The Lubavitcher Rebbe has proposed that all Jews study the works of
Rambam (Rabbeinu Moshe ben Maimon -- Maimonides) on a daily basis.
Three alternatives have been suggested
- Study of Mishneh Torah within one year;
- For those unable to do so, study of Mishneh Torah within three years;
- For those unable to learn Mishneh Torah, study of Sefer HaMitzvos, arranged so that the mitzvos learned in the daily section of Sefer HaMitzvos correspond to the laws learned in the daily section of Mishneh Torah (as learned within one year).
[See "Unity Through Rambam" (
Sichos In English, Vol. 20 pgs. 205-213) for an extensive coverage of the above proposal and alternatives].
This study schedule covers the daily portions of study in Sefer HaMitzvos for this year, the 25th yearly cycle, (14 Av, 5766-26 Tammuz, 5767).
Following the Rebbe's directives, the daily portions of Sefer HaMitzvos are structured in the following manner:
- The daily portion of Sefer HaMitzvos corresponds to the daily portion of Mishneh Torah. Thus, the daily portion of Sefer HaMitzvos consists of those mitzvos the laws of which are learned in that day's portion of Mishneh Torah. The mitzvos are studied in the order in which they are listed in the heading of each subject in Mishneh Torah.
- In some instances, the laws of Mishneh Torah concerning a mitzvah (or mitzvos) are learned over a number of days greater than the number of mitzvos which the laws discuss. In those days, one should repeat the study of the daily portion corresponding to the laws then being discussed in Mishneh Torah.
- There are some instances in which a section of Mishneh Torah deals with laws concerning which there is no mitzvah of the 613 mitzvos. Those who learn Sefer HaMitzvos should in those days study those mitzvos which correspond to the content of the laws in Mishneh Torah; and in certain cases, should learn the actual laws in Mishneh Torah. The full details will be found in the study schedule.
Since the order of study for
Sefer HaMitzvos follows the order of yearly study of
Mishneh Torah, and not the order of
Sefer HaMitzvos itself, it follows that if one wishes to study a particular
mitzvah in
Sefer HaMitzvos he would encounter some difficulty in locating that
mitzvah in the recorded lessons. For this reason we have formulated an index printed at the end of the
Study Schedule which lists all the
mitzvos as they appear in the
Sefer HaMitzvos and next to each
mitzvah we have indicated the number of the recorded lesson which discusses that
mitzvah.
It should be noted that for the purpose of this listing we have followed the most widespread translation written by Ibn Tibbon and when different numerations appear in the translation of Chaim Heller or Joseph Kapach (Chavel's -- Soncino trans.) we have indicated this in the footnotes on the bottom of the page.
P = Positive Mitzvah
N = Negative Mitzvah
Following the Rebbe's suggestion, a public mitzvah-banquet should be held in conjunction with the completion of study of Sefer HaMitzvos ("siyum") -- and "with a multitude of people, in which lies the king's glory."
Study of the daily portion of Sefer HaMitzvos is, of course, in addition to one's regular study sessions.
