In Derech Mitzvosecha, Rabbi Menachem Mendel interprets the Jewish commandments ("mitzvos") according to Kabbalistic and Hasidic teachings. Topics include the commandments of belief in God, prayer, love of a fellow Jew, Tzitzit (fringes on four cornered garments) and Tefillin (phylacteries), and many others.[2] The work provides a Hasidic perspective on fundamental Jewish rites and observances.[3]
In some cases, Rabbi Menachem Mendel seeks to clarify or reconcile earlier rabbinic interpretations of the commandments, especially where earlier rabbinic authorities disagree on the matter. In this regard, Hasidic interpretations are employed to refine the statements of earlier authorities and/or to clarify or resolve their differences.[4]
Love of another Jewedit
In Derech Mitzvosecha Rabbi Menachem Mendel discusses the commandment to love one's fellow and not to hate him/her[5] and questions the story in the Talmud concerning Hillel the Elder and the convert. Hillel instructed a non-Jew wishing to convert "what to you is hateful do not do to your friend, this is the (root of) the entire Torah, the rest is commentary. Go and learn."[6]
For Rabbi Menachem Mendel, the idea of loving one's fellow should only be considered the root of all commandments that relate to human interactions, "between man and his friend" (bein adam l'chaveiro), but not to those that are "between man and God" (bein adam l'makom).
Rabbi Menachem Mendel resolves this question by introducing the Kabbalistic idea that the souls of the Jewish people compose a "single body"; each individual represents a particular limb.[7] Based on this concept, every Jew is obligated to love his or her fellow though the other may have some deficiency, just as the individual often overlooks his or her own faults due to the natural love one has for one's self. When this kind of "self love" is extended to each other person, it achieves a very strong unity of spirit.
According to Rabbi Menachem Mendel, this unity is representative of the unity between God and the Jewish people and is the root of all the commandments, for aside from the specifics of the individual commandment, each serve the additional function of uniting the Jews with God. Thus each commandment may be said to be the "commentary" of the commandment to love one's fellow.[8]
Publicationedit
Rabbi Menachem Mendel published few of his works during his lifetime. The first edition of Derech Mitzvosecha was in Poltava (current day Ukraine), 1912-1913.[9] Later editions were published by Kehot Publication Society in Brooklyn, New York.
English editionedit
An English edition of Derech Mitzvosecha was translated by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger and published in 2004 by the Chabad publishing house Sichos in English. The English edition translates selected chapters from Rabbi Schneersohn's work.[10]
Appendicesedit
The Kehot editions include a number of appendices in the work, including Kitzur Tanya, a summary of the Tanya, the classic Chabad work by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi.
Referencesedit
^Miller, Chaim.The Gutnick Edition Chumash - Book of Genesis. Kol Menachem. 2005. Accessed May 8, 2014.
^ abDerech Mitzvosecha. Kehot Publication Society. Accessed May 8, 2014.
^Tzemach Tzedek. Shturem.org. Accessed May 8, 2014.
^Brackman, Eli. "Discovering G-d in the Opening of the Oxford Huntington Manuscript of Maimonides." Chabad of Oxford. oxfordchabad.org. March 28, 2013. Accessed May 8, 2014.
^Tzemach Tzedek 2015-11-07 at the Wayback Machine. ChabadLibrary.org. Accessed May 8, 2014.
^Schneersohn, Menachem M. Selections from Derech Mitzvosecha: A Mystical Perspective on the Commandments. Trans. Eliyahu Touger. Sichos in English. Brooklyn: New York. 2004. Accessed May 8, 2014.
