[Sca-cooks] Re: [Sca-cooks]Mitzvah (was "Halal" and "Kosher")

[David Tallan]

On 4/10/03 9:14 PM, "Daniel Myers" <doc at medievalcookery.com> wrote:

> I've also heard that there can be "bad" mitzvahs - actions that go
> against the covenant and delay the perfection of the world and the
> coming of the messiah (or some such).

I think "bad mitzvah" is a contradiction in terms; a "mitzvah" (Divine
commandment) is inherently good. Actions such as those that you describe are
not mitzvot of any sort. They constitute breaking the commandments
(mitzvot).

On a more obscure note. There are only 7 commandments that apply to all
humanity, Jews and non-Jews alike - the commandments that God gave to Noah.
Theoretically, when a non-Jew acts according to these 7 commandments (s)he
is performing a "mitzvah". But when a non-Jew performs one of the other
commandments, is that a "mitzvah" too, if they are not bound by them?


Respectfully,
David Tallan