Kitzur Shulchan Oruch
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The ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch'' () is a work of halacha written by Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried which summarizes the '' Shulchan Aruch'', mainly the sections " Orach Chayim" and " Yoreh De'ah", and deals with daily laws, prayers,
Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical storie ...
and
holiday A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tra ...
laws, etc. The work was written in simple Hebrew which made it easy for the layperson to understand and contributed to its popularity.


Contents

The work is a summary, or ''kitzur,'' of the sixteenth-century Shulchan Aruch of Rabbi Joseph Caro, with references to later rabbinical commentaries. It focuses on the Orach Chaim and Yoreh Deah sections of the Shulchan Aruch, and includes laws of daily life,
Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical storie ...
, holidays and so on. It is divided into 221 chapters (called ''simanim''). As this work was written for the laity, it is not as detailed as the Shulchan Aruch itself, while generally following the Shulchan Aruch's structure. Rabbi Ganzfried expressed his intentions in his introduction: Ganzfried based his decisions on the opinions of three
Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
rabbinic authorities: Rabbis
Yaakov Lorberbaum Yaakov ben Yaakov Moshe Lorberbaum of Lissa (1760-1832) (known in English as Jacob ben Jacob Moses of Lissa, Jacob Lorberbaum or Jacob Lisser, Hebrew: יעקב בן יעקב משה מליסא) was a rabbi and posek. He is most commonly known as the ...
(author of ''Nesivos HaMishpat''),
Schneur Zalman of Liadi Shneur Zalman of Liadi ( he, שניאור זלמן מליאדי, September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812 Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe, O.S. / 18 Elul 5505 – 24 Tevet 5573) was an influential Lithuanian Jews, Li ...
(author of
Shulchan Aruch HaRav The ''Shulchan Aruch HaRav'' ( he, שולחן ערוך הרב, , Shulchan Aruch of the Rabbi; also romanized ''Shulkhan Arukh HaRav'') is especially a record of prevailing halakha by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812), known during his l ...
), and
Abraham Danzig Avraham Danzig (ben Yehiel Michael, 1748—1820; אברהם דנציג) was a rabbi, ''posek'' (legal decisor) and codifier, best known as the author of the works of Jewish law called ''Chayei Adam'' and ''Chochmat Adam''. He is sometimes referred ...
(author of Chayei Adam and
Chochmat Adam Avraham Danzig (ben Yehiel Michael, 1748—1820; אברהם דנציג) was a rabbi, ''posek'' (legal decisor) and codifier, best known as the author of the works of Jewish law called ''Chayei Adam'' and ''Chochmat Adam''. He is sometimes referred ...
). In cases of disagreement between them, Ganzfried adopted the majority view. Caro had already used a similar method to write the ''Shulchan Aruch'' in 1563; his rabbinic authorities of reference were Isaac Alfasi, Maimonides, and
Asher ben Yechiel Asher ben Jehiel ( he, אשר בן יחיאל, or Asher ben Yechiel, sometimes Asheri) (1250 or 1259 – 1327) was an eminent rabbi and Talmudist best known for his abstract of Talmudic law. He is often referred to as Rabbenu Asher, “our Rabb ...
. Ganzfried was a
Hungarian Jew The history of the Jews in Hungary dates back to at least the Kingdom of Hungary, with some records even predating the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 895 CE by over 600 years. Written sources prove that Jewish communities lived ...
, who put the emphasis of his work on the customs of the Hungarian Jews of his time. The work is also known for its strict rulings.


Reception

The ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch'' was first published in 1864 and became immensely popular after its publication for its simplicity, and is still commonly studied in Orthodox Rabbinic Judaism. Many other works, such as ''
Ben Ish Hai Yosef Hayim (1 September 1835 – 30 August 1909) ( Iraqi Hebrew: Yoseph Ḥayyim; he, יוסף חיים מבגדאד) was a leading Baghdadi ''hakham'' (Sephardi rabbi), authority on ''halakha'' (Jewish law), and Master Kabbalist. He is best ...
'', '' Chayei Adam'' and others, are similarly concise and suitable for laypersons as summaries of the Shulchan Aruch, but have not reached the level of the Kitzur's popularity. The Kitzur is not used as a basis for making decisions of a legal nature; instead, rabbis use the full Shulchan Aruch and later works by the
achronim In Jewish law and history, ''Acharonim'' (; he, אחרונים ''Aḥaronim''; sing. , ''Aḥaron''; lit. "last ones") are the leading rabbis and poskim (Jewish legal decisors) living from roughly the 16th century to the present, and more specifi ...
and poskim. Due to its popularity, this book is often printed with cross references of other halacha works, especially the
Shulchan Aruch HaRav The ''Shulchan Aruch HaRav'' ( he, שולחן ערוך הרב, , Shulchan Aruch of the Rabbi; also romanized ''Shulkhan Arukh HaRav'') is especially a record of prevailing halakha by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812), known during his l ...
or the Mishna Berura; a popular edition contains notes by Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, entitled Darkeh Halacha, with cross-references of the
Sephardic Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), ...
rabbinical authorities. Many editions of the Kitzur include an
appendix Appendix, or its plural form appendices, may refer to: __NOTOC__ In documents * Addendum, an addition made to a document by its author after its initial printing or publication * Bibliography, a systematic list of books and other works * Index (pub ...
with the laws pertaining to the
Land of Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also Isra ...
, which were compiled by the Chazon Ish. There is a commentary by Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Braun on this work, entitled ''Shearim Metzuyanim be-Halakhah'', which examines contemporary problems in the light of the work. Ganzfried, however, stated that comments were not needed for this work, since it tried to summarize the Halacha as far as possible, and that these comments should be included in the original Shulchan Aruch, and not in the Kitzur. The ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Yomi'' ("''Daily'' ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch''") is a daily learning program where the study of this work is completed in one year. The schedule does not follow the contents in order; rather it is arranged such that one reviews the laws of the Jewish holidays in the weeks before each. A person can start learning at any time of the year and complete it over the course of the year. The program is increasingly popular as it requires only 5 – 10 minutes per day.


