mitzvah
noun
Mitzvah — a good deed performed in fulfillment of religious obligation
Definition
(Judaism) a good deed performed out of religious duty
In depth
A mitzvah, within Judaism, is a good deed performed out of religious duty, one of the 613 commandments traditionally understood to structure a faithful life, though the word has also entered broader, more casual usage to describe any genuinely good or generous act. The concept fuses obligation and virtue, suggesting that doing good is not merely admirable but commanded.
Origin
The word comes from Hebrew mitzvah, commandment, related to the verb tzavah, to command. Its theological weight rests on the traditional Jewish understanding of 613 commandments given in the Torah, meaning that a mitzvah is never simply an optional kindness but an act understood, at its root, as a sacred obligation.
Usage examples
"Visiting the sick, the rabbi reminded the congregation, is itself considered a mitzvah, regardless of how small the gesture feels."
"She performed the mitzvah quietly, without any expectation of recognition or thanks."
"In casual conversation, even outside religious contexts, people sometimes call any small act of kindness a real mitzvah."
How to use it
Mitzvah carries specific religious and cultural significance within Judaism and should be used with awareness of that context; its broader, secular use as a synonym for any good deed has become common in casual English but loses some of the word's original theological precision.
Related concepts
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