It is commonly said that there are 613 mitzvot in the Torah.
The full list is not commonly enumerated, but two famous examples exist. It was codified first by Maimonides in the 1100s, and again a century later, by the Sefer HaHinuch, a book of the 613 laws organized specifically by their appearance in the Torah.
However, while interesting, the specifics are not how the Talmud relays this information to us. No section of the Talmud specifies every mitzvah, which might be surprising.
When it does appear, it appears in the construction of, “[this mitzvah] is one of the 613 mitzvot.” While I haven’t done a count, I’m confident that this does not happen 613 times.
In one specific mention, the Talmud takes an entirely different approach. It appears on Makkot 23b, and it begins like this:
Rabbi Simlai taught: There were 613 mitzvot stated to Moses in the Torah, consisting of 365 prohibitions corresponding to the number of days in the solar year, and 248 positive mitzvot corresponding to the number of a person’s limbs.
Rav Hamnuna said: What is the verse that alludes to this? It is written: “Moses commanded to us the Torah, an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:4).
Rabbi Simlai identifies that the number 613 is not arbitrary but rather exists as a combination of two other relevant numbers, positive and negative mitzvot. Simply: the dos and do-nots of commandments.
First, prohibitions align with the days of the solar year. Second, the positive commandments align with the traditional number of limbs and organs in the human body. These two numbers combined are 613.
Rabbi Hamnuna looks for a proof text in our weekly Torah portion, V’zot HaBrachah. The verse he chose uses the word Torah, which he unpacks like this:
The word Torah, in terms of its numerical value [gimatriyya], is 611. Combined with the two mitzvot: “I am the Lord your God” and: “You shall have no other gods” (Exodus 20:2, 3), the first two of the Ten Commandments, that we heard from the mouth of the Almighty, for a total of 613.
His proof is based on the idea that Moses transmitted most of the mitzvot, 611 of them, while God transmitted two Godself, the first two of the Ten Commandments.
This is some fancy numerical footwork, to say the least.
But this points to something supremely important: the 613 mitzvot are more representative than they are literal. Yes, the Rambam and Sefer HaHinuch’s framework is very literal. But it is not, here in the Talmud.
The Talmud then offers a mnemonic device for the teaching it is about a give, which we’ll skip over, except that this is a good reminder that the Talmud is not merely a lawbook but a pedagogical tool on how to think like the rabbis.
The mnemonic describes seven people who enacted a summary, if I must call it that, of the 613 mitzvot. You’ll see in a moment.
On Makkot 24a, it says this:
King David came and established the 613 mitzvot upon eleven mitzvot, as it is written:
Before we go to the proof text, let’s talk about the word “established” here. The word is he’e’midan, literally translated as “stood [it] upon them” from the root, Ayin Mem Dalet, to stand.
This tells us that these eleven mitzvot support the 613 mitzvot.
Ok, how do we know this?
…as it is written: “A Psalm of David. Lord, who shall sojourn in Your Tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Your sacred mountain? The one who walks wholeheartedly, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in their heart. Who has no slander upon their tongue, nor does evil to their neighbor, nor takes up reproach against their relative. In whose eyes a vile person is despised, and they honor those who fear the Lord; they take an oath to their own detriment, and changes not. They neither give their money with interest, nor takes a bribe against the innocent. The one who performs these shall never be moved” (Psalms, chapter 15).
In this singular verse, we understand “King David” to have established the essential nature of the commandments. This framework is attributed to him because the book of Psalms is attributed to him.
These central mitzvot are powerful:
Walk through the world upright, just, and honestly.
Do not speak poorly of others, and treat those around you well.
Evil and the misuse of money should not be tolerated.
Make and honor your commitments even if it is difficult.
We are learning about what matters most in the entirety of Torah, through the Psalms and the Talmud itself.
The Talmud continues by connecting each of the eleven to another person who manifested that value with a verse or a story. This reminds us that there are wonderful behavior models all around us, and we should seek them out.
But the Talmud doesn’t stop there.
Isaiah came and established the 613 mitzvot upon six, as it is written: “The one who walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; the one who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes their hands from holding of bribes, who stops their ears from hearing blood, and shuts their eyes from looking upon evil” (Isaiah 33:15).
A new framework, with only six mitzvot, is attributed to Isaiah.
Walk justly.
Speak equitably.
Do not oppress.
Do not take bribes.
Avoid violence.
Avoid evil.
Once again, it is a powerful summary of the core ideas of the entire Torah.
After the text analyzes each one, it says:
Micah came and established the 613 mitzvot upon three, as it is written: “It has been told to you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord does require of you; only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
“To do justly,” this is justice; “to love mercy,” this is an allusion to acts of loving-kindness; “and to walk humbly with your God,” this is an allusion to taking the indigent dead out for burial and accompanying a poor bride to her wedding…
Our third framework is attributed to Micah and is even more generalized. The Talmud explains this one succinctly.
Do justice.
Do kindness.
Support those who need it.
Our section of Talmud then concludes with two final frameworks, again attributed to Isaiah and then to Amos:
Isaiah then established the 613 mitzvot upon two, as it is stated: “So says the Lord: Observe justice and perform righteous-ness” (Isaiah 56:1).
Amos came and established the 613 mitzvot upon one, as it is stated: “So says the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek Me and live” (Amos 5:4).
Amos’ singular establishment was debated, so a new one was offered in its place:
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak objects to this: There is no proof that the verse in Amos is establishing all the mitzvot upon one; say that Amos is saying: Seek Me throughout the entire Torah, as the verse does not specify the manner in which one should seek the Lord.
Rather, say: Habakkuk came and established the 613 mitzvot upon one, as it is stated: “But the righteous person shall live by their faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
In the end, when we draw on the wisdom above, the efforts to simplify the entirety of Torah, we find the simplest possible answers:
The entire Torah, all 613 of the mitzvot, stand upon:
Emunah, upon faith.
Tzedek, upon justice.
Hesed, upon kindness.
This is an essential truth that can and should inform every detail of our Judaism.
Emunah is not just faith but a powerful mutuality with God and the universe, rooted in trust and knowing.
Tzedek is not merely justice but an essential building block of society, rooted in understanding and equity.
Hesed is not only kindness but a core way to interact with one’s fellow human beings, rooted in love and generosity.
As we conclude the Torah and seek to begin it anew, we can keep these truths close at hand. They can be study partners, guiding posts, and goals to aim for. The Torah is full of commandments, and there are good reasons to enumerate them, but the Talmud teaches us that they stand upon even more fundamental elements.
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I always find it so interesting when gematria comes up. It's just so alien to anything I would ever think to consider when trying to interpret the Word.