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ShulchanArach.com: Free English Translation of The Shulchan Aruch: Jewish Code of Law

Update: 61 Chapters Translated! 8.7% Completed of SA Orach Chaim We just moved to a different domain as Geocities is closing. If anyone finds errors in the web site transfer, please tell me about it.
Many of you might have noticed that I did not post updates for a while. I am in medical school and don't have the time right now to do so. HELP! I could really use someone to help me with this project !!! contact yanky5cool@yahoo.com -Chapter 588 is slightly corrupted. I am trying to locate a backup to restore the file.
UPDATES

Forum Added: Post your comments and suggestions here.

-6/09 Ch 613-628 Added.
This web page will eventually with Hashem's help contain a online complete free english translation of the shulchan aruch or (not kittsur shulchan arach, the real long one) and hopefully more works. This project was started in 2005. It should take untill 2007 to start listing a significant quantity of material. Any G-d fearing Yid who wants to help should contact yanky5cool@yahoo.com I would really like some help so we can do all four sections of the Shulchan Aruch. It takes a long time to translate everything into clear, articulate English that preserves the original meaning. Free Torah for everyone !!!


Shulchan Aruch Free English Translation (in progress)

Laws of Daily Living Ch 1-7:
Chapter 1: Laws of Morning Preparation   Chapter 2: Laws of Dressing   Chapter 3: Using the facilities   Chapter 4:The laws of Nitilas Yadayim ( Washing of the hands )   Chapter 5 and 6: Intentions for Blessings & Laws of Elokai N'shama and Asher Yatzar   Chapter 7: Law of Reciting Asher Yatzar After Using the Restroom
Laws of Tzitzit Ch 8-25:
Chapter 8: Laws of Tzitzit and Wrapping   Chapter 9: Garments Requiring Tzitzit and Those That Are Exempt   Chapter 10: Tzitzit: Laws Concerning the Corners of a Garment   Chapter 11: Tzitzit: Laws Concerning the Tzitzit Threads   Chapter 12: Tzitzit: Factors That Make Tzitzit Invalid
Laws of Rosh Hashannah. Ch 581-603
Chapter 581: The laws of the days of supplication and the eve of Rosh Hashanah   Chapter 582: Prayers said on ten days of repentance and Rosh Hashanna   Chapter 583 and 584: Customary Foods to Eat The Night of Rosh Hashanah & The Torah Reading Arrangement on Rosh Hashanah   Chapter 585: The Blessing Said on the Shofer   Ch. 586: The Laws of the Rosh Hashanah Shofer   Chapter 587: The Laws Concerning One Who Blew A Shofer in a Pit   Chapter 588: The Time for Blowing the Shofer   Chapter 589: Those Required to Blow the Shofer   Chapter 590: The Correct Order Of Shofer Blowing   Chapter 591: How the Quiet Mussuf is Performed   Chapter 592:The Loud Mussaf Service and the Order of the Shofer Blows   Chapter 593: If the blessings and the Shofer blowing hold back each other, Chapter 594: An individual who did not pray (the Mussaf service of Rosh Hashanah), his friend can not be Yotzai him, Chapter 595: One who is not an expert in both the Shofer blowing and in the prayers, Chapter 596: No title, Chapter 597: If it is permitted to fast on Rosh Hashanah   Chapter 598-599 No Title, Ch. 600: An egg that was made on Rosh Hashanah and the laws of Kiddush, Ch. 601: The arrangement of the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Ch. 602: The arrangment of the days of Repentance, Ch. 603: No Title
Laws Of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement): Ch 604-624
Ch 604: The Order of Erev Yom Kippur and 605: The Custom of Kaparot on Erev Yom Kippur   Ch 606: How a person should make appeasement with his friend on Erev Yom Kippur   Ch 607: The arrangement of Vidoy in Mincha on Erev Yom Kippur   Ch 608: The arragnement of the concluding meal   Ch 609: Keeping food warm on Erev Yom Kippur & Ch 610: Lighting candles on Yom Kippur   Ch 611: Yom Kippur at night has the same laws as during the day and Ch 612: The prohibition on eating on Yom Kippur and the measurement   Ch 613: The Prohibition of Bathing on Yom Kippur Ch 614: The Prohibition of Anointing and Wearing Leather Shoes Shulchan Aruch Chapter 615: The Prohibition of Having Sex During Yom Kippur   Ch 616: When Do Children Begin to Fast on Yom Kippur Ch 617: Laws of a Pregnant, Nursing and a Woman Who Recently Gave Birth on Yom Kippur Ch618: The Laws of a Sick Person on Yom Kippur   Ch 619: The Order of the Night of Yom Kippur Ch 620: A Good Custom to Be Brief With the Morning Prayer Ch 621: The Order of the Torah reading and Circumcision Ch 622: The Order of the Mincha Prayer Ch 623: The Order of the Concluding Neilah Prayer Ch 624: The Order of After Yom Kippur is Concluded  
Laws Of Succot: Ch 625-?
Ch 625: The Laws of Succot Ch 626: If One is Able to Build a Succah Under a Tree or a Roof Ch 627: The Laws of Sitting in the Succah Ch 628: The Laws of a Succah Under a Succah

