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10 Commandments: Judaism teaches that G-d gave the Jews 613 commandments, not merely ten. The biblical passage known to most people as the "Ten Commandments" is known to Jews as the Aseret ha-Dibrot, the Ten Declarations, and is considered to be ten categories of commandments rather than ten individual commandments.
613 Commandments: Judaism teaches that G-d gave the Jews 613 commandments, which are binding on Jews but not on non-Jews. Taryag is the numeral 613 in Hebrew numbering. See also Halakhah: Jewish Law.
Commandments: Judaism teaches that G-d gave the Jews 613 commandments, which are binding on Jews but not on non-Jews. See Halakhah: Jewish Law; A List of the 613 Mitzvot; Aseret ha-Dibrot: The "Ten Commandments".
Negative Commandments: Commandments not to do something, such as the commandment not to murder. In Hebrew, these are called mitzvot lo ta'aseh (commandments not to do). See Halakhah: Jewish Law.
Noahic Commandments: Seven commandments given to Noah after the flood, which are binding on both non-Jews and Jews.
Positive Commandments: Commandments to do something, such as the commandment to honor your mother and father. In Hebrew, these are called mitzvot aseh (commandments to do). See Halakhah: Jewish Law.

Pages (4):

A List of the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments): A list of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) that are binding on Jews.
Aseret ha-Dibrot: The Ten Commandments: Learn about the Jewish understanding of the Ten Commandments, known in Judaism as Aseret ha-Dibrot. Provides a Jewish perspective on the controversy surrounding public use of this text.
Jewish Attitudes Toward Non-Jews: Judaism does not maintain that Jews are better than other people. This page explains the Jewish attitudes towards non-Jews.
Site Map: Site map for Judaism 101, an encyclopedia of information about Judaism, Jewish practices, holidays, people and beliefs. For beginners, intermediate or advanced readers.

