The ''Mishneh Torah'' (), also known as ''Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka'' (), is a

code In communications and information processing, code is a system of rules to convert information—such as a letter, word, sound, image, or gesture—into another form, sometimes shortened or secret, for communication through a communicati ...

Rabbinic Jewish Rabbinic Judaism (), also called Rabbinism, Rabbinicism, Rabbanite Judaism, or Talmudic Judaism, is rooted in the many forms of Judaism that coexisted and together formed Second Temple Judaism in the land of Israel, giving birth to classical rabb ...

religious law Religious law includes ethical and moral codes taught by religious traditions. Examples of religiously derived legal codes include Christian canon law (applicable within a wider theological conception in the church, but in modern times distin ...

(''

halakha ''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Judaism, Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Torah, Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is ...

'') authored by

Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...

(Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon/Rambam). The ''Mishneh Torah'' was compiled between 1170 and 1180 CE (4930 and 4940 AM), while Maimonides was living in

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

, and is regarded as Maimonides' ''

magnum opus A masterpiece, , or ; ; ) is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, skill, profundity, or workmanship. Historically, ...

''. Accordingly, later sources simply refer to the work as "''Maimon''", "''Maimonides''", or "''RaMBaM''", although Maimonides composed other works. ''Mishneh Torah'' consists of fourteen books, subdivided into sections, chapters, and paragraphs. It is the only

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

-era work that details all of Jewish observance, including those laws that are only applicable when the

Temple in Jerusalem The Temple in Jerusalem, or alternatively the Holy Temple (; , ), refers to the two religious structures that served as the central places of worship for Israelites and Jews on the modern-day Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Accord ...

is in existence, and remains an important work in Judaism. Its title is an appellation originally used for the Biblical book of

Deuteronomy Deuteronomy (; ) is the fifth book of the Torah (in Judaism), where it is called () which makes it the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to ...

, and its moniker, "Book of the Strong Hand", derives from its subdivision into fourteen books: the numerical value fourteen, when represented as the Hebrew letters

Yodh Yodh (also spelled jodh, yod, or jod) is the tenth letter of the Semitic abjads, including Phoenician ''yōd'' 𐤉, Hebrew ''yod'' , Aramaic ''yod'' 𐡉, Syriac ''yōḏ'' ܝ, and Arabic ''yāʾ'' . It is also related to the Ancient Nort ...

(10) and

Dalet Dalet (, also spelled Daleth or Daled) is the fourth letter of the Semitic abjads, including Phoenician ' 𐤃, Hebrew , Aramaic ' 𐡃, Syriac ' ܕ, and Arabic (in abjadi order; 8th in modern order). Its sound value is the voiced alveol ...

(4), forms the word ('hand'). Maimonides intended to provide a complete statement of the

Oral Law An oral law is a code of conduct in use in a given culture, religion or community application, by which a body of rules of human behaviour is transmitted by oral tradition and effectively respected, or the single rule that is orally transmitted. M ...

, so that a person who mastered first the

Written Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () o ...

and then the ''Mishneh Torah'' would be in no need of any other book. Contemporary reaction was mixed, with a strong and immediate opposition which focused on the absence of sources and the belief that the work appeared to be intended to supersede study of the

Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

. Maimonides responded to these criticisms, and the ''Mishneh Torah'' endures as an influential work in Jewish religious thought. According to several authorities,"Yad Mal'akhi", rule 26 and 27, p. 186 a decision may not be rendered in opposition to a view of Maimonides, even where he apparently militated against the sense of a Talmudic passage, for in such cases the presumption was that the words of the Talmud were incorrectly interpreted. Likewise: "One must follow Maimonides, even when the latter opposed his teachers, since he surely knew their views, and if he decided against them, he must have disapproved their interpretation." The ''Mishneh Torah'' was later adapted for an

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...

audience by

Meir HaKohen Meir HaKohen was a German rabbinical scholar of the end of the thirteenth century. He authored '' Hagahot Maimuniot'' (or ''Haggahot Maimuniyyot'') (הגהות מיימוניות, abbreviated הגהמי"י) on Maimonides' ''Mishneh Torah''. Giuli ...

in the form of the ''

Haggahot Maimuniyyot ''Haggahot Maimuniyyot'' () is a 13th-century halakhic work authored by Meir HaKohen. It is one of the most important sources for the halakhic rulings of the scholars of Germany and France, and it is one of the defining halakhic works of the Ashk ...

''. The work consists of supplemental notes to the ''Mishneh Torah'' with the objective of implanting contemporary

Sephardic Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...

thought in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

and

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, while juxtaposing it to contemporary

halakhic customs.

