Negative Commandments — Part 1 (Lo Ta’aseh 1–122)
Avodah Zarah — Idolatry & Forbidden Beliefs
- Do not allow into your thoughts the idea that any G-d exists besides Hashem.
- Do not make an idol or image — neither by your hand nor by commissioning others.
- Do not make an idol for yourself or for others.
- Do not make decorative images resembling heavenly beings, even if not for worship.
- Do not bow down to any idol.
- Do not serve idols in the manner they are customarily served.
- Do not pass children through fire to Molech.
- Do not perform acts of ov (necromancy).
- Do not perform acts of yidoni (spirit‑charming).
- Do not turn your thoughts toward idolatry.
Idolatrous Objects & Places
- Do not erect a forbidden pillar (matzevah).
- Do not place a kneeling‑stone (even maskit) for bowing.
- Do not plant an asherah tree in the Temple area.
- Do not swear in the name of an idol.
Enticement to Idolatry
- Do not entice others to serve idols.
- Do not mislead or seduce an Israelite toward idolatry.
- Do not love one who entices others to idolatry.
- Do not stop hating the enticer.
- Do not save the life of one who entices others to idolatry.
- Do not plead for the enticer’s innocence.
- Do not withhold testimony against the enticer when you know guilt.
Forbidden Benefit from Idols
- Do not benefit from any plated idol ornaments.
- Do not rebuild an idolatrous city.
- Do not benefit from the property of an idolatrous city.
- Do not benefit from idols, their accessories, their offerings, or their libation wine.
False Prophets & Misusing G-d’s Name
- Do not prophesy in the name of an idol.
- Do not prophesy falsely in Hashem’s Name.
- Do not listen to one who prophesies in the name of an idol.
- Do not fear executing a false prophet.
Practices of Idolaters
- Do not imitate the customs or statutes of idol‑worshippers.
- Do not practice divination (kossem).
- Do not practice soothsaying (onen).
- Do not practice omens (nichush).
- Do not practice sorcery (kishuf).
- Do not perform magical binding spells (chaver chavur).
- Do not consult the ov spirit.
- Do not consult the yidoni spirit.
- Do not inquire from the dead.
Modesty & Appearance
- Do not allow a woman to wear men’s garments.
- Do not allow a man to wear women’s garments.
- Do not tattoo yourself like idolaters.
- Do not wear shaatnez like idolatrous priests.
- Do not round the sides of your head.
- Do not destroy the corners of your beard.
- Do not cut yourself in mourning like idolaters.
Laws of the Land & Nations
- Do not dwell permanently in Egypt.
- Do not stray after the thoughts of your heart or the sights of your eyes.
- Do not make a covenant with the seven Canaanite nations.
- Do not allow any of the seven nations to remain alive.
- Do not show them favor.
- Do not let idolaters live in the Land.
- Do not intermarry with idolaters.
- Do not marry Ammonite or Moabite males into Israel forever.
- Do not reject Edomites beyond the third generation.
- Do not reject Egyptians beyond the third generation.
- Do not initiate peaceful overtures to Ammon or Moab during war.
Bal Tashchit & War Conduct
- Do not destroy fruit trees or commit needless destruction.
- Do not fear or flee from the enemy in war.
- Do not forget Amalek’s evil.
Hashem’s Name & Oaths
- Do not curse Hashem.
- Do not violate a Shvuat Bitui (a binding oath of expression).
- Do not swear falsely using Hashem’s Name.
- Do not desecrate Hashem’s Name.
- Do not test Hashem.
Holy Places, Articles & Kohanim
- Do not destroy the Temple, synagogues, or sacred writings.
- Do not leave a hanged body overnight.
- Do not interrupt the Temple guard duty.
- Do not allow a Kohen to enter the Sanctuary at any time.
- Do not allow a blemished Kohen to enter beyond the curtain.
- Do not let a blemished Kohen perform the Temple service.
- Do not let a temporary blemished Kohen serve.
- Do not let Levites do priestly work or Kohanim do Levitical work.
- Do not enter the Temple or render halachic rulings while drunk.
- Do not allow a non‑Kohen to perform Temple service.
- Do not let a Kohen serve while impure.
- Do not let a Kohen Tevul Yom serve before nightfall.
- Do not let an impure person enter the Temple courtyard.
- Do not let an impure person enter the Har HaBayit area.
Mizbeach & Karbanot (Prohibited Conduct)
- Do not build the altar of hewn stone.
- Do not ascend the altar with steps.
- Do not burn foreign incense or offer sacrifices on the Golden Altar.
- Do not extinguish the fire of the altar.
- Do not reproduce the anointing oil formula.
- Do not anoint with the anointing oil.
- Do not reproduce the incense formula.
- Do not remove the carrying poles of the Ark.
- Do not separate the Choshen from the Ephod.
- Do not tear the Kohen Gadol’s robe (me’il).
Offering Outside the Temple
- Do not offer korbanot outside the Temple.
- Do not slaughter korbanot outside the Temple.
Blemishes & Invalid Offerings
- Do not consecrate blemished animals for the altar.
- Do not slaughter blemished animals as sacrifices.
- Do not sprinkle the blood of a blemished animal.
- Do not burn the fats of a blemished animal.
- Do not offer a blemished transient animal.
- Do not offer a blemished animal brought by gentiles.
- Do not create a blemish in holy animals.
- Do not offer leaven or honey on the altar.
- Do not omit salt from the offerings.
- Do not offer payment of a prostitute or dog.
Special Karbanot — Korban Pesach and Others
- Do not slaughter a mother animal and its offspring on the same day.
(“אֹתוֹ וְאֶת בְּנוֹ לֹא תִשְׁחֲטוּ”)
- Do not put oil on the Minchat Choteh (sin‑offering meal).
- Do not put frankincense on the Minchat Choteh.
- Do not put oil on the Minchat Sotah.
- Do not put frankincense on the Minchat Sotah.
- Do not substitute one consecrated animal for another (no Temurah).
- Do not change the sanctity of a korban from one type to another.
- Do not redeem a firstborn kosher animal.
- Do not sell Maaser Behemah.
- Do not sell a field designated as Cherem.
- Do not redeem a field designated as Cherem.
- Do not completely separate the head of a bird sin‑offering during melikah.
- Do not work with consecrated animals.
- Do not shear consecrated animals.
- Do not slaughter the Korban Pesach while chametz exists.
- Do not leave the fats of the Pesach offering overnight.
- Do not leave any meat of the Pesach offering until morning.
- Do not leave the Chagigat Arba’ah Asar meat past the third day.
- Do not leave any Pesach Sheni meat until morning.
- Do not leave the meat of the Todah offering until morning (and likewise all kodashim after their time).
- Do not break a bone of the Korban Pesach.
- Do not break a bone of Pesach Sheni.
