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Sep 6, 1175
Mishnah Torah
A Halakhic code commentating on the Mishnah authored by the Rambam. It was written while he was living in Egypt. -
Nov 8, 1340
Tur
An important Halachic code composed by Yaacov ben Asher. This was a precursor to the Shulchan Aruch. Tur is short for "Arbah Turim" or "the four pillars," because it was composed into four different sections: Orach Chayim - laws of prayer and synagogue, Sabbath, holidays; Yoreh De'ah - miscellaneous ritualistic laws, such as shechita and kashrut; Even Ha'ezer - laws of marriage, divorce; and Choshen Mishpat - laws of finance, financial responsibility, and damages (personal and financial). -
Sep 7, 1542
Beit Yosef
Beit Yosef is a book by Rabbi Joseph Caro. It is a long, detailed commentary on the Arba'ah Turim. It served as a precursor to the Shulchan Aruch, which Caro wrote later in his life. -
Sep 6, 1563
Shulchan Aruch
It was authored in Safed by Rabbi Yosef Karo. Together with its commentaries, it is the most widely accepted compilation of Jewish law ever written.
The halachic rulings in the Shulchan Aruch generally follow Sephardic law and customs whereas Ashkenazi Jews will generally follow the halachic rulings of Moses Isserles whose glosses to the Shulchan Aruch note where the Sephardic and Ashkenazic customs differ. -
The Shach
Shabbatai ben Meir ha-Kohen was a noted 17th Century posek. He became known as the Shach, which is an abbreviation of his most important work, Siftei Kohen (literally Lips of the Priest), and his rulings were considered authoritative by later halakhists. -
The Taz
David ha-Levi Segal, also known as the Turei Zahav (abbreviated Taz) after the title of his commentary on the Shulchan Aruch, was one of the greatest Polish rabbinical authorities EVER... -
Kitzur Shulchan Aruch
A summary of the regular Shulchan Aruch. Written by Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried in Hungary. -
Aruch HaShulchan
A restatement of the Shulchan Aruch with emphasis on the Talmud Yerushalmi and the Rambam. It was written by Rabbi Yechiel Michael Epstien. -
Mishnah Berurah
A book of Halacha by Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan: aka--the Chofetz Chaim. It deals soely with the opinions of the Acharonim.
