Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 2.pdf/411

369 i.

Azbuk

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

369 558, note 2),

and

later sages discovered

mations of the number in various passages

new

inti-

Rashi xv. 39; sources in Buber,

on Num. "Midrash Agada,"

The

"613"

further

material

p.

in

(see

113, note 24; Steinsclmeider,

Precepts.

"Hem-. TJebers." p. 926, note 152), it has not always remained undisputed; Bahya, for instance (Hobot ha-Lebabot," Introduction), basing upon Ps. cxix. 96, eliminates the "duties of the heart" from these. Nahmanides ("Sefer ha-Mizwot," beginning) raises the question whether this number has traditional authority or whether it is merely an individual opinion of Simlai.

From Abraham

ibn Ezra,

who

points

out("Yesod

Moreh," gate 2) that if all basic precepts and their derivatives, and those intended for all time, are con-

number would be untenable, down to Zemah Duran ("Zohar ha-Rakia'," end),

sidered, this

Simon

b.

who opines that Simlai counted the precepts after his own fashion and not in a manner authoritative for others, and that the number 613 is retained only as being incidentally correct, similar objections have repeatedly been made against the enumeration. Many teachers, nevertheless, accepting the figure, have busied themselves with the detailed enumeration. The compiler of the " Halakot Gedolot " was the first to attempt this in the introduction to his book. He divides his whole material into two main divisions, the first containing the prohibitive (negative) precepts, 71 of which are punProhibitive ishable with death, and 277 with and scourging, total 348; the second conMandatory taining the mandatory (affirmative) Precepts, precepts, 200 in number, to which are to be added 65 laws and statutes incumbent upon the Jews as a whole, thus making 613 in all ("Hal. Gedolot," ed. Berlin, pp. 8 et seg.; compare Hildesheimer, "Die Vaticanische HandThere is schrift der Hal. Gedolot" pp. 13 et seg.). e fe? b. Yazliah, said to be a work in Arabic by upon the same subject, but nothing further is known Maimonides does not agree with the author of it. of the "Hal. Gedolot"; in section 14 of his "Sefer

H

ha-Mizwot " (Arabic original published by M. Bloch under the title " Le Livre des Preceptes par Moi'se ben Maimon," Paris, 1888; for Hebrew translations, see Steinschneider, I.e. § 554, 2) he lays down certain principles which must be the guide in the enumeration of the precepts, and then counts up 248 affirmative and 365 negative commands, amounting This division agrees only in its total with to 613. that of K. Simlai in the Talmud, and in later times has been made use of particularly by the cabalists. It seems, however, to have remained unknown to the author of the "Hal. Gedolot," and is omitted in the Maimonides, indeed, parallel passage in Tanhuma. who found it necessary to revise his own work, is not always consistent on this point; and his son

Abraham was called upon to defend his celebrated father against the attack of R. Daniel ha-Babli ("Ma'ase Nissim," ed. B. Goldberg, Paris, 1866). Maimonides also found a redoubtable opponent in Nahmanides, who was, however, concerned not so much to attack Maimonides as to defend the author of the " Hal. Gedolot," whose words were accounted " holy tradition " (" Sefer ha-Mizwot, " first printed at

II— 24

Constantinople,

Azharot 1510).

But Maimonides was not

Many sided with him, of Zohar ha-Rakia' ") and Isaac de Leon ibn Zur (" Megillat Esther ") may be mentioned the former writes in a conciliatory vein the latter can not bring himself to admit that any opinion of Maimonides could be wrong. It will suffice for present purposes merely to mention the " Sefer ha-Hinnuk," which follows a method of its own in enumerating the precepts. For the understanding of what follows, it must also be

destitute of champions.

whom Simon Duran

("





stated that, in addition to the 613 Biblical precepts, sometimes seven non-Biblical ones are added, ma-

king the total 620, which represents the numerical value of the letters in the Hebrew word "iri3

("crown

").

It is this

enumeration of the precepts of the Torah

all the poems known as "Azharot," a name derived from the first composition of this nature, which begins with the words nriJ "pl^ rVSWO nnntN (" Of old Thou didst give exhortations to Thy people"). The Azharot are variously described, both The Azharot. in printed works and in manuscripts, the Rabbis," as "Exhortations of "Exhortations Formulated in the Academy," "Exhortations of the Holy Academies of the Rabbis in Pumbedita," also " Exhortations of Elijah of Blessed Memory " They are of great antiquity, and the probability must be conceded that they emanated from the academy of Joseph b. Abba Gaon of Pumbedita, concerning whom Sherira's " Letter " narrates that his academy was" at times visited by Elijah the Prophet. Being of prior origin to the "Halakot Gedolot" (the last line, niWD TN, is found reproduced in the "Hal. Gedolot," ed. Hildesh. p. 9, and all ancient Azharot contain it), these older compositions do not enumerate the individual 613 precepts, and speak only in general terms of the 365 negative and 248 affirmative precepts, of their sources, contents, and of the manner in which they are derived from the actual words of the Scripture text, etc. Such specific enumeration was only possible after that of the " Hal. Gedolot," and this is found in the Azha-

which furnishes the theme of

!

W

rot

commencing

-|D1T?

min

rfpnjn

iiriK

("Thou

This compodidst grant a law unto Thy people "). sition, which follows the "Hal. Gedolot " accurately, " Azhais found sometimes with the superscription rot of the Rabbis of the

Academy," sometimes "Az-

harot of Elijah (or Elijah the Tishbite ') of Blessed Memory. " It has been erroneously ascribed by some to Elijah ha-Zaken (see below); while others have considered Simeon ha-Gadol its author; it undoubt'

edly originated in Pumbedita. Its example was followed by a host of imitators. Saadia Gaon wrote Azharot (beginning with rtalK B»N 'OJK, "I am a consuming fire "), and, in addition, summarized the 613 precepts in a piyyut beginning, "The Lord thy God shalt thou fear " (both printed in I. Rosenberg, "Kobe?," ii. 26-54; the 613 precepts also by J. Muller in the Paris edition of Saadia's works, ed. Derenbourg, ix. 57). The suggestion that Saadia is not the author of these compositions is entirely gratuitous, seeing that his name appears therein Other Azharot, by Isaac Gikatilla, acrostically. were known to Moses ibn Tibbon, and are mentioned