The 613 Commandments: Meaning, Origin, and Spiritual Significance in Judaism

The term “613 mitzvot” refers to the traditional total number of commandments mentioned in the Torah. According to the Sages (Chazal), the Torah contains 613 commandments — written in Hebrew as תרי"ג (Taryag), which also equals 613 in gematria (Hebrew numerology).

The Torah itself never explicitly mentions this number. The concept first appears in the Talmudic writings of the Sages, but even there, the list of which commandments make up the total is not specified. The Geonim (early post-Talmudic scholars) were the first to compile detailed lists of these commandments, followed later by the Rishonim (medieval commentators).

Among the most famous enumerations are:

• Maimonides’ (Rambam’s)Sefer HaMitzvot (Book of the Commandments), and

• Sefer HaChinuch (The Book of Education), written by an anonymous author in the 13th century.

The 613 commandments are divided into two categories:

• 248 positive commandments (mitzvot aseh) — corresponding to the organs of the human body, and

• 365 negative commandments (mitzvot lo ta’aseh) — corresponding to the days of the solar year.

Why 613? The Talmudic Source

The Talmud (Makkot 23b) provides the classic source for this number: “Rabbi Simlai taught: 613 commandments were given to Moses — 365 prohibitions corresponding to the days of the solar year, and 248 positive commandments corresponding to the limbs of a person. Rabbi Hamnuna asked: What is the biblical source?
It is written, ‘Torah tziva lanu Moshe morasha’ (‘The Torah that Moses commanded us is an inheritance’). The word ‘Torah’ has a numerical value of 611, and the first two commandments — ‘I am the Lord your God’ and ‘You shall have no other gods’ — we heard directly from God, totaling 613.”

The Deeper Significance of the Number

There are several reasons why knowing the exact number of commandments is important:

1. Practical Halachic Implications:
   Some legal rulings depend on counting individual commandments — for example, determining the number of lashes (malkot) a person receives for violating Torah prohibitions.

2. Symbolic and Mystical Meanings:
   In Kabbalah and Midrash, the number 613 reflects spiritual harmony between heaven and earth.

   • The ten sefirot — the spiritual “attributes” or emanations — begin with Keter (“Crown”), whose numerical value is 620. This equals 613 Torah commandments + 7 Noahide laws, suggesting that the Torah’s commandments complete the moral framework for all humanity.

   • The name Ruth equals 606 in gematria. Before converting, she already kept the 7 Noahide laws. Upon converting, she accepted 606 more commandments, totaling 613 — the full count of Jewish law.

3. Fulfilling the Mitzvah of Torah Study:
   Studying the mitzvot themselves is a fulfillment of the commandment to learn Torah.

The Development of Mitzvah Lists

Starting in the period of the Geonim, various scholars composed lists of the 613 commandments. Many of these lists were written as poetic works, known as Azharot (“Admonitions”), which summarize the mitzvot in verse form — such as those written by Rabbi Saadia Gaon and Solomon Ibn Gabirol.

The first known systematic list was compiled by Baal Halachot Gedolot (Behag). Later, Maimonides (Rambam) composed a detailed and philosophical enumeration in his Sefer HaMitzvot, which became highly influential.

However, Nachmanides (Ramban) challenged many of Maimonides’ inclusions and omissions, debating which actions should count as independent commandments. Other classic works that followed include:

• Sefer HaChinuch

• Sefer HaCharedim

• Sefer Mitzvot Gadol

• Sefer Mitzvot Katan

Throughout history, these scholars debated key questions, such as:

• Are the priestly garments one commandment or several?

• Should each type of sacrifice count as a separate mitzvah?

• Are rabbinic commandments included in the count?

Despite these differences, all agreed on the final total of 613 mitzvot, the divine blueprint for living a holy and purposeful life.