Thanks to their faith, the Jewish people merited divine revelation, and thanks to their enduring faith, they will merit redemption in the future. In fact, the essence of Torah and mitzvot can be condensed into faith, on which everything is built.

Great is the faith that the Israelites placed in the One who spoke and the world came into being. In reward for the Israelites’ belief in God, divine inspiration rested on them and they recited the song [at the Red Sea], as it is stated: “And they believed in the Lord and in Moses, His servant” (Exodus 14:31), and it is stated [immediately afterward]: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord” (Exodus 15:1).

Rabbi Simlai taught: Six hundred and thirteen mitzvot were stated to Moses in the Torah, 365 prohibitions corresponding to the number of days in the solar year, and 248 positive mitzvot corresponding to the number of a person’s limbs…. King David came and consolidated the 613 mitzvot to eleven mitzvot, as it is written: “A psalm by David. Lord, who may sojourn in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain? He who walks with integrity and does righteous works, and speaks the truth in his heart. He who does not gossip with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor tolerates disgrace for his friend. In his own eyes he is despised and repugnant, but he honors those who fear the Lord. He abides by his oaths, even if they cause him harm. He does not lend with usury, nor does he take bribes against the innocent. Whoever behaves in this manner will never stumble” (Psalms 15:1–5).

Isaiah came and consolidated the 613 mitzvot to six, as it is written: “One who walks righteously and speaks fairly, spurns the profit of exploitations, shakes off his hands from being supported by bribery, stops his ears from conspiring bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from conceiving evil” (Isaiah 33:15).

Micah came and consolidated them to three, as it is written: “He told you, man, what is good, and what the Lord demands from you: Only to perform justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

Isaiah then consolidated [his original six mitzvot] to two, as it is stated: “So said the Lord: Maintain justice and act with righteousness, for it is nigh that My salvation is to come and My righteousness is to be revealed” (Isaiah 56:1).

Habakkuk came and consolidated them to one, as it is stated: “But the righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). (Mekhilta deRabbi Yishmael, Beshalah, Mesekhta deVayhi 6; Makkot 23b–24a)