Translations

The ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch'' has been translated into English several times. Hyman E. Goldin's translation was published in 1961 with an attempt to eliminate errors and improve upon previous translations, making it "more comprehensible to scholar and layperson alike." Goldin's translation bore the English title "Code of Jewish Law". The 1980s and 90s saw the publication of two modernized translations, which included cross references similar to those in contemporary Hebrew editions as above. In 1987 Metsudah Publications released a translation by Rabbi Avrohom Davis, and in 199
Moznaim Publishing
released a translation by Rabbi
Eliyahu Touger Eliahu or Eliyahu is a masculine Hebrew given name and surname of biblical origin. It means "My God is Yahweh" and derives from the prophet Elijah who, according to the Bible, lived during the reign of King Ahab (9th century BCE). People named Elia ...
. The
Artscroll ArtScroll is an imprint of translations, books and commentaries from an Orthodox Jewish perspective published by Mesorah Publications, Ltd., a publishing company based in Rahway, New Jersey. Rabbi Nosson Scherman is the general editor. ArtScroll' ...
translation of 2011, under the general editorship of Rabbi
Eliyahu Klugman Eliahu or Eliyahu is a masculine Hebrew given name and surname of biblical origin. It means "My God is Yahweh" and derives from the prophet Elijah who, according to the Bible, lived during the reign of King Ahab (9th century BCE). People named Elia ...
, includes comparisons with the ''
Mishnah Berurah The ''Mishnah Berurah'' ( he, משנה ברורה "Clear Teaching") is a work of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Poland, 1838–1933, also known as ''Chofetz Chaim''). It is a commentary on ''Orach Chayim'', the first section ...
'' and the ''
Igrot Moshe ''Igros Moshe'' ( he, אגרות משה, , Epistles of Moses; Israeli/ Sephardic pronunciation: ''Igrot Moshe'') is a nine-volume series of '' halakhic'' responsa by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. The first seven volumes were published during Rabbi Fein ...
'' of Moshe Feinstein. Various other translations are available online.Se
Sefaria
/ref> * ''Code of Jewish Law''. Hebrew Publishing Co. (Transl. Hyman Goldin), 1927. * ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch''. Compact Set. Metsudah Publications, 2006.
''Kitzur Schulchan Oruch''. Moznaim Publishing Corp
1991. * ''The Kleinman Edition Kitzur Shulchan Aruch''. Vol. 1. Artscroll, 2008. It has been translated also into Spanish in two volumes by Rabbi Nosson Grunblatt and published by Kehot Lubavitch Sudamericana, Buenos Aires, Argentina.


Electronic versions

* Full Hebrew text
PDFWordAndroid app
* Full Hebrew and English text online a
Sefaria
an

* ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Yomi'
daily calendar


See also


Similar works

* Chayei Adam and
Chochmat Adam Avraham Danzig (ben Yehiel Michael, 1748—1820; אברהם דנציג) was a rabbi, ''posek'' (legal decisor) and codifier, best known as the author of the works of Jewish law called ''Chayei Adam'' and ''Chochmat Adam''. He is sometimes referred ...
by Avraham Danzig (Poland, 1748–1820), similar
Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
works. *
Ben Ish Chai Yosef Hayim (1 September 1835 – 30 August 1909) ( Iraqi Hebrew: Yoseph Ḥayyim; he, יוסף חיים מבגדאד) was a leading Baghdadi ''hakham'' (Sephardi rabbi), authority on ''halakha'' (Jewish law), and Master Kabbalist. He is best ...
by Yosef Chaim (Baghdad, 1832–1909), a Sephardi work with a similar purpose. * ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch'', a similar Sephardi work by Rabbi
Raphael Baruch Toledano Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...
. * ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Mekor Hayyim'', a similar Sephardi work by Rabbi
Hayim David HaLevi Hayim David HaLevi (24 January 1924 – 10 March 1998) (), was Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Yafo. Biography Hayim David HaLevi was born in Jerusalem. He studied under Rabbi Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel at the Porat Yosef Yeshiva. When R. Uziel was ...
. * The volumes entitled ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch'' from
Yalkut Yosef Yalkut Yosef ( he, ילקוט יוסף, "Collation of Yosef") is an authoritative, contemporary work of Halakha, providing a detailed explanation of the Shulchan Aruch as based on the halachic rulings of the former Rishon LeTzion Rav Ovadia Yosef. ...
, a similar Sephardi work. * ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Sefardi'' by Rabbi Reuven Amar. *
Dat Vadin
', a summary of the Shulchan Aruch and Mishne Torah translated to Russian.


Other study cycles

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Academic articles

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References

{{reflist 1864 non-fiction books Rabbinic literature Hebrew-language religious books Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law Sifrei Kodesh Rabbinic legal texts and responsa