Sources

Maimonides sought brevity and clarity in his ''Mishneh Torah'' and, as in his ''Commentary on the Mishnah'', he refrained from detailing his sources, considering it sufficient to name his sources in the preface. He drew upon the

Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...

and the rest of

Tanakh The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
. ''

Tosefta The Tosefta ( "supplement, addition") is a compilation of Jewish Oral Law from the late second century, the period of the Mishnah and the Jewish sages known as the '' Tannaim''. Background Jewish teachings of the Tannaitic period were cha ...

, and the halachic Midrashim, principally

Sifra Sifra () is the Midrash halakha to the Book of Leviticus. It is frequently quoted in the Talmud and the study of it followed that of the Mishnah. Like Leviticus itself, the midrash is occasionally called Torat Kohanim, and in two passages ''Sifr ...

and

Sifre Sifre (; ''siphrēy'', ''Sifre, Sifrei'', also, ''Sifre debe Rab'' or ''Sifre Rabbah'') refers to either of two works of '' Midrash halakha'', or classical Jewish legal biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. ...

. Later sources include the

responsa ''Responsa'' (plural of Latin , 'answer') comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them. In the modern era, the term is used to describe decisions and rulings made by scholars i ...

(''teshuvot'') of the

Geonim ''Geonim'' (; ; also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated Gaonim, singular Gaon) were the presidents of the two great Talmudic Academies in Babylonia, Babylonian Talmudic Academies of Sura Academy , Sura and Pumbedita Academy , Pumbedita, in t ...

. The maxims and decisions of the Geonim are frequently presented with the introductory phrase "The Geonim have decided" or "There is a regulation of the Geonim", while the opinions of

Isaac Alfasi Isaac ben Jacob Alfasi (1013–1103) (, ), also known as the Alfasi or by his Hebrew acronym, the Rif (Rabbi Isaac al-Fasi), was a Maghrebi Talmudist and posek (decider in matters of halakha, Jewish law). He is best known for his work of '' ...

and Alfasi's pupil Joseph ibn Migash are prefaced by the words "my teachers have decided" (although there is no direct source confirming ibn Migash as Maimonides' teacher). According to Maimonides, the Geonim were considered "unintelligible in our days, and there are but few who are able to comprehend them". There were even times when Maimonides disagreed with what was being taught in the name of the Geonim. A number of laws appear to have no source in any of the works mentioned; it is thought that Maimonides deduced them through independent interpretations of the Bible or that they are based on versions of previous Talmudic texts no longer in our hands. Maimonides himself states a few times in his work that he possessed what he considered to be more accurate texts of the Talmud than what most people possessed at his time. The latter has been confirmed to a certain extent by versions of the Talmud preserved by the

Yemenite Jews Yemenite Jews, also known as Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from ; ), are a Jewish diaspora group who live, or once lived, in Yemen, and their descendants maintaining their customs. After several waves of antisemitism, persecution, the vast majority ...

as to the reason for what previously were thought to be rulings without any source.

Language and style

The ''Mishneh Torah'' is written in

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

, as the

Mishnah The Mishnah or the Mishna (; , from the verb ''šānā'', "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first written collection of the Jewish oral traditions that are known as the Oral Torah. Having been collected in the 3rd century CE, it is ...

had been. As he states in the preface,

was reluctant to write in

Talmudic Aramaic Jewish Babylonian Aramaic ( Aramaic: ) was the form of Middle Aramaic employed by writers in Lower Mesopotamia between the fourth and eleventh centuries. It is most commonly identified with the language of the Babylonian Talmud (which was co ...

, since it was not widely known. His previous works had been written in

Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Arabic (; ; ) sometimes referred as Sharh, are a group of different ethnolects within the branches of the Arabic language used by jewish communities. Although Jewish use of Arabic, which predates Islam, has been in some ways distinct ...

. The ''Mishneh Torah'' virtually never cites sources or arguments, and confines itself to stating the final decision on the law to be followed in each situation. There is no discussion of Talmudic interpretation or methodology, and the sequence of chapters follows the factual subject matter of the laws rather than the intellectual principle involved. Maimonides was criticized for not including sources by his contemporaries. Maimonides later regretted not adding sources but ultimately did not have time to update his work.

The books and sections

# ''HaMadda'' (Knowledge) ## ''Yesodei ha-Torah'' ( ‘Foundations of the Torah’): belief in

God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...

, and other

Jewish principles of faith The formulation of principles of faith, universally recognized across all branches of Judaism remains undefined. There is no central authority in Judaism in existence today although the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish religious court, would fulfill ...