External linksedit
Derech Mitzvosecha Hebrew edition on HebrewBooks.org
Derech Mitzvosecha English edition on HebrewBooks.org
January 01, 1970
derech, mitzvosecha, works, with, similar, titles, sefer, hamitzvot, disambiguation, also, titled, sefer, hamitzvos, hebrew, דרך, מצותך, ספר, המצות, interpretive, work, jewish, commandments, authored, rabbi, menachem, mendel, schneersohn, 1789, 1866, third, re. For works with similar titles see Sefer Hamitzvot disambiguation Derech Mitzvosecha also titled Sefer Hamitzvos Hebrew דרך מצותך ספר המצות is an interpretive work on the Jewish commandments authored by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn 1789 1866 the third Rebbe of the Chabad Hasidic movement The work is considered a fundamental text of Chabad philosophy 1 2 Derech Mitzvosecha Sefer Hamitzvos Derech Mitzvosecha 1912 editionAuthorRabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn Tzemach Tzedek the third Rebbe of ChabadLanguageHebrewSubjectJewish mysticism Chabad philosophyGenrenon fictionPublished7x10 Hardcover 570pp Kehot Publication Society Brooklyn New York ISBN0826655904 Contents 1 Interpretation of the commandments 1 1 Love of another Jew 2 Publication 2 1 English edition 2 2 Appendices 3 References 4 External linksInterpretation of the commandments editIn Derech Mitzvosecha Rabbi Menachem Mendel interprets the Jewish commandments mitzvos according to Kabbalistic and Hasidic teachings Topics include the commandments of belief in God prayer love of a fellow Jew Tzitzit fringes on four cornered garments and Tefillin phylacteries and many others 2 The work provides a Hasidic perspective on fundamental Jewish rites and observances 3 In some cases Rabbi Menachem Mendel seeks to clarify or reconcile earlier rabbinic interpretations of the commandments especially where earlier rabbinic authorities disagree on the matter In this regard Hasidic interpretations are employed to refine the statements of earlier authorities and or to clarify or resolve their differences 4 Love of another Jew edit In Derech Mitzvosecha Rabbi Menachem Mendel discusses the commandment to love one s fellow and not to hate him her 5 and questions the story in the Talmud concerning Hillel the Elder and the convert Hillel instructed a non Jew wishing to convert what to you is hateful do not do to your friend this is the root of the entire Torah the rest is commentary Go and learn 6 For Rabbi Menachem Mendel the idea of loving one s fellow should only be considered the root of all commandments that relate to human interactions between man and his friend bein adam l chaveiro but not to those that are between man and God bein adam l makom Rabbi Menachem Mendel resolves this question by introducing the Kabbalistic idea that the souls of the Jewish people compose a single body each individual represents a particular limb 7 Based on this concept every Jew is obligated to love his or her fellow though the other may have some deficiency just as the individual often overlooks his or her own faults due to the natural love one has for one s self When this kind of self love is extended to each other person it achieves a very strong unity of spirit According to Rabbi Menachem Mendel this unity is representative of the unity between God and the Jewish people and is the root of all the commandments for aside from the specifics of the individual commandment each serve the additional function of uniting the Jews with God Thus each commandment may be said to be the commentary of the commandment to love one s fellow 8 Publication editRabbi Menachem Mendel published few of his works during his lifetime The first edition of Derech Mitzvosecha was in Poltava current day Ukraine 1912 1913 9 Later editions were published by Kehot Publication Society in Brooklyn New York English edition edit An English edition of Derech Mitzvosecha was translated by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger and published in 2004 by the Chabad publishing house Sichos in English The English edition translates selected chapters from Rabbi Schneersohn s work 10 Appendices edit The Kehot editions include a number of appendices in the work including Kitzur Tanya a summary of the Tanya the classic Chabad work by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi References edit Miller Chaim The Gutnick Edition Chumash Book of Genesis Kol Menachem 2005 Accessed May 8 2014 a b Derech Mitzvosecha Kehot Publication Society Accessed May 8 2014 Tzemach Tzedek Shturem org Accessed May 8 2014 Brackman Eli Discovering G d in the Opening of the Oxford Huntington Manuscript of Maimonides Chabad of Oxford oxfordchabad org March 28 2013 Accessed May 8 2014 See Leviticus 19 17 18 Shabbat Talmud Bavli 31b Vital Chaim Sefer Hagilgulim Chapt 1 Par 2 Schneersohn Menachem Mendel Issur Sinas Yisroel Umitzvas Ahavas Yisroel Derech Mitzvosecha Kehot Publication Society 2006 pp 55 58 Tzemach Tzedek Archived 2015 11 07 at the Wayback Machine ChabadLibrary org Accessed May 8 2014 Schneersohn Menachem M Selections from Derech Mitzvosecha A Mystical Perspective on the Commandments Trans Eliyahu Touger Sichos in English Brooklyn New York 2004 Accessed May 8 2014 External links editDerech Mitzvosecha Hebrew edition on HebrewBooks org Derech Mitzvosecha English edition on HebrewBooks org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Derech Mitzvosecha amp oldid 1197429055, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
