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
-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 !!!
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
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