## ''De'ot'': general proper behavior ## ''Talmud Torah'':

Torah study Torah study is the study of the Torah, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, responsa, rabbinic literature, and similar works, all of which are Judaism's Sifrei kodesh, religious texts. According to Rabbinic Judaism, the study is done for the purpose of the ''mi ...

## ''Avodah Zarah'': the prohibition against

idolatry Idolatry is the worship of an idol as though it were a deity. In Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Samaritanism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith) idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than the Abrahamic ...

and foreign worship ## ''Teshuvah'': the law and philosophy of

repentance Repentance is reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past or present wrongdoings, which is accompanied by commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better. In modern times, it is generally seen ...

''Ahavah'' (Love

f God F, or f, is the sixth letter of the Latin alphabet and many modern alphabets influenced by it, including the modern English alphabet and the alphabets of all other modern western European languages. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounc ...

## ''Kri'at Shema'': recitation of ''

the Shema ''Shema Yisrael'' (''Shema Israel'' or ''Sh'ma Yisrael''; , “Hear, O Israel”) is a Jewish prayer (known as the Shema) that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. Its first verse encapsulates the monothe ...

'' ## ''Tefilah'' and ''Birkat Kohanim'':

prayer File:Prayers-collage.png, 300px, alt=Collage of various religionists praying – Clickable Image, Collage of various religionists praying ''(Clickable image – use cursor to identify.)'' rect 0 0 1000 1000 Shinto festivalgoer praying in front ...

and the

priestly blessing The Priestly Blessing or priestly benediction (; translit. ''birkat kohanim''), also known in rabbinic literature as raising of the hands (Hebrew ''nesiat kapayim''), rising to the platform (Hebrew ''aliyah ledukhan''), ''dukhenen'' (Yiddish fro ...

## ''

Tefillin Tefillin (Modern Hebrew language, Israeli Hebrew: / ; Ashkenazim, Ashkenazic pronunciation: ; Modern Israeli Hebrew, Modern Hebrew pronunciation: ), or phylacteries, are a set of small black leather boxes with leather straps containing scrolls o ...

'', ''

Mezuzah A ''mezuzah'' ( "doorpost"; plural: ''mezuzot'') is a piece of parchment inscribed with specific Hebrew language, Hebrew verses from the Torah, which Jews affix in a small case to the doorposts of their homes. These verses are the Biblical pa ...

'', and ''

Sefer Torah file:SeferTorah.jpg, A Sephardic Torah scroll rolled to the first paragraph of the Shema file:Köln-Tora-und-Innenansicht-Synagoge-Glockengasse-040.JPG, An Ashkenazi Torah scroll rolled to the Decalogue file:Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Inte ...

'' ## ''

Tzitzit ''Tzitzit'' ( ''ṣīṣīṯ'', ; plural ''ṣīṣiyyōṯ'', Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazi: '; and Samaritan Hebrew, Samaritan: ') are specially knotted ritual Fringe (trim), fringes, or tassels, worn in antiquity by Israelites and today by o ...

'' ## ''Berachot'': blessings ## ''Milah'': circumcision ## ''Seder Tefilot'': order of prayers # Sukkots with wall from wood

''Zemanim'' (Times) ## ''

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...

'':

Sabbath In Abrahamic religions, the Sabbath () or Shabbat (from Hebrew ) is a day set aside for rest and worship. According to the Book of Exodus, the Sabbath is a day of rest on the seventh day, Ten Commandments, commanded by God to be kept as a Holid ...

## ''

Eruv An ''eruv'' (; , , also transliterated as ''eiruv'' or ''erub'', plural: ''eruvin'' or ''eruvim'') is a ritual ''halakhic'' enclosure made for the purpose of allowing activities which are normally Activities prohibited on Shabbat, prohibited ...

in'': a type of Rabbinic device that allows Jews to carry outdoors and walk longer distances on the Sabbath, as well as cook on holidays. ## ''Shevitat `Asor'': laws of

Yom Kippur Yom Kippur ( ; , ) is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, corresponding to a date in late September or early October. For traditional Jewish people, it is primarily centered on atonement and ...

, except for the Temple service (see ''Avodat Yom ha-Kippurim'', below) ## ''

Yom Tov Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' (, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed by Jews throughout the Hebrew calendar.This article focuses on practices of mainstream Rabbinic Judaism. ...

'': prohibitions on major Jewish holidays that are different from the prohibitions of Sabbath ## ''Hametz u-Matza'':

chametz ''Chametz'' (also ''chometz'', ', ''ḥameṣ'', ''ḥameç'' and other spellings Transliteration, transliterated from ; ) are foods with leavening agents that are forbidden to Jews on the holiday of Passover. ''Chametz'' is a product that is b ...

and

matzah Matzah, matzo, or maẓẓah ('','' : matzot or Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashk. matzos) is an Unleavened bread, unleavened flatbread that is part of Jewish cuisine and forms an integral element of the Passover festival, during which ''chametz'' (lea ...

