Hebrew Word of the Week

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Hebrew Word of the Week

Based on the Weekly Torah Portion

The Hebrew word of the week is Tetzaveh ("you shall command"), taken from the weekly Torah portion called Tetzaveh. This word appears in the first verse of the reading
(i.e., Exodus 27:20):

Exod. 20:27a Hebrew card (pdf)

Related Words

Here are some words that share the same root () as the keyword Tetzaveh:

Torah Concepts

Some Jewish sages have attempted to count the various mitzvot listed in the Torah. Maimonides (Ramba"m) listed 613 commandments (Misneh Torah) and divided them into two groups: 248 positive ("Thou shalt...") commandments and 365 negative ("Thou shalt not...") commandments. Collectively, the 613 commandments are called Taryag Mitzvot:

Prayerbook Phrases

A phrase that recurs In the Jewish prayerbook is: asher kideshanu bemitzvotav, vetsivanu..., which means "Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us..." (followed by a particular commandment issued from Jewish halakhah). For example, the blessing said when lighting the Shabbat candles uses this phrase:

Scripture Passage:

"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10)

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