
| 2 | Not to entertain thoughts of other gods besides Him | |
| Ex. 20:3 | ||
| 3 | To know that He is one | Deut. 6:4 |
| 4 | To love Him | Deut. 6:5 |
| 5 | To fear Him | Deut. 10:20 |
| 6 | To sanctify His Name | Lev. 22:32 |
| 7 | Not to profane His Name | Lev. 22:32 |
| 8 | Not to destroy objects associated with His Name | Deut. 12:4 |
| 9 | To listen to the prophet speaking in His Name | Deut. 18:15 |
| 10 | Not to test the prophet unduly | Deut. 6:16 |
| Laws of Character | ||
|---|---|---|
| 11 | To emulate His ways | Deut. 28:9 |
| 12 | To cleave to those who know Him | Deut. 10:20 |
| 13 | To love Jews | Lev. 19:18 |
| 14 | To love converts | Deut. 10:19 |
| 15 | Not to hate fellow Jews | Lev. 19:17 |
| 16 | To reprove | Lev. 19:17 |
| 17 | Not to embarrass others | Lev. 19:17 |
| 18 | Not to oppress the weak | Ex. 21:22 |
| 19 | Not to speak derogatorily of others | Lev. 19:16 |
| 20 | Not to take revenge | Lev. 19:18 |
| 21 | Not to bear a grudge | Lev. 19:18 |
| Laws of Torah Study | ||
|---|---|---|
| 22 | To learn Torah | Deut. 6:7 |
| 23 | To honor those who teach and know Torah | Lev. 19:32 |
| Laws of Idolatry and Paganism | ||
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Not to inquire into idolatry | Lev. 19:4 |
| 25 | Not to follow the whims of your heart or what your eyes see | Num. 15:39 |
| 26 | Not to blaspheme | Ex. 22:27 |
| 27 | Not to worship idols in the manner they are worshiped | Ex. 20:5 |
| 28 | Not to worship idols in the four ways we worship God | Ex. 20:5 |
| 29 | Not to make an idol for yourself | Ex. 20:4 |
| 30 | Not to make an idol for others | Lev. 19:4 |
| 31 | Not to make human forms even for decorative purposes | Ex. 20:20 |
| 32 | Not to turn a city to idolatry | Ex. 23:13 |
| 33 | To burn a city that has turned to idol worship | Deut. 13:17 |
| 34 | Not to rebuild it as a city | Deut. 13:17 |
| 35 | Not to derive benefit from it | Deut. 13:18 |
| 36 | Not to missionize an individual to idol worship | Deut. 13:12 |
| 37 | Not to love the missionary | Deut. 13:9 |
| 38 | Not to cease hating the missionary | Deut. 13:9 |
| 39 | Not to save the missionary | Deut. 13:9 |
| 40 | Not to say anything in his defense | Deut. 13:9 |
| 41 | Not to refrain from incriminating him | Deut. 13:9 |
| 42 | Not to prophesize in the name of idolatry | Deut. 13:14 |
| 43 | Not to listen to a false prophet | Deut. 13:4 |
| 44 | Not to prophesize falsely in the name of God | Deut. 18:20 |
| 45 | Not to be afraid of killing the false prophet | Deut. 18:22 |
| 46 | Not to swear in the name of an idol | Ex. 23:13 |
| 47 | Not to perform ov (medium) | Lev. 19:31 |
| 48 | Not to perform yidoni (magical seer) | Lev. 19:31 |
| 49 | Not to pass your children through the fire to Molech | Lev. 18:21 |
| 50 | Not to erect a column in a public place of worship | Deut. 16:22 |
| 51 | Not to bow down on smooth stone | Lev. 26:1 |
| 52 | Not to plant a tree in the Temple courtyard | Deut. 16:21 |
| 53 | To destroy idols and their accessories | Deut. 12:2 |
| 54 | Not to derive benefit from idols and their accessories | Deut. 7:26 |
| 55 | Not to derive benefit from ornaments of idols | Deut. 7:25 |
| 56 | Not to make a covenant with idolaters | Deut. 7:2 |
| 57 | Not to show favor to them | Deut. 7:2 |
| 58 | Not to let them dwell in our land | Ex. 23:33 |
| 59 | Not to imitate them in customs and clothing | Lev. 20:23 |
| 60 | Not to be superstitious | Lev. 19:26 |
| 61 | Not to go into a trance to foresee events, etc. | Deut. 18:10 |
| 62 | Not to engage in astrology | Lev. 19:26 |
| 63 | Not to mutter incantations | Deut. 18:11 |
| 64 | Not to attempt to contact the dead | Deut. 18:11 |
| 65 | Not to consult the ov | Deut. 18:11 |
| 66 | Not to consult the yidoni | Deut. 18:11 |
| 67 | Not to perform acts of magic | Deut. 18:10 |
| 68 | Men must not shave the hair off the sides of their head | Lev. 19:27 |
| 69 | Men must not shave their beards with a razor | Lev. 19:27 |
| 70 | Men must not wear women's clothing | Deut. 22:5 |
| 71 | Women must not wear men's clothing | Deut. 22:5 |
| 72 | Not to tattoo the skin | Lev. 19:28 |
