Sefer ha-Chinuch

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Sefer ha-Chinuch (

613 commandments of the Torah. It was published anonymously in 13th-century Spain
.

History

The work's enumeration of the commandments (Hebrew: mitzvot; sing. mitzvah) is based upon Maimonides' system of counting as per his Sefer Hamitzvot; each is listed according to its appearance in the weekly Torah portion and the work is structured correspondingly.[1]

The book separately discusses each of the 613 commandments, both from a legal and a moral perspective. For each, the Chinuch's discussion starts by linking the mitzvah to its Biblical source, and then addresses the philosophical underpinnings of the commandment (here, termed the "shoresh", or "root"). Following this, the Chinuch presents a brief overview of the halakha (practical Jewish law) governing its observance - usually based on Maimonides' Mishneh Torah - and closes with a summary as to the commandment's applicability.

Because of this structure, the work remains popular to this day. The philosophic portions are widely quoted and taught, while the legal discussion provides the basis for much further study in

Yosef Ben Moshe Babad, 1800–1874), Av Beit Din of Ternopil
, serves as a legal commentary.

Authorship

The sixteenth century author

Bar Mitzvah. In 1980, Professor Israel Ta-Shma of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said that the author of "Sefer ha-Chinuch" was in fact Aaron's brother, Pinchas ben Joseph ha-Levi.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Prior to the Frankfurt edition of 1783 the mitzvot were printed in the same order as Maimonides' work - see Gersion Appel Ch 2.
  2. Chaim Dov Chavel
    , Mosad HaRav Kook ed. of Sefer HaChinuch, 5762 p. 797
  3. ^ Public Domain Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Aaron ha-Levi of Barcelona". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
  4. ^ Public Domain Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Aaron ben Joseph ha-Levi". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
  5. ^ Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech 5764 - OU Torah Insights Project Archived 2012-09-07 at archive.today
  6. ^ Israel Ta-Shma, "Mehabbero ha-'amitti shel Sefer ha-hinnukh," Kiryat Sefer 55 (1980): 787-90

Further reading

External links