The Prophetic Mitzvot

613 COMMANDMENTS UNVEILED

Introduction and How-to Guide

The Voice of Healing

Introduction and How-To Guide for The Prophetic Mitzvot - 613 Commandments Unveiled
Copyright © 2020 The Voice of Healing Publications

ISBN 978-1-954919-41-9 Volume 1

ISBN 978-1-954919-42-6 Volume 2
ISBN 978-1-954919-43-3 Volume 3
ISBN 978-1-954919-44-0 Volume 4

Published and Distributed by:

The Voice of Healing Publications
Website: www.voh.church

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without
written permission of the author or publisher.

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible scriptures are from:

The Holy Bible: The New King James Version, Containing the Old and New Testaments. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1982; the Holy Bible: New Living
Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004; The Amplified Bible: Containing the Amplified Old Testament and the Amplified New
Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Pub. House, 1965; the 1769 King James Version of the Holy Bible (also known as the Authorized
Version), published in 1769, public domain; the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1977 and 1997; the Hebrew Old
Testament, Bomberg, 1521; Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible, Ancient Hebrew Research Center Jeff Benner, 2006.
 Introduction

What are Mitzvot

Mitzvah (‫)מ ְצוָה‬
ִ is the Hebrew word meaning “divine commandment” (plural is mitzvot). Mitzvot is
the term for the well-known Ten Commandments that Moses received from Yahweh on Mount Sinai
(Exodus 24:12). However, these Ten Commandments are what Jewish tradition actually teaches to be
ten categories of commandments. It is well understood in Jewish culture that there actually are 613
commandments. These 613 mitzvot are contained within the first five books of the Bible, commonly
referred to as the Torah, meaning “law,” which also refers to the entire Old Testament.
The familiar Ten Commandments (categories) are depicted in the Book of Exodus, Chapter 20, Verses
2-14:

Belief in God Exodus 20:2

Prohibition of Improper Worship Exodus 20:3-6
Prohibition of Oaths Exodus 20:7
Observance of Sacred Times Exodus 20:8-11
Respect for Parents and Teachers Exodus 20:12
Prohibition of Physically Harming a Person Exodus 20:13
Prohibition of Sexual Immorality Exodus 20:13
Prohibition of Theft Exodus 20:13
Prohibition of Harming a Person Through Speech Exodus 20:13
Prohibition of Coveting Exodus 20:14

The Talmud (the Oral Law that accompanies the Written Law, or Torah) explains that there are 613
mitzvot. The Talmud refers to the number 613 as taryag mitzvot. Jewish culture teaches the connection
of numerical values to Hebrew letters, words, and phrases through a system called gematria. The basis of
gematria is the concept that words or phrases with the same numerical values are related to one another.
Using the principle of gematria, the word “taryag” is related to the word “torah.” The word “taryag”
(‫ )ּתַ ְריַג‬has the gematria value of 613, and the word “torah” (‫)ּתֹורה‬
ָ has the gematria value of 611. Jewish
tradition teaches that “taryag” (613) is equal to “Torah” (611) plus two (the two commandments that
existed before the Torah: “I am the Lord your God” and “you shall have no other gods before Me”).
 INTRODUCTION

“Taryag” (‫)ּתַ ְריַג‬ “Torah” (‫ּתֹורה‬

ָ )

‫ת‬ Tav 400 ‫ת‬ Tav 400

‫ר‬ Resh 200 ‫ר‬ Resh 200
‫י‬ Yud 10 ‫י‬ Yud 10
‫ג‬ Gimel 3 ‫ה‬ Hey 5
613 611

The word mitzvah (‫)מ ְצוָה‬

ִ comes from the word tsavah (‫ )צָ וָה‬meaning “to command, charge, give
orders, appoint.” Tsavah further means “to enjoin, send a messenger, set in order.” Interestingly, the
equivalent Greek word for tsavah is the word apostello (Strong’s G649), which the word apostolos (G652),
meaning “apostle,” comes from. The function of an apostle (“one who is sent”) is thus linked to mitzvot.

