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Author's IntroductionOpening Letter by the Author
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About This Text
Composed: Middle-Age Spain, c.1255 – c.1285 CE
The Sefer HaChinukh (“Book of Education”) is an anonymous work written in thirteenth-century Spain that clearly details the 613 commandments and explains the reasons behind them. In his introduction, the author explains that he wrote the book to “awaken the hearts'' of his teenage son and his peers, hoping to foster in them a sense of connection to the commandments. For each commandment, the author cites a biblical source, addresses the philosophical underpinnings of the commandment, presents a brief overview of the details of its observance, and summarizes the commandment’s applicability. The work remains popular today, especially in educational settings.