Daily Rambam (1) The Fourteen Books of the Mishneh Torah – Part 1 (Thursday, 25th Shevat)

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The Fourteen Books of the Mishneh Torah – Part 1

This title has been divided into 14 books.

  1. The first book-Mada: Includes all of the commands relating to the fundamentals of Judaism, which a person must know before anything else such as G-d’s unity, and the prohibition of idolatry and the like.

  1. The second book-Ahava: Includes all of the constant commands which were given in order to express one’s love of G-d and to remember Him. This includes the command of reading the Shema, praying to G-d, wearing tefillin, the blessing of the priests, and circumcision which is a mitzvah that reminds us of G-d constantly even at times that we are not wearing tefillin and Tzitzis.

  1. The third book-Zemanim: Includes all the commands relating to holidays, such as Shabbos and Yom Tov.

  1. The fourth book-Nashim: Includes all the commands relating to marriage including the laws of Kiddushin, divorce, Yibum and Chalitza.

  1. The fifth book-Kedusha: Includes all the commands relating to forbidden relations and forbidden foods, which are two matters in which we the Jewish people are different than the Gentile nations.

  1. The sixth book-Haflah: Includes all the commands relating to one who prohibited a certain matter upon himself, such as through an oath or vow.

  1. The seventh book-Zeraim: Includes all the commands relating to agriculture, such as the laws of Shemita, Yoval, Terumos Umaasros.

  1. The eighth book-Avoda: Includes all the commands relating to the temple and its public offering.

  1. The ninth book-Karbanos: Includes all the commands relating to private offerings.

  1. The tenth book-Taharah: Includes all the commands relating to purity and impurity.

  1. The 11th book-Nezikin: Includes all the commands relating to man and his fellow, which involves monetary damage or bodily injury.

  1. The 12th book-Kinyan: Includes all the commands relating to business, sales and purchases.

  1. The 13th book-Mishpatim: Includes all the commands relating to man and his fellow that do not involve damages, such as custodians, loans, and various claims.

  1. The 14th book-Shoftim: Includes all the commands relating to the Supreme Court, such as capital punishment, witnesses, and laws relating to a monarchy and war.

The detailed laws in each book:

We will now begin to detail the chapters and mitzvah’s included in each book:

  1. The Book of Knowledge – Mada

Contains five sections (halachot):

  1. Laws Which Are the Foundations of the Torah

10 mitzvot total — 6 positive, 4 negative

  1. Know that there is a G-d.
  2. Do not consider the possibility of any other deity.
  3. Affirm G-d’s unity.
  4. Love G-d.
  5. Fear G-d.
  6. Sanctify His Name.
  7. Do not profane His Name.
  8. Do not destroy objects associated with G-d’s Name.
  9. Listen to a prophet who speaks in G-d’s Name.
  10. Do not test G-d.

  1. Laws of Personal Development – Deios

11 mitzvot total — 5 positive, 6 negative

  1. Emulate G-d’s ways.
  2. Cling to those who know Him.
  3. Love one’s fellow Jew.
  4. Love converts.
  5. Do not hate a fellow Jew.
  6. Rebuke others when necessary.
  7. Do not embarrass others.
  8. Do not oppress the unfortunate.
  9. Do not gossip.
  10. Do not take revenge.
  11. Do not bear a grudge.

  1. Laws of Torah Study

2 mitzvot total

  1. Study Torah.
  2. Honor Torah scholars.

  1. Laws Against Idol Worship and Pagan Practices

51 mitzvot total — 2 positive, 49 negative

  1. Do not become interested in idol worship.
  2. Do not stray after your heart or eyes.
  3. Do not curse G-d.
  4. Do not worship idols in their customary manner.
  5. Do not bow to idols.
  6. Do not make an idol for yourself.
  7. Do not make an idol for others.
  8. Do not make decorative images.
  9. Do not entice others to worship idols.
  10. Destroy an apostate city.
  11. Never rebuild it.
  12. Do not benefit from its property.
  13. Do not persuade an individual to worship idols.
  14. Do not love the enticer.
  15. Do not lessen hatred of him.
  16. Do not save his life.
  17. Do not defend him.
  18. Do not withhold evidence against him.
  19. Do not prophesy in the name of idols.
  20. Do not listen to such a prophet.
  21. Do not give false prophecy even in G-d’s name.
  22. Do not fear executing a false prophet.
  23. Do not swear in the name of an idol.
  24. Do not perform “ov” practices.
  25. Do not perform “yidoni” practices.
  26. Do not pass children to Molech.
  27. Do not erect a pillar for worship.
  28. Do not prostrate on hewn stones.
  29. Do not plant an asherah tree.
  30. Destroy idols and their accessories.
  31. Do not benefit from idols or their accessories.
  32. Do not benefit from ornaments of idols.
  33. Do not make covenants with idolatrous nations.
  34. Do not show them favor.
  35. Do not allow them to live in our land.
  36. Do not follow their customs.
  37. Do not practice soothsaying.
  38. Do not practice black magic.
  39. Do not practice divination.
  40. Do not cast spells.
  41. Do not seek information from the dead.
  42. Do not consult an “ov.”
  43. Do not consult a “yidoni.”
  44. Do not practice sorcery.
  45. Do not shave the temples of the head.
  46. Do not shave the corners of the beard.
  47. A man must not wear women’s clothing.
  48. A woman must not wear men’s clothing.
  49. Do not tattoo the body.
  50. Do not make cuts in mourning.
  51. Do not tear out hair in mourning.

