Gates of Holiness – Gate 4

A detailed explanation of the level of Tzaddik

To be a Tzaddik one must be zealous to fulfill all the mitzvoth that are applicable in our times with all his might. Now, since there are many opinions regarding the enumeration of the mitzvoth, I will first present them according to the opinion of Maimonides (Rambam), of blessed memory. Following this I will present additional mitzvoth according to other commentators and the Zohar, including the enumeration of the positive mitzvoth of the Torah, as well as the positive mitzvoth of the scribes. These will be divided into five sections:

1) Mitzvoth which are applicable during the prayers of the regular weekdays.

2) Mitzvoth which are dependent on time-factors.

3) Mitzvoth which are applicable when the opportunity arises.

4) Mitzvoth which a person must pursue to fulfill them.

5) Mitzvoth which are not within a person’s ability to pursue. Rather, the Holy One, Blessed is he, brings about the opportunity to fulfill them. They are as follows:

1) To realize that G-d exists[1] when reciting the verse, “Hear O Israel, HaShem is our G-d,” to realize G-d’s unity when completing the verse with the words, “HaShem is One”[2], to put fringes (Tzitzit) upon a four-cornered garment and to wrap oneself in it[3], to don the head Tefillin[4] according to the opinions of Rashi, Rabbeinu Tam, Shimoosha Rabba [and Raavad], to don the arm Tefillin in like manner[5], to recite the Shma Yisrael twice daily[6], to pray the Amidah prayer every day, to remember what Amalek did to us every day when answering, “Amen, Yehei Shmei Rabbah” during Kaddish and when reciting, “Draw us close to your great name, [HaShem] our King”, as scripture says, “For a hand is [raised in oath] by the throne of G-d, ‘HaShem will wage war against Amalek from generation to generation’[7], to confess every day[8] after the Amidah  prayer and during the prayer of, “Shma Koleinu” and that the Cohanim should bless the congregation of Israel every day[9].

2) To recite Kiddush on wine for the commencement of the Sabbath and Havdalah for its conclusion[10], to cease all activity that is forbidden on the Sabbath[11], to nullify Chametz in his heart on the fourteenth of the month of Nissan[12]. To recite the story of the exodus from Egypt from the Hagadah on the first night of Passover[13], to cease all activity that is forbidden on the first day of Passover[14], to eat Matzah on the first night of Passover[15], to cease all forbidden activity on the seventh day of Passover[16], to rejoice on the three holidays of Passover, Shavuoth and Succoth and to gladden his wife, his children and the poor, each in the appropriate fashion[17], to count Sefirath HaOmer for forty-nine full days beginning with the evening of the sixteenth of the month of Nissan[18], to cease all forbidden activity on the holiday of Shavuoth[19], to cease all forbidden activity on Rosh HaShanah[20], to hear the sound of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah[21], to cease all forbidden activity on Yom Kippur[22], to fast on Yom Kippur[23], to cease all forbidden activity on the first day of Succoth[24], to cease all forbidden activity on Shemini Atzereth[25], to dwell in a succah for the seven days of Succoth[26], to wave the four species on the first day of Succoth[27].

3) To write a Sefer Torah[28], to adjust a mezuzah on the doorposts of the house[29], to recite grace after meals[30], to learn and teach Torah everyday[31], to be fruitful and multiply[32], to marry by way of Kiddushin[33], to circumcise one’s male-child[34], to separate challah from dough in the land of Israel[35], to give charity[36], to lend to the poor[37], to return a deposit on time, to make a hand-rail on one’s roof, to honor the Cohanim[38], to honor Torah scholars[39], to honor one’s father and mother[40], to respect one’s mother and father[41], to love one’s fellow Jews[42], to love converts[43], to pay one’s employees on time[44], to feed one’s employees[45], to check for the signs of kosher domesticated and undomesticated animals[46], to check for the signs of kosher fowl[47], to check for the signs of kosher fish[48] and locust[49], to mourn upon the death of one’s close relatives, to rebuke one’s fellow if he strays from the ways of Torah and mitzvoth[50], to be careful not to speak forbidden speech, to adhere to G-d and follow His ways, to fear HaShem, to distance oneself from sin, to love HaShem in all the ways that our sages, of blessed memory, mentioned.

