Q&A: An Existential Commandment and a Conditional Commandment
An Existential Commandment and a Conditional Commandment
Question
Hello Rabbi,
An existential commandment is usually defined as a commandment that one is not obligated to fulfill, but if one does fulfill it, then one has performed a commandment. Like building a guardrail.
A conditional commandment is usually defined as a commandment that depends on certain conditions. Like tzitzit (according to some opinions): if you have a four-cornered garment, you are obligated to place tzitzit on it.
I do not completely understand the difference between the two. After all, existential commandments can also be formulated in the same way. Thus the commandment of a guardrail can be phrased as follows: if you have a house with a roof, you are obligated to build a guardrail for it. How is that different from the definition of the commandment of tzitzit?
And beyond that, every commandment, even an obligatory one, requires certain conditions. The recitation of the Shema requires a certain time of day. So what is the difference between that and a conditional commandment?
I would appreciate a sharper definition of a conditional commandment.
Thank you,
Nathan
Answer
The difference is simple: with an existential commandment there is no way at all to neglect a positive commandment, but with a conditional commandment there is. If you wear a four-cornered garment and did not put tzitzit on it, you have neglected the positive commandment of tzitzit. Therefore this is a conditional commandment. But with an existential commandment, say a time-bound positive commandment for women, or settling the Land of Israel according to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, there is no way at all to neglect it.
Indeed, there are many commandments that are conditional positive commandments (Grace after Meals is completely similar to tzitzit). There are almost no purely existential positive commandments (according to Rabbi Avraham Shapira there is no commandment that is entirely existential. According to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, this is the commandment of settling the Land of Israel). The usual existential positive commandment is when there is a minimal threshold for the commandment, such as charity beyond one-third of a shekel per year, or Torah study beyond one chapter in the morning and one in the evening. Once you have done the minimum, the rest is existential.
Discussion on Answer
What do you mean by “is that true”? Eating and sleeping are a conditional positive commandment, and other kinds of staying there are doubtful whether there is any commandment in them at all. Plainly, that is a matter of value or enhancement, not an existential commandment.
Is that also true regarding staying in the sukkah on the other days (beyond eating, drinking, and sleeping)?