  1. Laws of Repentance (Teshuvah)

1 mitzvah total

  1. Repent and confess one’s sins before G-d.

Total for the Book of Knowledge:

75 mitzvot — 16 positive, 59 negative

  1. The Book of Love

Contains six sections (halachot):

  1. Laws of Reciting the Shema

1 positive commandment

  1. Recite the Shema twice daily.

  1. Laws of Prayer and the Priestly Blessing

2 positive commandments

  1. Pray daily.
  2. Priests should bless the Jewish people daily.

  1. Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah, and Torah Scrolls

5 positive commandments

  1. Wear tefillin on the head.
  2. Wear tefillin on the arm.
  3. Affix a mezuzah on every doorway.
  4. Each man must write a Torah scroll.
  5. A king must write a second Torah scroll.

  1. Laws of Tzitzit

1 positive commandment

  1. Place tzitzit on the corners of garments.

  1. Laws of Blessings

1 positive commandment

  1. Bless G-d after eating.
  1. Laws of Circumcision

1 positive commandment

  1. Circumcise males on the eighth day.

Total for the Book of Love:

11 positive commandments

(No negative commandments.)

III. The Book of the Seasons

Contains ten sections:

  1. Laws of the Sabbath

5 mitzvot — 2 positive, 3 negative

  1. Rest on Shabbat.
  2. Do not do work on Shabbat.
  3. The court must not punish on Shabbat.
  4. Do not travel beyond the Shabbat limit.
  5. Sanctify Shabbat by remembering it.

  1. Laws of Eruvin

1 rabbinic mitzvah (not counted among 613)

  1. Laws of Yom Kippur

4 mitzvot — 2 positive, 2 negative

  1. Rest on Yom Kippur.
  2. Do not do work on Yom Kippur.
  3. Fast on Yom Kippur.
  4. Do not eat or drink on Yom Kippur.

  1. Laws of Resting on the Holidays

12 mitzvot — 6 positive, 6 negative

(Each holiday has “rest” and “no work.”)

  1. Laws of Chametz and Matzah

8 mitzvot — 3 positive, 5 negative

  1. Do not eat chametz after midday on the 14th.
  2. Destroy chametz on the 14th.
  3. Do not eat chametz all seven days.
  4. Do not eat mixtures containing chametz.
  5. Chametz must not be seen.
  6. Chametz must not be found.
  7. Eat matzah on the first night.
  8. Tell the story of the Exodus.

  1. Laws of Shofar, Sukkah, and Lulav

3 positive commandments

  1. Hear the shofar on Rosh Hashanah.
  2. Dwell in the sukkah for seven days.
  3. Take the lulav in the Temple all seven days.

  1. Laws of the Half‑Shekel

1 positive commandment

  1. Give a half‑shekel yearly.

  1. Laws of Sanctifying the New Month

1 positive commandment

  1. Establish the new month through calculation and testimony.

  1. Laws of Fasts

1 positive commandment

  1. Fast and cry out to G-d during communal distress.

  1. Laws of Megillah and Chanukah

2 rabbinic commandments

Total for the Book of Seasons:

35 Torah commandments — 19 positive, 16 negative, plus 3 rabbinic.

  1. The Book of Women

Contains five sections:

  1. Laws of Marriage

4 mitzvot — 2 positive, 2 negative

  1. Marry with a formal act of kiddushin.
  2. Do not cohabit without kiddushin.
  3. Do not withhold food, clothing, or marital relations.
  4. Be fruitful and multiply.

  1. Laws of Divorce

2 mitzvot — 1 positive, 1 negative

  1. Divorce must be done with a get.
  2. Do not remarry a woman who married another after divorce.

  1. Laws of Yibbum and Chalitzah

3 mitzvot

  1. Perform yibbum.
  2. Perform chalitzah.
  3. A yevamah may not marry another until released.

  1. Laws of a Virgin Maiden

5 mitzvot — 3 positive, 2 negative

  1. Penalize a seducer.
  2. A rapist must marry the woman he raped.
  3. He must never divorce her.
  4. A slandered wife remains married forever.
  5. Her husband may never divorce her.

  1. Laws of the Sotah

3 mitzvot — 1 positive, 2 negative

  1. Perform the sotah ceremony.
  2. Do not put oil on her offering.
  3. Do not put frankincense on her offering.

Total for the Book of Women:

17 mitzvot — 9 positive, 8 negative

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.