| 73 | Not to tear the skin in mourning | Deut. 14:1 |
| 74 | Not to make a bald spot in mourning | Deut. 14:1 |
| Laws of Repentance | ||
|---|---|---|
| 75 | To repent and confess wrongdoings | Num. 5:7 |
BOOK TWO: THE BOOK OF LOVE OF GOD
| Laws of Reading the Shema | ||
|---|---|---|
| 76 | To say the Shema twice daily | Deut. 6:7 |
| Laws of Prayer and Kohanic Blessings | ||
|---|---|---|
| 77 | To serve the Almighty with prayer daily | Ex. 23:25 |
| 78 | The Kohanim must bless the Jewish nation daily | Num. 6:23 |
| Laws of Tefillin, Mezuza and Sefer Torah | ||
|---|---|---|
| 79 | To wear tefillin on the head | Deut. 6:8 |
| 80 | To bind tefillin on the arm | Deut. 6:8 |
| 81 | To put a mezuzah on each door post | Deut. 6:9 |
| 82 | Each male must write a Sefer Torah | Deut. 31:19 |
| 83 | The king must have a separate Sefer Torah for himself | Deut. 17:18 |
| Laws of Tzitzit | ||
|---|---|---|
| 84 | To have tzitzit on four-cornered garments | Num. 15:38 |
| Laws of Blessings | ||
|---|---|---|
| 85 | To bless the Almighty after eating | Deut. 8:10 |
| Laws of Circumcision | ||
|---|---|---|
| 86 | To circumcise all males on the eighth day after their birth | Lev. 12:3 |
BOOK THREE: THE BOOK OF SEASONS
| Laws of the Sabbath | ||
|---|---|---|
| 87 | To rest on the seventh day | Ex. 23:12 |
| 88 | Not to do prohibited labor on the seventh day | Ex. 20:10 |
| 89 | The court must not inflict punishment on Shabbat | Ex. 35:3 |
| 90 | Not to walk outside the city boundary on Shabbat | Ex. 16:29 |
| 91 | To sanctify the day with Kiddush and Havdallah | Ex. 20:8 |
| Laws of Eruvin (Rabbinical) |
|---|
| Laws of Yom Kippur Rest | ||
|---|---|---|
| 92 | To rest from prohibited labor | Lev. 23:32 |
| 93 | Not to do prohibited labor on Yom Kippur | Lev. 23:32 |
| 94 | To afflict yourself on Yom Kippur | Lev. 16:29 |
| 95 | Not to eat or drink on Yom Kippur | Lev. 23:29 |
| Laws of Festival Rest | ||
|---|---|---|
| 96 | To rest on the first day of Passover | Lev. 23:7 |
| 97 | Not to do prohibited labor on the first day of Passover | Lev. 23:8 |
| 98 | To rest on the seventh day of Passover | Lev. 23:8 |
| 99 | Not to do prohibited labor on the seventh day of Passover | Lev. 23:8 |
| 100 | To rest on Shavuot | Lev. 23:21 |
| 101 | Not to do prohibited labor on Shavuot | Lev. 23:21 |
| 102 | To rest on Rosh Hashana | Lev. 23:24 |
| 103 | Not to do prohibited labor on Rosh Hashana | Lev. 23:25 |
| 104 | To rest on Sukkot | Lev. 23:35 |
| 105 | Not to do prohibited labor on Sukkot | Lev. 23:35 |
| 106 | To rest on Shmini Atzeret | Lev. 23:36 |
| 107 | Not to do prohibited labor on Shmini Atzeret | Lev. 23:36 |
| Laws of Chometz and Matzah | ||
|---|---|---|
| 108 | Not to eat chametz on the afternoon of the 14th day of Nissan | Deut. 16:3 |
| 109 | To destroy all chametz on 14th day of Nissan | Ex. 12:15 |
| 110 | Not to eat chametz all seven days of Passover | Ex. 13:3 |
| 111 | Not to eat mixtures containing chametz all seven days of Passover | Ex. 12:20 |
| 112 | Not to see chametz in your domain seven days | Ex. 13:7 |
| 113 | Not to find chametz in your domain seven days | Ex. 12:19 |
| 114 | To eat matzah on the first night of Passover | Ex. 12:18 |
| 115 | To relate the exodus from Egypt on that night | Ex. 13:8 |
| Laws of Shofar, Sukkah, Lulav | ||
|---|---|---|
| 116 | To hear the Shofar on the first day of Tishrei (Rosh Hashana) | Num. 29:1 |
| 117 | To dwell in a Sukkah for the seven days of Sukkot | Lev. 23:42 |
| 118 | To take up a Lulav and Etrog all seven days | Lev. 23:40 |
| Laws of Shekalim | ||
|---|---|---|
| 119 | Each man must give a half shekel annually | Ex. 30:13 |
| Laws of Sanctification of Months | ||
|---|---|---|
| 120 | Courts must calculate to determine when a new month begins | Ex. 12:2 |
| Laws of Fasts | ||
|---|---|---|
| 121 | To afflict and cry out before God in times of catastrophe | Num. 10:9 |
| Laws of Megillah and Chanukah (Rabbinical) |
|---|
BOOK FOUR: THE BOOK OF WOMEN
| Laws of Marriage | ||
|---|---|---|
| 122 | To marry a wife by means of ketubah and kiddushin | Deut. 22:13 |
| 123 | Not to have relations with women not thus married | Deut. 23:18 |
