[color=#0000FF]Keep my decrees.[/color] Why then do not people keep the laws? Various reasons are given. Some are legitimate, in my opinion. Some are not. All of them are excuses. I will attempt to provide a few legitimate reasons (IMO) for not keeping all the laws. [i]Laws pertaining specifically to women [/i]obviously cannot be followed by men. Leviticus 12:1-8 (laws concerning childbirth) is an example. Does it go both ways? The Orthodox will say that laws regarding [i]positive commandments that are time bound [/i](such as the three pilgrimage festivals wherein God said three times a year all your males shall appear before Me) [i]are not incumbent upon women[/i]. In fact not only are women excused from performing them, they are excluded. [i]Laws pertaining specifically to priests [/i](service in the tabernacle, work of offerings) apply only to those who are priests. Who are the priests? Only male descendants of the line of Aaron. This automatically excludes one half of the population by reason of gender. Furthermore, not just any Israelite could be a priest. Aaron was of the tribe of Levi. That cuts out 11 of the 12 tribes. And of the tribe of Levi, only Aaron's sons. So not even every Levite could be a priest. Unless you are a kohen, the son of a kohen, laws specifically for the priests do not apply to you. [i]Laws regarding korbanot [/i](offerings or sacrifices). Korbanot were to be done at a specific place (the Temple). As the Temple is no longer extant, it is impossible to perform the work of korbanot. Thus, they are no longer done. There may be a couple others, but that's what I have off the top of me head. One overriding principle should be given and a caveat that goes with it. The overriding principle is [i]pekuah nefesh [/i](preservation of life.) The man who does the commandments shall live by them. Leviticus 18. The commandments are a way of life, not death. By following the commandments we are assured long life. Life is a great gift of the Almighty. It is a terrible sin to destroy a life and a great mitzvah to save a life. In fact, life is held in such high regard, that the commandments may be broken in order to save life. Caveat: do not justify breaking the commandments with the excuse of saving a life. Only in real emergencies can this principle be invoked. Otherwise it beomces too easy to justify not keeping the commandments.