Pardes Interpretation of Scripture

It is important to note that Yahweh spoke to Moses and gave him the Torah in the Hebrew language,
so it benefits us to read and interpret scripture with a Hebrew mindset. In Hebrew thought, there exist
four levels of interpreting and understanding scripture that extend beyond the exegesis (literary and
grammatical) interpretation. These four levels are:
P’shat (‘peh-shat’) Simple
Remez (‘reh-mez’) Hint
D’rash (‘deh-rahsh’) Search (allegorical)
Sod (‘sawd’) Hidden (secret or mystery)
The acronym for these four Hebrew words is PRDS, producing the word pardes, which means orchard,
garden, or paradise. It is in paradise that one learns the deeper teachings and secrets of Yahweh. Recall
that Adam and Eve dwelt in Eden, which means pleasure. Also recall that when Yeshua hung on the cross
He told the man hanging next to Him that he would be, not in Heaven, but in paradise with Him:

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in
Paradise.” (Luke 23:43).

The word paradise is the Greek word paradeisos (Strong’s number G3857), whose equivalent Hebrew
words include eden (Strong’s number H5731) and pardes (Strong’s number H6508). Yeshua gave the man
another chance to learn the ways of Yahweh because the man recognized Yeshua for who He really was.
Depending on the level interpretation used when reading scripture, one receives a corresponding
level of revelation and understanding. When scripture is taught and understood at the sod level of
interpretation, there exists a greater power of the Word that brings light and life to regenerate and
transform our minds and the way we live. Yeshua taught His disciples in the sod level, and likewise, His
disciples (apostles) taught their disciples in the same fashion. The sod level of interpreting scripture is
the living Torah.
Such is also true when it comes to learning the mitzvot. When understood at the p’shat level, the
mitzvot may seem like a list of seemingly impossible rules, and one may wonder if it is even physically
possible to abide by all 613 commandments. However, when understood at the sod level – by recognizing
and opening each commandment from its hidden parabolic form – one soon sees that the 613 mitzvot are
repeated statements from Yahweh to His children to turn away from false doctrine and the following of
 INTRODUCTION

one’s own carnal desires to begin partnering with Yahweh to fulfill His ultimate divine plan to restore His
kingdom and glory back into the earth.

Categorization of the 613 Mitzvot

The Talmud does not provide an exact list of the 613 mitzvot, so there have been debates about which
commandments are included in the 613. Numerous Jewish scholars have compiled different lists of
commandments and put them into various categories. The most well-known categorization is found in
the Sefer Hamitzvot (“Book of Commandments”), written by Maimonides (1135–1204), whose full name is
Moses ben Maimon and is known as Rambam (the acronym of “Rabbi Moses ben Maimon”).
In the Sefer Hamitzvot, the 613 commandments are categorized into 248 mitzvot aseh (“positive
commandments”) and 365 mitzvot lo taaseh (“negative commandments”). According to Jewish tradition,
the 248 positive commandments correspond to 248 limbs of the human body, and the 365 negative
commandments correspond to 365 sinews in the body and 365 days in the solar year. There exist rabbinic
works, such as the Sefer Chareidim by R’Elazar Azikri, that correlate the mitzvot to body parts.
These workbooks present the 613 mitzvot following the same categorization as Maimonides’ Sefer
Hamitzvot, which involves a total of 14 books and 85 sections.

