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There are many Mitzvos we can not do in today's generation. For example there are no Korbonos, no slaves, etc.

Per the Chofetz Chaim, there are 77 positive Mitzvos and 194 negative Mitzvos which can be observed outside of Eretz Yisroel today. How many more can you keep if you live in Eretz Yisroel?

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It would depend on who "we" are and what you mean by "are able to do", and, finally, your definition of Mitzvah. Certain Mitzvoth only apply if a sin was committed first. These include repaying a theft and general repentance. There are many negative Mitzvoth that only apply if one has fulfilled a positive Mitzvah that cannot be fulfilled today, but if one attempted to fulfill the positive they might be "on the hook" for the negative as well. Or not. Eg., burning leftover Korban Pesach... –  Seth J Nov 1 '11 at 20:37
The above example would be a Tikkun 'Asseh (corrective positive commandment) on the Lav (prohibition) of leaving leftovers of a Korban (sacrifice) that one may not bring today given certain restrictions, but which one could practically bring in violation of the prohibitions that are currently in place. –  Seth J Nov 1 '11 at 20:40
In other words, if someone violated current prohibitions, one could in theory set himself up for more prohibitions, which he could then violate, which could then trigger a need for a corrective positive commandment. So, he COULD observe the commandment of burning the leftovers, though it would involve multiple sins along the way. And, of course, you could count those sins as Mitzvoth that one can "keep" (by not sinning) today without the Beith HaMikdash (Holy Temple). –  Seth J Nov 1 '11 at 20:42
There are also other Mitzvoth of a nature relating to relationships, including, but not limited to, divorce and Ḥalitzah, which can only be fulfilled under circumstances that are less than desirable. Not the type of commandments one would want to fulfill. Then, of course, there is also the "theoretical" Ben Sorer UMoreh, which the Talmud tells us never happened and can't really happen. But it's not dependent on the Temple, so much as it is on circumstances that, together, can't really happen in practical terms. So would that be counted in the "able to do" category? –  Seth J Nov 1 '11 at 20:48
Anything which is possible to do in today's generation. –  Gershon Gold Nov 1 '11 at 20:49
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2 Answers

up vote 11 down vote accepted

The Chinuch, in his introductory letter, breaks it down like this (apparently differently than the Chofetz Chaim):

  • There are 613 Mizvot, 248 Positive and 365 Negative. (The Chinuch bases his sefer on the Rambam's enumeration of the Mitzvot.)

  • The Total amount of Mitzvot that a person can do these days is 369, however 99 of them (78 Positive and 21 Negative), while still applicable, will not necessarily ever be done, since one may go through their whole life without encountering a situation where that Mitzvah applies. (e.g. paying a day laborer on that day, if someone never hires a worker, he will never have an opportunity to fulfill this Mitzvah)

  • This leaves 270 Mitzvot (48 Positive and 222 Negative) The one will always do, without having to look for situations in which a Mitzvah would apply. The mnemonic for this is "‫אני‬ ‫ישנה ולבי ע״ר‬" [I'm asleep but my heart is awake - in other places it explains that this refers to exile, that even while in a state of sleep (i.e. exile) we still do (at least) 270 Mitzvot]

  • However, these Mitzvot are not applicable all the time (e.g. Matzot are only a Mitvah to eat on Pesach). There are 6 Mitzvot that are applicable all the time.

Although the Chinuch does not enumerate the Mitzvot in his introduction, I think it's safe to say that the Mitzvot that can only be fulfilled in the Land of Israel are part of the 99 Mitzvot mentioned in the second bullet point. I don't know how many of those 99 are dependent on the land, though.

To answer your question according to the Chofetz Chaim, see page 5 of the pdf linked to in the question. In that edition of the sefer (published in 1968), they added a list of the Mitzvot dependent on the land by Yehuda Eizenberg (I don't know who that is). His list adds an additional 37 Mitzvot that are dependent on the land (In addition to the 271 Mitzvot that are applicable outside the land).

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I don't know the answer but I can list what I believe/have been told are the mitzvot that one can keep living in Israel that they do not keep outside of Israel. Wikipedia says that "The Concise book of mitzvot" writes that there are 26 mitzvot which only apply in Israel.

  1. Yishuv Ha'aretz
  2. Meiser
  3. Trumah
  4. Shmitah
  5. Walking in Israel
  6. Visting Yerushalaim during a chag.
  7. Joining the Army
  8. Davening for Rain in it's proper time. (7th of Cheshvan)
  9. Peah
  10. Certain berachot on the 7 species

According to one opinion (Ramban I believe?) all the mitzvot are really only required in Israel, and everything done outside of Israel is 'education'. So the answer to "how many more" might be "All of them" :)

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For 2, 3 (maaser, t'ruma), you mean hafrasha? We do that in chu"l if we buy Israeli produce. Likewise, for 4, sh'mita, what's the mitzva? If it's not working the land, then I guess I do that, living in chu"l; if it's treating produce right, then we can do that with Israeli produce in chu"l; or what? 5, walking in Israel, 6, visiting J-m, and 7, enlisting: are those mitzvos?? For 8, praying at the "proper time" for rain, I do pray at the proper time, Dec. 5. And what's 10, "certain" b'rachos? Never heard of that one. –  msh210 Nov 3 '11 at 14:16
I'm not sure you are fulfilling those mitzvot when you do them in Chu"l. According to the Rambam and Ramban and later Rav Kook, 5,6 and 7 are 100% miztvot. As for 8, that is not the "proper time" for Israel. (it's also not the proper time in Chu'l but that's a different topic about how calendars work.) There are special brachot you say when planting those species. –  avi Nov 3 '11 at 14:37
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