Mitzvah Studies
Dive deep into Torah debates “behind the scenes” of Jewish life
Welcome to Mitzvah Studies!
Behind each of the commandments that define Jewish life stands a rich world of Torah insight, discussion and debate. This is the world of the Talmud and of the great authorities of Jewish learning, who probed the meaning of the Bible’s commandments, and the manifold details of their practice and application, from the time of Moses until the present day. This is the theoretical world of the yeshivah, in which students delight in the nuanced flourishes of an elegant argument, and thrive on the drama of clever proofs and sharp rebuttals. This is the world that we invite you to enter.
The articles in this section are designed to take you on a deep dive into the Torah debates “behind the scenes” of the commandments that define Jewish life. Each article will guide you through key Torah sources from the Biblical verses all the way to contemporary discussions of how these commandments apply in the present day. None of these articles are exhaustive, nor are they the final word with regard to actual halachic practice. There is much, much more to learn about every single one of these mitzvot, and when it comes to practical questions a competent halachic authority should be consulted.
Mitzvah Studies - Article 1
The Rabbis of the Talmud and Midrash specify that in the merit of the mitzvah of procreation, especially, we will merit the coming of Moshiach.
|
Mitzvah Studies - Article 2
The Brit is an absolute, essential and eternal bond with G-d.
|
|
Mitzvah Studies - Article 3
As the new week begins, we reaffirm our constant remembrance of Shabbat and ensure that its sanctity is not forgotten even during the working week.
|
Mitzvah Studies - Article 4
Surely we don’t need G‑d to tell us that physical violence is not allowed?
|
|
Mitzvah Studies - Article 5
The Commandment of teshuvah. What exactly is the obligation? Is there an obligation? A deep dive into this unique commandment.
|
Mitzvah Studies - Article 6
The Prohibition Against Coveting Another’s Possessions: While it may seem intuitive not to covet what is not yours, the intricacies of this prohibition may surprise you. What is the actual biblical prohibition?
|
|
Mitzvah Studies - Article 7
Tzitzit is one of the most conspicuous mitzvot observed. What is the purpose of these fringes? What do they signify? Must everyone wear tzitzit?
|
Mitzvah Studies - Article 8
|
|
Mitzvah Studies - Article 9
|
Mitzvah Studies - Article 10
Since Hakhel—the septennial event requiring the entire Jewish nation to attend— has not occurred since Temple times, the exact particulars have become murky. In this article we will reconstruct the fine details as depicted in the vast canon of rabbinic literature.
|
Join the Discussion
New Convert to Traditional Orthodox Judiasm. I am a new convert and am trying very hard to learn more everyday. Official conversion is yet to come. I am too old to learn Hebrew but wish I could read and write it. Thank you much for including me in the studies.
Welcome to the tribe Lorraine! 😀
Start with the alef Bet and work your way up from there. There's a PDF alef bet chart somewhere on here. Print it out, and tape a copy of into it into your seforim. It makes for really great practice. Also, mazel tov and welcome to the tribe!
Thank you!
Always trying to learn more...insights needed. Thank you...
I'm loving the 'purity' of your wonderful 'offerings?'...early days for me, but so far very good...forward looking.
Are there more topics coming?
Thank you!
Much needed and very well presented advanced study material of the Jewish basics.
Please do continue to produce these brilliant pieces.
I went through all the articles.
They are highly informative and most comprehensive. Thank you very much for such articles. Please keep it up.