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10 Commandments: Judaism teaches that G-d gave the Jews 613 commandments, not merely ten. The biblical passage known to most people as the "Ten Commandments" is known to Jews as the Aseret ha-Dibrot, the Ten Declarations, and is considered to be ten categories of commandments rather than ten individual commandments.
613 Commandments: Judaism teaches that G-d gave the Jews 613 commandments, which are binding on Jews but not on non-Jews. Taryag is the numeral 613 in Hebrew numbering. See also Halakhah: Jewish Law.
Adultery: The Hebrew term for adultery found in the Ten Commandments (teen-AF) is generally understood to be a generic term for any kind of sexual immorality. The specific sin in Jewish law refers to sex between a man and a married woman only, not to sex between a married man and an unmarried woman, because polygyny was permitted under Jewish law.
Arba Minim: Lit. four species. Fruit and branches used to fulfill the commandment to "rejoice before the L-rd" during Sukkot. See also Blessing over the Arba Minim.
Bar Mitzvah (BAHR MITS-vuh): Lit. son of the commandment. A boy who has achieved the age of 13 and is consequently obligated to observe the commandments. Also, a ceremony marking the fact that a boy has achieved this age. For a girl, the ceremony is called a Bat Mitzvah (daughter of the commandment). For more than one child, it is referred to as a B'nai Mitzvah (children of the commandment).
Bat Mitzvah (BAHT MITS-vuh): Lit. daughter of the commandment. A girl who has achieved the age of 12 and is consequently obligated to observe the commandments. Also, a ceremony marking the fact that a girl has achieved this age. For a boy, the ceremony is called a Bar Mitzvah (son of the commandment). For more than one child, it is referred to as a B'nai Mitzvah (children of the commandment).
Beards: Traditionally, Jewish men wore full beards and long sideburns called in Hebrew peyot (pay-OHT) to observe the commandment in Lev. 19:27 not to round the corners of your head or mar the corners of your beard. There are points of Jewish law that allow some shaving, so you may see Orthodox Jews without full beards or peyot. Chasidic Jews do not follow this leniency. This subject has not yet been addressed in a page.
Berakhah (B'RUHKH-khah; b'ruhkh-KHAH); pl: Berakhot (b'ruhkh-KHOHT): A blessing. A prayer beginning with the phrase "barukh atah..." (blessed art Thou...) that marks the performance of a mitzvah (commandment). See Prayers and Blessings; Common Prayers and Blessings.
B'nai Mitzvah (b'NEHY MITS-vuh): Lit. children of the commandment. Plural of Bar and/or Bat Mitzvah. Children who have achieved the age of 13 and are consequently obligated to observe the commandments. Also, a ceremony marking the fact that children have achieved this age.
Challah (KHAH-luh): A sweet, eggy, yellow bread, usually braided, which is served on Shabbat and holidays, confusingly named for the commandment to set aside a portion of the dough from any bread.
Chillul Ha-Shem (khil-LOOL hah SHEM): Lit. profanation of the Name. Causing G-d or Judaism to come into disrespect, or causing a person to violate a commandment. See The Name of G-d.
Circumcision: Removal of the foreskin, a commandment in Judaism performed on the 8th day of a male child's life or upon conversion to Judaism. Referred to in Hebrew as brit milah or in Yiddish as a bris.
Commandments: Judaism teaches that G-d gave the Jews 613 commandments, which are binding on Jews but not on non-Jews. See Halakhah: Jewish Law; A List of the 613 Mitzvot; Aseret ha-Dibrot: The "Ten Commandments".
Etrog (ET-rohg): A citrus fruit grown in Israel and other parts of the Mediterranean, used to fulfill the commandment to "rejoice before the L-rd" during Sukkot. See also Blessing over the Arba Minim.
Four Species: Fruit and branches used to fulfill the commandment to "rejoice before the L-rd" during Sukkot. See also Blessing over the Arba Minim.
Gezeirah (g'-ZAY-ruh): A law instituted by the rabbis to prevent people from unintentionally violating commandments.
Halakhah (huh-LUHKH-khuh): Lit. the path that one walks. Jewish law. The complete body of rules and practices that Jews are bound to follow, including biblical commandments, commandments instituted by the rabbis, and binding customs. See also Torah; A List of the 613 Mitzvot.
Jewish Law: The complete body of rules and practices that Jews are bound to follow, including biblical commandments, commandments instituted by the rabbis, and binding customs.
Kavanah (kuh-VAH-nuh; kah-vah-NAH): Concentration, intent. The frame of mind required for prayer or performance of a mitzvah (commandment).
Life: In Judaism, life is valued above almost all else, and almost any commandment can be violated to save a life.
Luchot (loo-CHOHT): Lit. tablets. Usually refers to the tablets of stone that the Ten Commandments were given on.
Lulav (LOO-lahv): Lit. palm branch. A collection of palm, myrtle and willow branches, used to fulfill the commandment to "rejoice before the L-rd" during Sukkot. See also Blessing over the Arba Minim.
Mitzvah (MITS-vuh); pl: Mitzvot (mits-VOHT): Lit. commandment. Any of the 613 commandments that Jews are obligated to observe. It can also refer to any Jewish religious obligation, or more generally to any good deed. See Halakhah: Jewish Law; A List of the 613 Mitzvot.
Mitzvot Aseh (mits-VOHT ah-SEH): Commandments to do something, such as the commandment to honor your mother and father. In English, these are called positive commandments. See Halakhah: Jewish Law.
Mitzvot Lo Ta'aseh (mits-VOHT loh tah-ah-SEH): Commandments not to do something, such as the commandment not to murder. In English, these are called negative commandments. See Halakhah: Jewish Law.
Negative Commandments: Commandments not to do something, such as the commandment not to murder. In Hebrew, these are called mitzvot lo ta'aseh (commandments not to do). See Halakhah: Jewish Law.
Ner Tamid (NAYR tah-MEED): Lit. continual lamp. Usually translated "eternal flame." A candelabrum or lamp near the ark in the synagogue that symbolizes the commandment to keep a light burning in the Tabernacle outside of the curtain surrounding the Ark of the Covenant.
Noahic Commandments: Seven commandments given to Noah after the flood, which are binding on both non-Jews and Jews.
Peyot (pay-OHT): From the phrase Peyot ha-Rosh, meaning Corners of the Head. Traditionally, Jewish men wore long sideburns called in Hebrew peyot (pay-OHT) and full beards to observe the commandment in Lev. 19:27 not to round the corners of your head or mar the corners of your beard. There are points of Jewish law that allow some shaving, so you may see Orthodox Jews without full beards or peyot. Chasidic Jews do not follow this leniency. This subject has not yet been addressed in a page.
Phylacteries: Leather pouches containing scrolls with passages of scripture, strapped to the arm and the forehead during weekday morning services to fulfill the commandment to bind the commandments to our hands and between our eyes. (Deut. 6:8, 6:18) The Greek term "phylacteries," found in Christian scriptures, literally means "amulets" and is offensive to some and unfamiliar to others. Jews refer to them as tefillin.
Positive Commandments: Commandments to do something, such as the commandment to honor your mother and father. In Hebrew, these are called mitzvot aseh (commandments to do). See Halakhah: Jewish Law.
Rules: See Halakhah: Jewish Law, A List of the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments), or pages dealing with specific rules, such as Shabbat or Kashrut.
Shabbat Zakhor (shah-BAHT zah-KHAWR): The sabbath on which we read Parshat Zakhor, one of the Four Parshiyot, special Torah readings added to the weekly cycle of readings during the month before Pesach (Passover). Parshat Zakhor contains the commandment regarding the tribe of Amalek.
Takkanah (t'-KAH-nuh): A law instituted by the rabbis and not derived from any biblical commandment.
Tallit (tah-LEET; TAH-lis): A shawl-like garment worn during morning services, with tzitzit (long fringes) attached to the corners as a reminder of the commandments. Sometimes called a prayer shawl.
Tallit Katan (TAH-lit kuh-TAHN): Lit. small tallit. A four-cornered, poncho-like garment worn under a shirt so that we may have the opportunity to fulfill the commandment to put tzitzit (fringes) on the corners of our garments.
Taryag Mitzvot: 613 Commandments. "Taryag" is a way of pronouncing the numeral 613, which is made up of the letters Tav (numerical value 400), Reish (200), Yod (10) and Gimmel (3). See A List of the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments); Halakhah: Jewish Law; Hebrew Alphabet: Numerical Values.
Tefillin (t'-FIL-lin): Phylacteries. Leather pouches containing scrolls with passages of scripture, strapped to the arm and the forehead during weekday morning services, to fulfill the commandment to bind the commandments to our hands and between our eyes (Deut. 6:8, 6:18).
Tzitzit (tsee-TZEET; TSI-tsit): Fringes attached to the corners of garments as a reminder of the commandments.

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