I was wondering about the prohibition in the Torah of not adding to the commandments.
There is obviously a question about a lot of stuff.
One area you see this is with the blue thread on the corner of ones garments.
See Rav Shach on this issue in the Avi Ezri. [The very first law in the laws about the blue thread on the four corners on one's garment]. There he brings this issue concerning putting on a fifth thread which makes all the previous four threads "pasul"[null] . That is putting on an extra thread--just to be extra strict makes the fulfillment of the commandment null and void.
I never really got a satisfying answer to this question. My learning partner brought this idea that if you add;-- but you do not say it is an obligation from the Torah, but rather from your own volition or some decree of the scribes, that makes it OK. (?)The problem with this answer seems to be right here in this law that Rav Shach brings. Here we see that it makes no difference if one says he is adding another thread because of what ever reason there may be. The very fact of adding it makes the entire fulfillment of the commandment null and void.
Rav Shach brings this issue in a few other places in the Avi Ezri, but this is the most recent place that I noticed.]
Not adding to the commandments is a large issue. There are things that are considered a need for the times. Like you would have in norms like when to cross the street. Not to cross on a red light etc.
But to claim these are obligations of the Torah would be a problem. On the other hand there are commandments of the Torah that do not have upper or lower limits--like learning Torah or all the things mentioned in the beginning of tractate Peah. [These are the things that have no size... and learning Torah is equal to all.]
There is obviously a question about a lot of stuff.
One area you see this is with the blue thread on the corner of ones garments.
See Rav Shach on this issue in the Avi Ezri. [The very first law in the laws about the blue thread on the four corners on one's garment]. There he brings this issue concerning putting on a fifth thread which makes all the previous four threads "pasul"[null] . That is putting on an extra thread--just to be extra strict makes the fulfillment of the commandment null and void.
I never really got a satisfying answer to this question. My learning partner brought this idea that if you add;-- but you do not say it is an obligation from the Torah, but rather from your own volition or some decree of the scribes, that makes it OK. (?)The problem with this answer seems to be right here in this law that Rav Shach brings. Here we see that it makes no difference if one says he is adding another thread because of what ever reason there may be. The very fact of adding it makes the entire fulfillment of the commandment null and void.
Rav Shach brings this issue in a few other places in the Avi Ezri, but this is the most recent place that I noticed.]
Not adding to the commandments is a large issue. There are things that are considered a need for the times. Like you would have in norms like when to cross the street. Not to cross on a red light etc.
But to claim these are obligations of the Torah would be a problem. On the other hand there are commandments of the Torah that do not have upper or lower limits--like learning Torah or all the things mentioned in the beginning of tractate Peah. [These are the things that have no size... and learning Torah is equal to all.]