| 124 | Not to withhold food, clothing, and relations from your wife | Ex. 21:10 |
| 125 | To have children with one's wife | Gen 1:28 |
| Laws of Divorce | ||
|---|---|---|
| 126 | To issue a divorce by means of a "get" document | Deut. 24:1 |
| 127 | A man must not remarry his wife after she has married someone else | Deut. 24:4 |
| Laws of Yivum and Chalitzah (Levirate Marriage) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128 | To do yibum (marry childless brother's widow) | Deut. 25:5 |
| 129 | To do chalitzah (freeing a widow from yibum) | Deut. 25:9 |
| 130 | The widow must not remarry until the ties with her brother-in-law are removed |
Deut. 25:5 |
| Laws of Women | ||
|---|---|---|
| 131 | The court must fine one who seduces a maiden | Ex. 22:15-16 |
| 132 | The rapist must marry the maiden (if she chooses) | Deut. 22:29 |
| 133 | He is not allowed to divorce her | Deut. 22:29 |
| 134 | The slanderer must remain married to his wife | Deut. 22:19 |
| 135 | He must not divorce her | Deut. 22:19 |
| Laws of Sotah (Suspect Wife) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 136 | To fulfill the laws of the Sotah | Num. 5:30 |
| 137 | Not to put oil on her meal offering | Num. 5:15 |
| 138 | Not to put frankincense on her meal offering | Num. 5:15 |
BOOK FIVE: THE BOOK OF HOLINESS
| Laws of Forbidden Relations | ||
|---|---|---|
| 139 | Not to have relations with your mother | Lev. 18:7 |
| 140 | Not to have relations with your father's wife | Lev. 18:8 |
| 141 | Not to have relations with your sister | Lev. 18:9 |
| 142 | Not to have relations with your father's wife's daughter | Lev. 18:11 |
| 143 | Not to have relations with your son's daughter | Lev. 18:10 |
| 144 | Not to have relations with your daughter | Lev. 18:10 |
| 145 | Not to have relations with your daughter's daughter | Lev. 18:10 |
| 146 | Not to have relations with a woman and her daughter | Lev. 18:17 |
| 147 | Not to have relations with a woman and her son's daughter | Lev. 18:17 |
| 148 | Not to have relations with a woman and her daughter's daughter | Lev. 18:17 |
| 149 | Not to have relations with your father's sister | Lev. 18:12 |
| 150 | Not to have relations with your mother's sister | Lev. 18:13 |
| 151 | Not to have relations with your father's brother's wife | Lev. 18:14 |
| 152 | Not to have relations with your son's wife | Lev. 18:15 |
| 153 | Not to have relations with your brother's wife | Lev. 18:16 |
| 154 | Not to have relations with your wife's sister | Lev. 18:18 |
| 155 | A man must not have relations with a beast | Lev. 18:23 |
| 156 | A woman must not have relations with a beast | Lev. 18:23 |
| 157 | Not to have homosexual relations | Lev. 18:22 |
| 158 | Not to have homosexual relations with your father | Lev. 18:7 |
| 159 | Not to have homosexual relations with your father's brother | Lev. 18:14 |
| 160 | Not to have relations with a married woman | Lev. 18:20 |
| 161 | Not to have relations with a menstrually impure woman | Lev. 18:19 |
| 162 | Not to marry non-Jews | Deut. 7:3 |
| 163 | Not to let Moabite and Ammonite males marry into the Jewish people | Deut. 23:4 |
| 164 | Don't keep a third generation Egyptian convert from marrying into the Jewish people |
Deut. 23:8-9 |
| 165 | Not to refrain from marrying a third generation Edomite convert |
Deut. 23:8-9 |
| 166 | Not to let a mamzer marry into the Jewish people | Deut. 23:3 |
| 167 | Not to let a eunuch marry into the Jewish people | Deut. 23:2 |
| 168 | Not to castrate any male (including animals) | Lev. 22:24 |
| 169 | The High Priest must not marry a widow | Lev. 21:14 |
| 170 | The High Priest must not have relations with a widow even outside of marriage | Lev. 21:15 |
| 171 | The High Priest must marry a virgin maiden | Lev. 21:13 |
| 172 | A Kohen must not marry a divorcee | Lev. 21:7 |
| 173 | A Kohen must not marry a zonah (a woman who had forbidden relations) | Lev. 21:7 |
| 174 | A priest must not marry a chalalah (party to or product of 169-172) | Lev. 21:7 |
| 175 | Not to make pleasurable contact with any forbidden woman | Lev. 18:6 |
| Laws of Forbidden Foods |
|---|
