Mitzvot

• The Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:1-15
• Importance of the commandments:

  
  

  They were given DIRECTLY by GOD so are very important as they are his rules.

  
  

  They were given to MOSES to give to all the Jewish people and Moses is an important figure in

  Judaism (perhaps the most important person).

  
  

  They help Jews keep the covenant - they want to remain as his chosen people.

  
  

  They are clear and show Jews how to be obedient to God.
• The 613 mitzvot are an important part of the Jewish faith, however, it is impossible to

  keep all 613.
• Some of the 613 mitzvot are now obsolete (as they were connected to the Temple in

  Jerusalem that was destroyed) and some of them apply only to Israel.
• Orthodox Jews will try hard to keep the mitzvot as they believe they are duties or

  commands given by God to Moses. They live by the mitzvot to show their love for God and

  to build their relationship with God.
• Reform Jews would also see the mitzvot as important guidelines for how to live a good life.

  However, they would not be as strict as Orthodox Jews about every law and would

  concentrate more on doing good deeds. They may regard many of them as no longer

  relevant to life in the 21st century.
• For all Jews the saving of life (pikuach nefesh) allows Jews to break some of the mitzvot

  (apart from those connected to idolatry, adultery and incest).
• The mitzvot do remind Jews of their most important beliefs and are recorded in the Torah,

  which Maimonides states cannot be changed. However, as Jews believe in free-will they

  can choose which ones they observe.