What is a Mitzvah?
A mitzvah (pl. mitzvot) is a commandment from God to be performed as a religious duty. In Jewish Law, it is traditionally believed that there are 613 mitzvot. This specific number is not derived from the Torah, but from Jewish tradition. However, over time a number of works in Jewish literature have attempted to enumerate the 613 mitzvot.
There are different types of mitzvot. Some pertain to law (i.e. "do not murder"), some commemorate important events/days in Jewish history (e.g. observing Shabbat), & then there are "decrees," which are considered to have "no rationale" apart from God's divine will.
613 is certainly a lot of rules... but it's important to know that many of these apply to specific classes of people – such as kings or Levites – or are conditioned by temporary circumstances.
There are 6 “constant mitzvot” that are to be observed at all times:
To know God, & that God created all things.
Not to have any god(s) beside God
To know God's Oneness.
To fear God.
To love God.
Not to pursue the passions of your heart & stray after your eyes.
There are also 7 rabbinical mitzvot that are not found in the Torah or included in the 613, but are generally treated as if they were biblical commands. A few include:
To ritually wash the hands before eating bread
To read the Scroll of Esther on Purim
The word mitzvah has a secondary meaning to go along with first: it also refers to a deed performed in order to fulfill such commandments. You may hear terms like "performing mitzvot" or "completing a mitzvah" from a Jewish friend.
In lieu of all of the above, please join us in praying that the eyes of the Jewish people will be opened & that they will come to know Messiah Jesus & the freedom He brings. There is both beauty & benefit in many of these commandments & traditions, but they do not bring salvation. No matter how many "mitzvot" we complete, we will never measure up to our holy God! Only Yeshua (Jesus) can save.
Our purpose in sharing these tidbits is not to imply that these traditions have to be followed by believers in Jesus/Messianic Jews, but in order to help others better learn about and understand their Jewish neighbors and friends so that they can better build bridges and connections with them.