Arba'ah Turim

Arba'ah Turim (ארבעה טורים, Hebrew: "Four rows" - on the High Priest's breastplate), also abbreviated as Tur, is an important work of Jewish law, composed by Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher of Spain (1270 -c.1340). Rabbi Ben Asher is also referred to as "Ba'al ha-Turim", "Master of the Tur".

Related Topics:
Hebrew - High Priest's - Jewish law - Rabbi - Yaakov ben Asher - Spain - 1270 - 1340 - Ba'al ha-Turim

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In The Tur, Ben Asher traces the practical Jewish law from the Torah text and the dicta of the Talmud through the Rishonim. Ben Asher used the code of Rabbi Isaac Alfasi as his starting point; these views are then compared to those of Maimonides, as well as to the Ashkenazi traditions, contained in the Tosafist literature.

Related Topics:
Practical Jewish law - Torah - Talmud - Rishonim - Isaac Alfasi - Maimonides - Ashkenazi - Tosafist

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The Tur is composed in four divisions ("Arba'ah Turim"); these are further organised by topic, by section (siman, pl. simanim) and by law (se'if, pl. se'ifim).

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:The Arba'ah Turim:

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:* Orach Chayim - laws of prayer and synagogue, Sabbath, holidays

Related Topics:
Orach Chayim - Synagogue - Sabbath

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:* Yoreh De'ah - laws of shechita, kashrut

Related Topics:
Yoreh De'ah - Shechita - Kashrut

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:* Even HaEzer - laws of marriage, divorce

Related Topics:
Even HaEzer - Marriage

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:* Choshen Mishpat - laws of finance, financial responsibility, damages (personal and financial), interest

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The Tur, unlike Maimonides' Mishneh Torah, is not limited to normative positions, but compares the various opinions on any disputed point. (In most instances of debate, Rabbi Jacob follows the opinion of his father, Rabbi Asher ben Jehiel, the Rosh.) Arba'ah Turim also differs with the Mishneh Torah, in that it deals only with areas of Jewish law that are applicable in the Jewish exile.

Related Topics:
Mishneh Torah - Normative - Asher ben Jehiel - Jew - Exile

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Commentaries on Arba'ah Turim include Beth Yosef by Rabbi Joseph Karo, Bayit Chadash by Rabbi Yoel Sirkis, Darkhei Moshe by Moses Isserles, Beit Yisrael by Joshua Falk, as well as works by a number of other Acharonim.

Related Topics:
Beth Yosef - Joseph Karo - Bayit Chadash - Yoel Sirkis - Moses Isserles - Joshua Falk - Acharonim

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The Tur continues to play an important role in Halakha. Joseph Karo's Shulkhan Arukh, the fundamental work of Halakha, is a condensation of his Beth Joseph and follows the basic structure of the Arba'ah Turim, including its division in four sections and chapters - Tur's structure down to the siman is retained in the Shulkhan Arukh. Students of the Shulkan Arukh, particularly in Orthodox Semicha programs, will study the Tur and the Beth Joseph, together with the Shulkhan Arukh itself.

Related Topics:
Shulkhan Arukh - Halakha - Orthodox - Semicha

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