-
Period: Jan 1, 1000 to
Timespan
-
Jan 1, 1175
Mishnah Torah
This code for religious law was written by the Rambam or Rav Moshe ben Maimon. -
Jan 1, 1300
Arba'ah Turim
This was composed by Yaakov ben Asher. This unique 4 part structure is divided into chapters and was the building blocks for the Shulchan Aruch. -
Jan 1, 1565
Shulchan Aruch
Rav Joseph Caro wrote this book. With it's commentaries it is the most widely accepted compilation of Jewish law ever written. It is mostly Sephardic traditons as the Ashkenazi follow Rav Moshe Isserles. It's 4 main parts are: 1) Orach Chayim, 2) Yoreh De'ah, 3) Even Ha'ezer, 4) Choshen Mishpat -
Taz
Rabbi David ben Samuel Hallevi (1586-1667), he was best known for his commentaries on te Sulchan Aruch, particularly the Orach Hayim and Yoreh De'ah. He did wrtie commentaries on all 4 sections of the Shulchan Aruch but he is most noted for those 2 discussed. Turei Zahav (Taz) which is "columns of gold" this is a specific commentary on the Shulchan Aruch -
Shach
Rabbi Shabbetai Kohen, originally from Vilna had to move to Moravia due to massacres in 1648-1656. The Shach is his nickname due to his commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch but mainly Yoreh'Deah and Hoshen Mishpat. -
Magen Avraham
This is detailed explanatory on Orach Chayim. The Magen Avraham which means Shield of Abraham was written by Rabbi Abraham "Abeleh" Gombiner of Kalisz, Poland. He was born in circa 1637 and died circa 1683. His basic goal was to harmoize the teachings of Rav Caro and Rav Moshe Isserles -
The Vilna Gaon
The Vilna Gaon was the nickname for Rabbi Elijah ben Sh'lomo Zalman, he was born in 1727, and died in 1797. He was from Vilna, Lithuania. Ga'on was a name given to Babolonian academy leaders after the Talmudic era. The people of his time period refered to him as the pious one. He wrote on the Shulchan Aruch with Talmudic evidence. -
Kitzur Shulcan Aruch
This commentary was written by Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfreid who was born in Ungvar, Hungary in 1806. When R. Shlomo Ganzfried wrote the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, he intended his work for use by laymen and therefore did not cite sources for his rulings. He also did not include those halachos that had no practical application to most people of his time. The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch became an immensely popular work soon after its publication due to its clear and precise presentation of halacha. -
Mishnah Berurah
The Mishnah Berurah was written by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagen otheriwse known as the Chofetz Chaim (1838-1933), He was a Lithuanian Rabbi of the Musar movement, he moved to Radin and had a successful Yeshiva their, the Mishnah Berurah his most famous thing written was in 1876. It has 6 volumes and is a commentary on the Orach Chayim, which is 1 of the 4 parts of the Shulchan Aruch -
Aruch HaShulchan
This commentary was written by Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein who was born in 1829 and died in 1908. It is compact reiterations of the sources for each chapter of the Shulchan Aruch, it has special emphasis on Rambam's teachings and the Jerusalem Talmud. But it was mainly created to clairfy and organize the Shulchan Aruch.