How to Use This Book

These are personal workbooks for disciples of Jesus Christ who want to study the Word of God to show
themselves approved (2 Tim 2:15). While anyone can certainly use these workbooks to study the mitzvot
on their own, it has been designed to be a part of our Prophetic Mitzvot course instructed by Apostle
Michael Petro and other teachers at The Voice of Healing.
We may begin to realize that differences exist between the traditional Judaism interpretation of
the mitzvot and the deeper, sod-level interpretation. The purpose of these workbooks is to help begin
unveiling the hidden, parabolic meaning of each mitzvah. What is printed in these workbooks is not
meant to be the complete answers. You, the searcher of truth, have a key role to play in unveiling the
mitzvot.
On the following pages of these workbooks, the mitzvot are listed by the book and section found in the
Sefer Hamitzvot. You will find the following elements on the subsequent pages of these workbooks:

• Mitzvah number and Judaism interpretation

• Bible chapter and verse number(s) and verse (New King James Version)
• Ancient Paleo Pictographs from the Hebrew Old Testament (HOT)
• Hebrew Bible verse (Modern Hebrew Bible)
• A head start on the sod interpretation of the mitzvah

It should be noted that some discrepancies in chapter and verse numbering occur between the New
King James Version (NKJV) Bible and the Hebrew Bible. The chapter and verse numbers in these
workbooks are based on the NKJV Bible. Figure 1 shows the format in which the aforementioned
elements are presented.
 INTRODUCTION

Mitzvah Number and Verse 1. Exodus 20:2

Bible Verse (NKJV) I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Ancient Hebrew Early Semitic
pictographs based on HOT yram kitayfe rsa kiela efei ikna
(Hebrew Old Testament) ‫׃‬midbo tibm mirym
Modern Hebrew based on BHS ‫אתיָך מֵ אֶ ֶרץ ִמ ְצ ַריִ ם ִמבֵ ּית עֲבָ ִ ֽדים׃‬
ִ ֵ‫ָ ֽאנ ִֹכי יְ הוָה אֱֹלהֶ יָך אֲשֶ ׁר הוֹצ‬
(Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia)

Logos Interpretation (Judaism) Logos: To know that God exists.

Sod Interpretation Sod: Yahweh delivered us from the dead letter message of
religious teachings that limited our understanding of Yah-
weh, while we ignorantly served the religious system in sin.

Figure 1: Mitzvah entry layout throughout workbooks.

You are encouraged to use the rest of the space on each page to continue unveiling deeper facets of the
scripture. It is recommended to utilize some tools in your search. Some useful online tools are: TheWord
(https://www.theword.net/), MySword (https://www.mysword.info) and e-Sword (https://
www.e-sword.net/). e-Sword is a platform that contains parallel Bibles (including Bibles in modern
and ancient Hebrew) with and without Strong’s Concordance numbers, commentaries, dictionaries,
reference materials, and many other useful elements. Where before Concordances were only available in
book form, now software such as e-Sword offers the ability to search for words in their original Hebrew
or Greek forms at the click of a computer mouse. This tool can help break down individual words and
phrases all the way back to their original roots and meanings. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show screen shots of the
e-Sword platform.

Bible Books & Chapters Dictionaries Strong’s Numbers

Bible Versions

Figure 2: e-Sword platform.

 INTRODUCTION

NKJV Bible with

“different sorts” (H8162) Strong’s Numbers Brown-Driver-Briggs Dictionary

Figure 3: BDB Dictionary definition of the phrase “different sorts” (H8162).

Fausset Dictionary

Figure 4: Fausset Bible Dictionary definition of the phrase “different sorts” (H8162).
 INTRODUCTION

A good starting point in the study of the mitzvot is to list out key words and phrases and to search out
their meanings. As we dive deeper into the Word of Yahweh, we soon begin to see recurring symbolism
in scripture. Recall that Yahweh speaks in parables:

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old. (Psalms 78:2).

We begin to see that everything – from animals to plants to food and more – are all representations
of other things. For example:

• Rain represents teaching and revelation (Deuteronomy 32:2)

• Trees represent people (Mark 8:24)
• Seeds represent the Word of Yah (Luke 8:11)
• Gardens represent people (Song of Solomon 4:12)
• Light represents the Word and truth of Yah (1 John 1:5)

And the list goes on!

