To not add to the commandments and their understanding: That we were prevented not to add to the written Torah, nor to the oral Torah. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 13:1), “do not add to it.” And how is the addition? Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Rebels 2:9), “For example, one who instructs that chicken meat with milk is forbidden by Torah writ — that is adding upon the word of the received tradition. As so did we receive about the understanding of ‘you shall not boil a goat, etc.’ — that the meat of a [domesticated] beast and a [wild] animal are forbidden to cook in milk, but not chicken meat. And so [too,] if he instructed that meat from a [wild] animal is permitted with milk, he has transgressed on account of ‘you shall not subtract.’ As this is subtracting, since so did we receive [about the verse’s understanding], that the meat of a [domesticated] beast and a [wild] animal are [both] included in the prohibition.” To here [are his words].
But most of the commentators (Ravad on Mishneh Torah, Rebels 2:9) would say that “do not add” is only relevant at all with a positive commandment. And the matter according to what I have heard myself from the mouth of my teacher — may God protect him — is, for example, one that lays two fit tefillin on his head or on his arm; and so [too,] one who makes five [sections] in his tefillin; and likewise, one who takes two fit lulavs in his hand and anything similar to it; and so [too,] one who sits in a sukkah (booth) after the holiday with the intention of fulfilling the commandment of sukkah, even though he knows that its time has passed — as we only transgress on account of “do not add” when one has intent to do the commandment — and so [too,] one who takes the lulav after the holiday and has intent to do the commandment while knowing that the holiday has passed. And so is it in the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah 28b in the chapter [entitled] Rauhu Beit Din, as they conclude there, “Rather Rava says, ‘To fulfill [a commandment] does not require intent’” — meaning to say that commandments do not require intent — “‘to transgress: during its time does not require intent, not in its time requires intent.’” But [in the case of] one who takes the lulav on the holiday, even a hundred times a day, with intention to fulfill [the commandment] each and every time, there is no [issue] of “do not add”; and so [too,] one who blows the shofar on the day of Rosh Hashanah, and even many times; and so [too,] anything like this. And there is no need to say that there is no [issue of] “do not add” here, if one takes a disqualified lulav; and so [too] if he grouped a disqualified species with [a fit lulav], according to the [legal conclusion] — as it is established for us that there is no need for a grouping. This is the general principle of the matter of this prohibition that my teachers, God protect them, distilled from the words of the Gemara after much effort. And now, my son, you too, if you merit and “eat from the effort of your palms,” “you will be happy and it will be good for you.”
It is from the roots of the commandment that the Master Who commanded us about the Torah, blessed be He, is completely perfect and all of His acts and commands are perfect and good. [Hence] adding to them is a deficit — and all the more so, subtracting. This is a clear thing.
The laws of the commandment are in Tractate Sanhedrin 88b, and so too in Tractate Rosh Hashanah 28b, in the chapter [entitled] Rauhu Beit Din, and they also spoke about the matter in Eruvin 96a, in the chapter [entitled] Hamotseh Tefillin.
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and adds to the commandments — such as if he makes five [sections] in his tefillin, or lays two fit, properly made, tefillin on his head, and so [too,] one who takes two lulavs in his hand or anything similar to it, and so [too,] one who sits in a sukkah after the holiday or one who takes the lulav with the intention of fulfilling the commandment, even though he knows that its time has passed — has violated this negative commandment. And he is liable for lashes — [if there were] witnesses and a warning, as is known in every place.
שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹסִיף עַל הַמִּצְוֹת וּפֵרוּשָׁן – שֶׁנִּמְנַעְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא נוֹסִיף בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְלֹא בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים יג א) לֹא תוֹסֵף עָלָיו. וְכֵיצַד יִהְיֶה הַתּוֹסֶפֶת? כָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (ממרים ב, ט) כְּגוֹן הַמּוֹרֶה שֶׁבְּשַׂר עוֹף בְּחָלָב אָסוּר מִן הַתּוֹרָה, וְזֶה מוֹסִיף עַל דְּבַר הַקַּבָּלָה, שֶׁכָּךְ קִבַּלְנוּ בְּפֵרוּשׁ לֹא תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי וְגוֹ' שֶׁבְּשַׂר בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה נֶאֶסְרוּ לְבַשֵּׁל בְּחָלָב, אֲבָל לֹא בְּשַׂר עוֹף. וְכֵן אִם הוֹרָה שֶׁבְּשַׂר חַיָּה מֻתָּר בְּחָלָב עוֹבֵר מִשּׁוּם לֹא תִגְרַע, לְפִי שֶׁזֶּה גּוֹרֵעַ הוּא, שֶׁכָּךְ קִבַּלְנוּ שֶׁבְּשַׂר בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה בִּכְלַל הָאִסּוּר, עַד כָּאן.
