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 tzav ("Command!"), taken from the weekly Torah portion called Tzav (פרשת צַו). In the Torah, this word appears as the first word in Leviticus 6:9:

Lev. 6:9a Hebrew Lesson print (pdf)

Related Words

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

Other Words

Some other words in parashat Tzav that merit study and attention include:

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 Passages:

"And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done." (Leviticus 8:5)

"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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