4) To separate the “Big Terumah offering[51], to separate the tithed Terumah[52], to separate the first tithing[53], to separate the second tithing[54], to separate the tithing for the poor[55], to give Peah[56] , Lekket[57], Shichechah[58], Perret[59]  and Oleloth[60], to redeem a firstborn donkey[61], to break the neck of a firstborn donkey that you do not wish to redeem[62], Neta Revaee[63], Zroa Lechayaim VeKeibah[64], The first shearing[65], to return a lost object[66],to return a stolen object[67],To lend to non-Jews with interest[68],to compel non-Jews to pay their debts[69], to destroy idolatry[70],Correct scales, weights and measures[71],to help unload an animal that is buckling under its load[72], to help reload it[73], to swear in G-d’s name at court,to send away the mother bird[74],to slaughter domesticated and undomesticated animals and fowls[75], to cover the blood of the slaughtered undomesticated animal and fowl[76], to cry out and plead during prayer, to blast trumpets or ram horns in times of public emergency, to cease working the land every seventh year[77], not to sell the fruits of the seventh year[78]. In this there is controversy as to whether it is of biblical or rabbinic origin. To divorce with a bill of divorce[79], that the nazarite permit his hair to grow[80], to save the pursued[81], that the rapist marry the raped[82], that he not be permitted to divorce her for the duration of his life[83], to sanctify G-d’s name, to appoint judges[84] and marshals, to regard both sides of a litigation equally[85], to testify at court[86], to convict false witnesses[87], to interrogate the witnesses[88], that a groom remain with his bride for the first full year of marriage[89], release of vows[90], to pay damages for destroyed or damaged property, to pay for damages caused by one’s animal[91] and damages caused by the tooth[92], pit[93] or fire[94], damages of an unpaid keeper[95], a paid keeper[96] and a borrower[97], business laws[98], laws of claims[99] and inheritance[100], payments for theft[101], to pass judgment according to the majority of judges[102],

5) To redeem the first-born son[103], levirate marriage, to perform the Chalitzah ceremony thereby exempting one from levirate marriage.

The following mitzvoth are of rabbinical origin:

Lighting the Sabbath candles, lighting the Chanukah lights, hearing the reading of the book of Esther, washing one’s hands when waking from sleep and before meals, Eiruv Chatzeirot, Eiruv Techumin, Eiruv Tavshilin, Shitoophei Mevouoth, the fast days of the 17^th of Tammuz, the 9^th of Av, the 3^rd of Tishrei, the 10^th of Tevet and the fast of Esther and fasting on special decreed fast days of public emergency.

The following are Torah mitzvoth according to other Torah authorities and according to the Holy Zohar:

To recall the exodus from Egypt while reciting the verses regarding Tzitzit day and night, to remember the Sabbath day every day, to remember the day of the giving of the Torah, to remember that we angered HaShem in the desert, to remember the incident involving Miriam, to make a special blessing before reading the Torah, to look upon the Tzitzit while reciting “and you shall look upon it”, to fully repent, to have fear of HaShem whilst reciting the order of the sacrifices in the morning and whilst reciting the Pesookei D’Zimra which follow them, to love HaShem during the blessing of “An eternal love etc” and during the verse, “And you shall love HaShem your G-d” etc., to bless Him with “Yishtabach” and in “Yotzer Ohr” and in “Yotzer HaMeoroth” and during the seven blessings that accompany the “Shma” morning and evening, to sanctify G-d’s name by potentially giving over one’s soul unto death when reciting the verse, “Hear O Israel, HaShem is our G-d, HaShem is one”, to sanctify His name when reciting “Nakdeescha”, to give one’s soul over unto death and to adhere to Him when reciting the verse, “To You

HaShem, I give over my soul”, to know that HaShem is G-d when reciting the verse, “Shema Yisrael”, to delight on the Sabbath, to do the Havdalah ceremony at the end of the Holidays, to say the Hallel prayers at their specific times, to swear in His name to fulfill a mitzvah, to recite special blessings when enjoying anything of the world, to afflict oneself with the five afflictions of the day of atonement-Yom Kippur, to burn the leavening on the 14^th day of Nisan, to honor  those who are advanced in years and in wisdom, to be modest in the lavatory, to praise Divine justice on all occasions, to give offerings to G-d from the choicest of our goods, to build a house of prayer, to destroy the name of idolatry, to only mention them for disgrace, to chop down an Asherah grove, to burn an Asherah grove, to break their idols, to destroy their high places, to destroy their alters, to destroy  instruments used for idolatry, to separate from one’s wife before her menstrual period, to refrain from marital relations during her menstrual period, to respect the sages, to circumcise one’s heart, to love being rebuked, to go beyond the letter of the law in keeping the mitzvoth, walk humbly with HaShem your G-d, to love one’s fellow Jew, especially to always judge others favorably, to try to make peace between people etc.