In its primary meaning, the Hebrew word mitzvah (/ ˈmɪtsvə /; Hebrew: מִצְוָה, mīṣvā [mit͡sˈva], plural מִצְווֹת mīṣvōt [mit͡sˈvot]; "commandment") refers to a commandment from God to be performed as a religious duty. Jewish law (halakha) in large part consists of discussion of these commandments.

What is a mitzvah? The simple meaning of the word mitzvah is command. It appears in various forms with that meaning about 300 times in the Five Books of Moses. It generally refers to the Divine commandments to the Jewish people, things He wants us to do or not do.

One often hears someone Jewish saying, “It’s a mitzvah!” usually referring to a charitable, beneficial act performed by another person. However, the Hebrew word mitzvah does not mean “a good deed” in that sense. Mitzvah literally means “commandment.”

Jun 22, 2023 · In Judaism, a mitzvah (plural: mitzvot) is a commandment, obligation, or associated deed that serves as a means of fulfilling one’s religious duties and connecting with God. The term “mitzvah” is derived from the Hebrew …

Jun 2, 2024 · A mitzvah is a commandment, although not a command in the sense of an order (like in the army), but rather an instruction that the Torah provides that will help you to have a relationship with God.

Jun 25, 2019 · Mitzvah (מִצְוָה; plural: mitzvot or mitzvoth, מִצְווֹת) is Hebrew and translates literally to "command" or "commandment." In the Greek text of the Hebrew Bible, or Torah, the term is entole, and during the Second Temple Period (586 BCE-70 CE), it was popular to see philentolos ("lover of the commandments") etched onto Jewish tombs.

MITZVAH (Heb. מִצְוָה), a commandment, precept, or religious duty. The term is derived from the Hebrew root צוה which means "to command" or "to ordain." In common usage, mitzvah has taken on the meaning of a good deed. Already in the Talmud, this word was used for a meritorious act as distinct from a positive commandment.

Below is a list of the 613 mitzvot (commandments). It is based primarily on the list compiled by Rambam in the Mishneh Torah, but I have consulted other sources as well. As I said in the page on halakhah, Rambam's list is probably the most widely accepted list, but it is not the only one.

Several great Jewish scholars have compiled a complete listing of these mitzvahs. Although they all agree on the vast majority of the commandments, they do disagree concerning a number of them.

At the heart of halakhah is the unchangeable 613 mitzvot that G-d gave to the Jewish people in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). The word "mitzvah" means "commandment."