Other Chapters:
Chapter 182: Grace After Meals (Birchas Hamazone) and The Cup Used for The Blessing   Chapter 183: How the Mevarach Should Prepare the Cup for Birchas Hamazone   Chapter 218: Blessings Said on Miracles   Chapter 549: Laws of the Ninth of Av and Other Fasts & Chapter 550: Difference Between the Ninth of Av and Other Fasts





Click Here for the HEBREW TEXT of The Shlchan Aruch -Nice format but does not label the additions of the Rama





FREE LINEAR English translation of the Rambam's Mishna Torah (Just Started ON HOLD until the S.A. project progresses)

Someone else has already posted a free translation of the first chapters of the Mishna Torah here


You Need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files. It's available for free.



Note: The Hebrew Text of the Rambam was taken from "mechon-mamre". You are unable to copy the hebrew text from the pdfs (I put a security restriciton in most of the pdfs) since "mechon-mamre" doesn't want anyone else to post their text. You can get it for free from their website (http://www.mechon-mamre.org/). Please send them a donation for providing the hebrew text of the Rambam.

About the translater and webmaster Jay Dinovitser:

Jay Dinovitser has a B.A. in Biochemistry. He previously attended The Rabbinical Seminary of America (Chovitz Chaim). He is currently in medical school.




What is the Shulchan Arach? The Shulchan Aruch is the Jewish code of law written by Rabbi Yosef Kara about 500 years ago. It summarizes and lists the halachic decisions of the Talmud as well as the author's own view based on halachic opinions and discussions of the commentaries after the Talmud. Topics discussed are divided into chapters. The S.A. is split into four sections: Yorah Deah, Choshen Mishpat, Orach Chaim, and Even Haezer. The most commonly studied section is Orach Chaim, since it contains every day laws needed for the masses. The other sections are studied by Rabbis. I will first list the most common section. As soon as Rabbi Yosef Karo wrote his code of law, another Rabbi Avroham Moshe Isserless wrote his own version of the code of law. What the Jewish community decided to do was to list both in a combined Shulchan Arach. Basically, since both agree on 95 percent of topics; Reb Yosef Kara's version is printed and when the other Rabbi has something to add, it is written in rashi text. Reb Yosef Kara is referred to as the Mechaber or "author". The other Rabbi is referred to as the "Rama". Reb Yosef Kara is Sefardi. The other Rabbi is Askenazi. Recently, the Orach Chaim was abridged heavily and shunk down into a small volume called the Kitzer S.A. (1800's) The Kitzer S.A. is the most popular Jewish Law book found in Jewish homes, since it is only about half the length of the Orach Chaim. It contains the most essential laws the community needs to know. I will be working on the full Shulchan Aruch and not the abridged Kitzer S.A. Yona Newman has posted a very brilliant linear translation of the Kittzer SA here

The S.A. was not the first code of law. The Rambam's Mishna Torah was written in the 1100's and became the first Jewish code of law. MORE INFO ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE JEWISH CODE OF LAW