Mitzvah - The Mitzvot and Jewish Law

The Mitzvot and Jewish Law

In rabbinic thought, God's will is the source of, and authority for, every moral and religious duty. In this way, the Mitzvot thus constitute the Divinely instituted rules of conduct. In rabbinic thought, the commandments are usually divided into two major groups, positive commandments (obligations) – mitzvot aseh and negative commandments (prohibitions) – mitzvot lo ta'aseh .

The system describing the practical application of the commandments is known as Halakha, loosely Jewish Law. The Halakha is the development of the Mitzvot as contained in the written law, via discussion and debate in the Oral law, as recorded in the rabbinic literature of the classical era, especially the Mishnah and the Talmud.

The Halakha dictates and influences a wide variety of behavior of traditionalist Jews.

Many of these laws concern only special classes of people—such as kings or Kohanim (the priesthood), Levites, or Nazarites -- or are conditioned by local or temporary circumstances of the Jewish nation, as, for instance, the agricultural, sacrificial, and Levitical laws.

The majority view of classical rabbis was that the commandments will still be applicable and in force during the Messianic Age. However, a significant minority of rabbis held that most of the commandments will be nullified by, or in, the messianic era. Examples of such rabbinic views include:

• That the grain-offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to God as in the days of old, and as in ancient years. (Malachi 3:4)
• That today we should observe the commandments. (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Avodah Zarah 3a, 4b).
• That today we should observe the commandments, because we will not observe them in the world to come (Rashi).
• That in the future all sacrifices, with the exception of the Thanksgiving-sacrifice, will be discontinued. (Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 9:7)
• That all sacrifices will be annulled in the future. (Tanchuma Emor 19, Vayikra Rabbah 9:7)
• That God will permit what is now forbidden (Midrash Shochar Tov, Mizmor 146:5).
• That most mitzvot will no longer be in force. (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Niddah 61b and Tractate Shabbat 151b).

There is no authoritative answer accepted within Judaism as to which mitzvot, if any, would be annulled in the Messianic era. This is a subject of academic debate and, not being viewed as an immediately practical question, is usually passed over in favor of answering questions of the practical halachah. It is important to note that in the Messianic era itself there are different stages. In addition there is a dispute between Maimonides and Nachmonides whether the ultimate Messianic state will be bodies with souls or souls alone. So that the various opinions as to the annulment of Biblical prohibitions need to be understood in this context.