To not add to the commandments and their understanding: That we were prevented not to add to the written Torah, nor to the oral Torah. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 13:1), “do not add to it.” And how is the addition? Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Rebels 2:9), “For example, one who instructs that chicken meat with milk is forbidden by Torah writ — that is adding upon the word of the received tradition. As so did we receive about the understanding of ‘you shall not boil a goat, etc.’ — that the meat of a [domesticated] beast and a [wild] animal are forbidden to cook in milk, but not chicken meat. And so [too,] if he instructed that meat from a [wild] animal is permitted with milk, he has transgressed on account of ‘you shall not subtract.’ As this is subtracting, since so did we receive [about the verse’s understanding], that the meat of a [domesticated] beast and a [wild] animal are [both] included in the prohibition.” To here [are his words].
וְרֻבֵּי הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (ראב"ד ממרים שם) יֹאמְרוּ דְּלָא שַׁיָּךְ לֹא תוֹסֵף כְּלָל, אֶלָּא בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה, וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא לְפִי מַה שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתִּי אֲנִי מִפִּי מוֹרִי, יִשְׁמְרוֹ אֵל, כְּגוֹן מִי שֶׁמַּנִּיחַ שְׁנֵי תְּפִלִּין כְּשֵׁרִין בְּרֹאשׁוֹ אוֹ בְּיָדוֹ, וְכֵן הָעוֹשֶׂה חָמֵשׁ טוֹטָפוֹת בַּתְּפִלִּין, וּכְמוֹ כֵן הַנּוֹטֵל שְׁנֵי לוּלָבִין כְּשֵׁרִין בְּיָדוֹ, וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, וְכֵן הַיּוֹשֵׁב בַּסֻּכָּה אַחַר הֶחָג בְּכַוָּנָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוַת סֻכָּה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ שֶׁעָבַר זְמַנָּהּ, שֶׁאֵין עוֹבְרִין מִשּׁוּם בַּל תּוֹסִיף, אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁמְּכַוֵּן לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְוָה, וְכֵן הַנּוֹטֵל לוּלָב אַחַר הֶחָג וּמְכַוֵּן לַעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ מִצְוָה, עִם הֱיוֹתוֹ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁעָבַר הֶחָג. וְכֵן הוּא בַּגְּמָרָא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה פֶּרֶק רָאוּהוּ בֵּית דִּין (ראש השנה כח, ב) דְּמַסִּיק הָתָם אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבָא לָצֵאת לָא בָּעֵי כַּוָּנָה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁמִּצְוֹת אֵין צְרִיכוֹת כַּוָּנָה, לַעֲבֹר בִּזְמַנּוֹ לָא בָּעֵי כַּוָּנָה, שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַנּוֹ בָּעֵי כַּוָּנָה. אֲבָל הַנּוֹטֵל לוּלָב בֶּחָג אֲפִלּוּ מֵאָה פְּעָמִים בַּיּוֹם עַל דַּעַת לָצֵאת בְּכָל פַּעַם וּפַעַם אֵין כָּאן בַּל תּוֹסִיף, וְכֵן הַתּוֹקֵעַ בַּשּׁוֹפָר בְּיוֹם רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וַאֲפִלּוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים, וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁהַנּוֹטֵל לוּלָב פָּסוּל, וְכֵן אִם אָגַד עִמּוֹ מִין פָּסוּל אַלִּבָּא דְּהִלְכְתָא דְּקַיְמָא לַן אֵין צָרִיךְ אֶגֶד שֶׁאֵין כָּאן מִשּׁוּם בַּל תּוֹסִיף. זֶהוּ כְּלַל הַדְּבָרִים בְּעִנְיַן אִסּוּר זֶה שֶׁהֶעֱלוּ מוֹרַי, יִשְׁמְרֵם אֵל, מִדִּבְרֵי הַגְּמָרָא אַחַר יְגִיעָה רַבָּה. וְעַתָּה בְּנִי, אִם תִּזְכֶּה וְתֹאכַל יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ גַּם אָתָּה, אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ.
