All mitzvos are not for everyone

The first restriction to the mitzvos is that no one single person can do every single mitzva of the 613 mitzvos all by himself! This is because some mitzvos are addressed specifically to the king, others to the Kohen Godol and others to yisroelim. We see from here an important principle, central to Judaism – Areivim, that all Jews are united and are spiritually connected to each other. We are like all parts of one big person. This means that the credits of mitzvos are shared by others and it is like each person has done the mitzva of the other. The analogy is to a palace that has all sorts of different people with different jobs. The palace can only function smoothly where everyone does their job and altogether united the goal is achieved. Another example is of a football team where each player knows that they have been allocated a particular function. Depending on how they act in unity will usually determine how they perform. If each player would selfishly do what they want, then the unity is broken.

Mitzvos restricted by time and place

Some mitzvos are restricted by time and are known as “mitzvos Shehasman Groma“, mitzvos that are are confined by time. This is found both by positive and negative mitzvos. Examples include the festivals that only come once a year – the arba minim, sukka and not eating chometz on Pesach. Generally, woman are exempt from the positive time related mitzvos but are obligated with the negative time related mitzvos. There are also mitzvos that are restricted to certain places. Examples include “Mitzvos Hateluyois BoOretz“, mitzvos that are dependent on living in Eretz Yisroel.

Have to mitzvos versus can to mitzvos

There is another category of Mitzva Chiyuvis, meaning mitzvos that a person is obligated to do such as listening to the shofar on Rosh Hashana. However, there are some Mitzvos Kiyumis, meaning that if you want to do something only then must the mitzva be done. For example, if you want to wear a four cornered garment then you must first place on it tzitzis or if you want to eat a kosher animal you must first shecht it.