The Hebrew language in which the entire Old Testament was written in, is also very rich in symbolism,
and you do not need to speak or read Hebrew fluently in order to reap the revelation that can be found
within the Hebraic scriptures. For this reason, we have included both the modern and ancient written
forms of the Hebrew verses for every mitzvah verse. You might be surprised to learn that the ancient
paleo Hebrew is written in pictographs. These pictographs provide us with deep spiritual significance
when interpreted prophetically. Therefore, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the Hebrew
Aleph-Bet and the Hebraic meanings of the words as you study the verses. In the e-Sword software, we
recommend downloading the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon Bible (AHLB) by Jeff A. Benner, which will appear
under the Dictionaries tab (figure 2).
Thus, in the study of the mitzvot, you will begin to recognize hidden layers of symbolism interlaced
throughout the scripture. You may also consider some other helpful resources on Biblical symbolism,
including (but not limited to):

• Understanding Types, Shadows and Names: A Biblical Guide by Dr. Kelley Varner (examines the
main definitions and meanings of biblical terms in an 8-book series)
• The Epistle of Barnabas (depicts the representations of animals and elements in nature)
• On the Jewish Meats by Novatian (early church father writing on the deeper meaning behind the
dietary commandments)

During your journey to gain understanding through the mitzvot, it is our prayer that you receive
revelation of truth to live out this covenant as a lifestyle. May you be transformed by the renewing of
your mind as these life-giving commandments water your garden down to the marrow of your bones to
produce the fruits of the Spirit of life.
 HEBREW ALPHABET CHART

Gematria Values
Modern Ancient Ancient Hebrew Picture Meaning Name Sound
Single Spelled

‫א‬ a Head of an ox - strong, power, leader aleph silent 1 111

(1+30+80)

‫ב‬ b Tent floorplan - family house, in beyt b, bh 2 412

(2+10+400)

‫ג‬ c Foot - gather, walk, carry gimel g 3 73

(3+40+30)

‫ד‬ d Tent door - movement, hang, enter dalet d 4 434

(4+30+400)

‫ה‬ e Arms raised - look, reveal, breath, sigh hey h 5 6

(5+1)

‫ו‬ f Tent peg - add, secure, hook, connection vav v, o, u 6 22

(6+10+6)

‫ז‬ z Mattock - food, cut, weapon zayin z 7 77

(7+10+10+50)

‫ח‬ h Tent wall - outside, divide, half hhet hh 8 418

(8+10+400)

‫ט‬ u Clay basket - surround, contain, mud tet t 9 419

(9+10+400)

‫י‬ i Closed hand - work, throw, worship yod y 10 20

(10+6+4)

‫כ‬, ‫ך‬ k Open palm - bend, open, allow, tame kaph k, kh 20 100
(20+80)
74
‫ל‬ l Shepherd staff - teach, yoke, toward, bind lamed l 30 (30+40+4)

‫מ‬, ‫ם‬ m Water - chaos, mighty, blood mem m 40 80

(40+40)

‫נ‬, ‫ן‬ n Sprouting seed - continue, heir, son nun n 50 106

(50+6+50)

‫ס‬ x Thorn - grab, hate, protect samech s 60 120

(60+40+20)

‫ע‬ o Eye - watch, know, shade ayin silent 70 130

(70+10+50)

‫פ‬, ‫ף‬ p Open mouth - blow, scatter, edge pey ph 80 81

(80+1)

‫צ‬, ‫ץ‬ y Man on his side - wait, chase, snare, hunt tsadey ts 90 104
(90+4+10)

‫ק‬ q Horizon - condense, circle, time quph q 100 186

(100+6+80)

‫ר‬ r Head of a man - first, beginning, top resh r 200 510

(200+10+300)

‫ש‬ s Two front teeth - sharp, press, eat, two shin, sin sh 300 360
(300+10+50)

‫ת‬ t Crossed sticks - mark, sign, signature tav t 400 416

(400+10+6)