But most of the commentators (Ravad on Mishneh Torah, Rebels 2:9) would say that “do not add” is only relevant at all with a positive commandment. And the matter according to what I have heard myself from the mouth of my teacher — may God protect him — is, for example, one that lays two fit tefillin on his head or on his arm; and so [too,] one who makes five [sections] in his tefillin; and likewise, one who takes two fit lulavs in his hand and anything similar to it; and so [too,] one who sits in a sukkah (booth) after the holiday with the intention of fulfilling the commandment of sukkah, even though he knows that its time has passed — as we only transgress on account of “do not add” when one has intent to do the commandment — and so [too,] one who takes the lulav after the holiday and has intent to do the commandment while knowing that the holiday has passed. And so is it in the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah 28b in the chapter [entitled] Rauhu Beit Din, as they conclude there, “Rather Rava says, ‘To fulfill [a commandment] does not require intent’” — meaning to say that commandments do not require intent — “‘to transgress: during its time does not require intent, not in its time requires intent.’” But [in the case of] one who takes the lulav on the holiday, even a hundred times a day, with intention to fulfill [the commandment] each and every time, there is no [issue] of “do not add”; and so [too,] one who blows the shofar on the day of Rosh Hashanah, and even many times; and so [too,] anything like this. And there is no need to say that there is no [issue of] “do not add” here, if one takes a disqualified lulav; and so [too] if he grouped a disqualified species with [a fit lulav], according to the [legal conclusion] — as it is established for us that there is no need for a grouping. This is the general principle of the matter of this prohibition that my teachers, God protect them, distilled from the words of the Gemara after much effort. And now, my son, you too, if you merit and “eat from the effort of your palms,” “you will be happy and it will be good for you.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. כִּי הָאָדוֹן הַמְצַוֶּה אוֹתָנוּ עַל הַתּוֹרָה בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת, וְכָל מַעֲשָׂיו וְכָל צִוּוּיָיו הֵם שְׁלֵמִים וְטוֹבִים, וְהַתּוֹסֶפֶת בָּהֶם חִסָּרוֹן, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן הַגֵּרָעוֹן, זֶה דָּבָר בָּרוּר הוּא.
It is from the roots of the commandment that the Master Who commanded us about the Torah, blessed be He, is completely perfect and all of His acts and commands are perfect and good. [Hence] adding to them is a deficit — and all the more so, subtracting. This is a clear thing.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. בְּמַסֶּכֶת סַנְהֶדְרִין (פח, ב), וּכְמוֹ כֵן בְּמַסֶּכֶת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה פֶּרֶק רָאוּהוּ בֵּית דִּין (שם), וְגַם בְּעֵרוּבִין דִּבְּרוּ בָּעִנְיָן פֶּרֶק הַמּוֹצֵא תְּפִלִּין (עירובין צו א).
The laws of the commandment are in Tractate Sanhedrin 88b, and so too in Tractate Rosh Hashanah 28b, in the chapter [entitled] Rauhu Beit Din, and they also spoke about the matter in Eruvin 96a, in the chapter [entitled] Hamotseh Tefillin.
וְנוֹהֵג אִסּוּר זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְהוֹסִיף בְּמִצְוֹת, כְּגוֹן שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה חָמֵשׁ טוֹטָפוֹת בַּתְּפִלִּין אוֹ מַנִּיחַ שְׁנֵי תְּפִלִּין כְּשֵׁרִין עֲשׂוּיִין כְּתִקְנָן בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, וְכֵן הַנּוֹטֵל שְׁנֵי לוּלָבִין בְּיָדוֹ, וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, וְכֵן הַיּוֹשֵׁב בְּסֻכָּה אַחַר הֶחָג אוֹ הַנּוֹטֵל לוּלָב בְּכַוָּנָה לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְוָה, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ שֶׁעָבַר זְמַנָּהּ, עוֹבֵר עַל לָאו זֶה וְחַיָּב מַלְקוּת וּבְעֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּדוּעַ בְּכָל מָקוֹם.
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and adds to the commandments — such as if he makes five [sections] in his tefillin, or lays two fit, properly made, tefillin on his head, and so [too,] one who takes two lulavs in his hand or anything similar to it, and so [too,] one who sits in a sukkah after the holiday or one who takes the lulav with the intention of fulfilling the commandment, even though he knows that its time has passed — has violated this negative commandment. And he is liable for lashes — [if there were] witnesses and a warning, as is known in every place.