| General Mitzvahs Information |
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A Mitzvah (plural: Mitzvot) is described as a Commandment of God, or God’s Will. As the primary objective of a Jew is to live a life that is fully consonant with God’s Will, the Mitzvot are God’s instructions for how to fulfill our obligations. Mitzvot put God’s Will into practice. The Hebrew word “Mitzvah” is etymologically related to the word connection.”
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| Prayer |
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A Jew should pray three times daily: Shacharit, the Morning Prayer; Mincha, the afternoon prayer; and Ma’ariv (or Arvit), the evening prayer.
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| Washing the Hands |
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The hands are washed for holiness and sanctification, beginning with the morning washing, Negel Vasser (water for the nails), immediately upon awakening, before eating bread and after leaving a cemetery.
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| Mezuzah |
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A Mezuzah gaurds a Jewish house and designates it and pronounces that the contents and inhabitants are dedicated to serving God.
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| Charity |
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The word Tzedakah is derived from the Hebrew word Tzedek, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness.
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| Acts of Kindness |
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The Hebrew word Chesed means kindness. Gemilut Chassadim are acts of kindness.
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| Welcoming Guests |
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The Jewish home must always be hospitable. Guests must always be welcome at our table, particularly on Shabbat and festivals.
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| Visiting the Sick |
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It is a Mitzvah to visit the sick, see to their needs, cheer them up and pray for them, whether or not the person is rich, poor, young or old.
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| Love Your Fellow Jew |
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Rabbi Akiva said, “‘Love your fellow Jew as yourself.’ This is a cardinal
principle of the Torah.” We must always have a feeling of love and respect for our fellow Jew.
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| Insulting or Embarrassing a Fellow Man |
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If one embarrasses another in public, the victim’s face turns red with shame. The Rabbis regarded this phenomenon as akin to murder.
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| The Evil Tongue and Gossiping |
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One should not speak, write or even imply something evil against another, even if it is true. This is called Lashon Hora (evil speech). Telling tales and gossiping is called Rechilut.
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| Honor Your Father and Mother |
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Interestingly, nowhere does the Torah order us to love our parents. But our Sages have spelled out some of the many ways our Torah demands that we show them proper respect.
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| Stand before the Elderly |
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Mipneh Seivah Takum is a Mitzvah and mark of respect that the young must perform for the old.
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| Honoring Teachers |
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Due honor must also be given to Rabbis and teachers.
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| Truth |
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Emes means truth. One must always tell the truth.
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| Peace |
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One must always search for a peaceful solution to any difficult matter.
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| Joy |
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Simchah is Joy. Our Rabbis teach that melancholy keeps away the Spirit of God.
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| Return/Repentance |
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When a Jew does something wrong, God wants us to do Teshuvah (to return) to our proper place, to repent.
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| Modesty |
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A person should always be modest both in dress and in character, whether in public or in private.
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| Belief in Tzadikim |
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It is a great Mitzvah to attach oneself to a Tzaddik and learn from his or her ways.
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| Kosher Dietary Laws |
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The basic laws of Kashrus (Jewish dietary laws) are found in the Torah's
Book of Leviticus, with their details set down in the oral law (the Mishnah
and the Talmud) and codified by the Shulchan Aruch and later rabbinical
authorities. “For I am the Lord your God; sanctify yourselves therefore and
be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).
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| Tefillin |
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Tefillin is one of the most important Mitzvahs of the Torah, and has been observed and treasured for thousands of years, to the present day.
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