Definition of Shorashim

• The shorashim (from Hebrew שורשים for "roots") are principles for decision making.
• Shorashim is also a place in Israel

Shorashim of Rambam

The shorashim most commonly referred to are the fourteen rules established by Maimonides (Rambam) in his writing Sefer HaMitzvot which determine whether a command of Torah can be considered as fixed forevermore, in contradistinction to many "commands" that God makes in the Torah at various points but are restricted as one-time acts. Another way to say this is that the presence of a mitzvah le-dorot (an obligation that is binding throughout the generations) rates being in the 613 laws, as opposed to a hora'at sha'ah (an obligation that was binding only for a limited time). These fixed unchanging commands are those included in the list of 613 mitzvot .

Shoresh 1

any commandment of Rabbinic origin is not counted as it was not in the original Torah. (ie: if it relates to something which happened later, it cannot be in the original 613)

Shoresh 2

any commandment of derived from a commandment is not counted because a commandment is not handed down together with all of its various details. (ie: midrashic explanation are of rabbinic force)

Shoresh 3

only commandments that are obligation that are binding throughout the generations rather than obligations that are binding only for a limited time.

Shoresh 4

any commandment that applies to the entire Torah equally cannot be counted.

Shoresh 5

any command that is an explanation of a previous Torah prohibition is not a Torah prohibition in itself.

Shoresh 6

Shoresh 7

Shoresh 8

There is a difference between a negative commandment which is a prohibition, and a negative statement which tells that a certain positive commandment does not apply.

Shoresh 9

any commandment which is recorded more than once in the Torah is counted as only a single commandment.

Shoresh 10

Shoresh 11

any commandment that has multiple necessary components to be fulfilled, is only counted as one command.

Shoresh 12

any commandment that is part of a more all-encompassing commandment cannot be counted as a separate command.

Shoresh 13

Shoresh 14

Shorashim of Albo

In the fifteenth century, a student of Crescas named Joseph Albo presented his views in Sefer ha-Ikkarim ("Book of Principles"), an eclectic, popular work, whose central task is the exposition of the principles of Judaism.

Agreeing with Simeon ben Jospeph of Lunel (ie: Duran , Albo held that there are three basic principles (ikkarim ) that are necessary for the divine law to exist:

1. the existence of G-d,
2. the revelation of G-d,
3. the reward and punishment of G-d.

From these three principles, Albo positied that there are eight derivative principles (shorashim):

1. From the existence of G-d derives the principle of God's unity
2. From the existence of G-d derives the principle of God's incorporeality
3. From the existence of G-d derives the principle of God's timelessness
4. From the existence of G-d derives the principle of God's perfection
5. From the revelation of G-d derives the principle of G-d's omniscience
6. From the revelation of G-d derives the principle of G-d's prophecy
7. From the revelation of G-d derives the principle of the authentication of G-d's prophet
8. From the reward and punishment of G-d derives the principle of individual providence.

The denial of these principles, no less than the denial of the first three, makes one a heretic (kofer). It is understood in Albo's work that there are three kinds of law: natural law, conventional law, and divine law. Natural law is the same for all persons, times, and places; conventional law is ordered by a wise judge in accord with reason; divine law is given by G-d through a prophet.