The Mitzvot (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note

Nature & importance of the mitzvot

• Moses received 613 mitzvot from God on Mount Sinai

• The mitzvot are the rules that God wished the Jewish people to observe as their part of keeping the Mosaic Covenant

  • There are believed to be punishments as a consequence if the mitzvot are not observed

• The mitzvot are recorded in the Torah

• However, these mitzvot are often stated briefly and require further explanation

  • For example, the rule about doing ‘no work’ on the Sabbath needs to be interpreted so that Jews understand what exactly is meant by ‘work’

• Explanations were provided later by God to Moses in the form of the Oral Torah

  • The Oral Torah was passed on by the priests, judges, and rabbis and later written down in the Talmud 

• The main source of the Oral Torah is the Mishneh Torah, compiled by Maimonides in the twelfth century

  • The Mishneh Torah is seen as the most important statement of the Oral Torah

  • Many Jewish rabbis see it as the correct interpretation of the Oral Torah and any interpretations of the mitzvot must agree with the Mishneh Torah

• Together, the written and oral Torah make up the Halakhah, the Jewish law

• The mitzvot cannot change, as they were given to Moses directly by God

• However, as times change and society moves on, the mitzvot may need to be interpreted to suit today’s world

  • While the mitzvot does not change, the Halakhah can be adapted to incorporate modern ideas and inventions

    • For example, does driving a car or operating a computer or machinery count as ‘work’ on the Sabbath?

• Most Jews see the mitzvot and the Halakhah as the same thing - keeping the Halakhah, the Jewish law, means they are obeying the mitzvot

The mitzvot and free will

• Jews believe they were created by God and in the image of God

• Jews believe that they have been created with free will

• Therefore they believe that they are free to act in moral or immoral ways, to keep the mitzvot or to ignore them

• This is important because keeping the mitzvot is the chief way to follow God

• Jews choose to keep the mitzvot of their own free will

• They can therefore be judged for their actions if they fail to do so

The mitzvot between humans and the Almighty

• Jews obey the mitzvot because the commandments were given by God

  • Observing them is a sign of respect for God

• However, keeping the mitzvot is not just obeying a list of rules — it has a deeper spiritual meaning for Jews

• The word mitzvah means ‘commandment’ but is also linked to the word ‘connection’

  • Jews see observing the mitzvot as a way to build a deeper connection with God

  • It is a way to communicate with God through their actions

• Therefore the mitzvot is the expression of a relationship between God and humans

  • By giving the mitzvot, God reaches out to humans and helps them understand how to live in a way that pleases him

  • By keeping the mitzvot, humans show that they reach back to God and form a relationship with their creator

• This is how Jews believe they can truly be the ‘people of God’

• It represents the fulfilment of the Mosaic Covenant

The mitzvot between humans 

• The mitzvot also include rules on how humans should treat one another

• The Talmud says that ‘The mitzvot were given for the purpose of refining people’

• Keeping these rules helps people to treat one another in the way God intended, which helps to bond humans with each other

  • For example, the mitzvot teach about borrowing and lending money, and the punishment of criminals

  • They set Jews the example of behaving responsibly, compassionately, and with care for the world God created and one another

• There are also several mitzvot which do not relate to the correct way to treat God or other people

  • These are known as chukim, mitzvot with no reason given for them

    • For example, the law on keeping kosher

  • These types of mitzvot are considered a test of faith from God. There is no other reason for a Jew to keep them than to demonstrate their faith and build a relationship with God

Divergent understandings of the mitzvot for Jews

• Orthodox Jews consider the mitzvot as key to their faith today, as they cover every aspect of Jewish life and behaviour

  • They must consider the mitzvot in every action they take because there are rules for everything from how to organise the kitchen to what they can eat, drink, and do for a living

• Liberal and Reform Jews may regard the mitzvot as slightly less important than Orthodox Jews do

  • They do not believe the rules came directly to Moses from God, and so they may interpret them less literally. They would keep some but may choose not to keep others

  • For example, they may keep kosher or not obey food laws at all. They would see it as a matter of personal interpretation