[Avodah] V'zos Hab'racha

[Cantor Wolberg]

The gemara, masechta Makkos brings a proof that there
are 613 mitzvos from the portion V’zos Hab’racha (33:4),
"Torah tziva lanu Moshe.”
This is how it is explained: Only 2 commandments were
directly heard from God which were “I am the Lord Your God Who
brought you out of the land of Egypt” and “Thou shalt have no other
gods before Me.” 
After that all of the other mitzvot were heard by the people through Moshe.

So the gematria of Torah is 611 (which they heard through Moshe) and
the only 2 heard directly from God comprise the 613. The gemara goes on to
explain that the first mitzvah (“I am the Lord your God”) encompasses all of the
248 positive mitzvot and the second mitzvah (“Thou shalt have no 
other gods”) encompasses all of the 365 negative mitzvos.

There is a fascinating symbol to the breakdown of the numbers 248 and 365.
According to the gemara there are 248 organs in the body and we are to act
positively with every part of our being. Obviously, the 365 refers to the days of the 
solar year and we are to be circumspect in what we are not allowed to do every
day of our lives (even when we were in high school; however, we have Yom Kippur
to atone and change).


Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us.
Socrates
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