(i. e.,

Passover Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Biblical Egypt, Egypt. According to the Book of Exodus, God in ...

) ## ''Shofar ve-Lulav ve-Sukkah'':

Shofar A shofar ( ; from , ) is an ancient musical horn, typically a ram's horn, used for Jewish ritual purposes. Like the modern bugle, the shofar lacks pitch-altering devices, with all pitch control done by varying the player's embouchure. The ...

(i. e.,

Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah (, , ) is the New Year in Judaism. The Hebrew Bible, biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , ). It is the first of the High Holy Days (, , 'Days of Awe"), as specified by Leviticus 23:23–25, that occur in the late summe ...

) and

palm frond Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae ** List of Arecaceae genera **Palm oil * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music ...

and

Sukkah A or succah (; ; plural, ' or ' or ', often translated as "booth") is a temporary hut constructed for use during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. It is topped with branches and often well decorated with autumnal, harvest or Judaic ...

(i. e.,

Sukkot Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, is a Torah-commanded Jewish holiday celebrated for seven days, beginning on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei. It is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals on which Israelite ...

) ## ''Shekalim'': money collected for the Temple in Jerusalem when it stood ## ''Kiddush HaChodesh'': sanctification of the month ## ''Taaniyot'': fasts ## ''Hanukah u-Megillah'':

Hanukkah Hanukkah (, ; ''Ḥănukkā'' ) is a Jewish holidays, Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd ce ...

and the

Scroll of Esther The Book of Esther (; ; ), also known in Hebrew as "the Scroll" ("the Megillah"), is a book in the third section (, "Writings") of the Hebrew Bible. It is one of the Five Scrolls () in the Hebrew Bible and later became part of the Christian ...

(i. e.,

Purim Purim (; , ) is a Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jews, Jewish people from Genocide, annihilation at the hands of an official of the Achaemenid Empire named Haman, as it is recounted in the Book of Esther (u ...

) #

''Nashim'' (Women): ## ''Ishut'': laws of

marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

, including kiddushin and the

ketubah A ketubah (; ) is a Jewish marriage contract. It is considered an integral part of a Jewish views on marriage, traditional Jewish marriage, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom, in relation to the bride. In modern practice, ...

## ''Geirushin'': laws of

divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganising of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the M ...

## ''Yibum va-Chalitzah'': laws of

levirate marriage Levirate marriage is a type of marriage in which the brother of a deceased man is obliged to marry his brother's widow. Levirate marriage has been practiced by societies with a strong clan structure in which exogamous marriage (i.e. marriage o ...

## ''Na'arah Betulah'': the law of a man who seduces or rapes an unmarried woman ## ''

Sotah Sotah ( or , "strayer") is a tractate of the Talmud in Rabbinic Judaism. The tractate explains the ordeal of the bitter water, a trial by ordeal of a woman suspected of adultery, which is prescribed by the Book of Numbers in the Hebrew Bible ( ...

'': laws concerning a woman suspected of infidelity # ''Kedushah'' (Holiness) ## ''Issurei Biah'': forbidden sexual relations, including

niddah A niddah (alternative forms: nidda, nida, or nidah; ''nidá''), in traditional Judaism, is a woman who has experienced a uterine discharge of blood (most commonly during menstruation), or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the ...

incest Incest ( ) is sexual intercourse, sex between kinship, close relatives, for example a brother, sister, or parent. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by lineag ...

, and

adultery Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept ...

. Since intermarriage with non-Jews is forbidden, the laws of conversion to Judaism are also included. ## ''Ma'akhalot Assurot'': laws of forbidden foods (see

kashrut (also or , ) is a set of Food and drink prohibitions, dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to halakha, Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed ko ...

) ## ''

Shechitah In Judaism, ''shechita'' (anglicized: ; ; ; also transliterated ''shehitah, shechitah, shehita'') is ritual slaughtering of certain mammals and birds for food according to ''kashrut''. One who practices this, a kosher butcher is called a ''sho ...

'': laws of ritual slaughter # ''Hafla'ah'' (Separation): ## ''Shevuot'': Person-focused promise or commitment. ## ''Nedarim'': Object-focused dedication or prohibition. ## ''Nezirot'': laws of Nazirites ## ''Erachin'': laws of donations to the temple # ''Zera'im'' (Seeds) ## ''Kilayim'': laws of forbidden mixtures ## ''Aniyim'': laws of obligatory gifts to the poor ## ''Terumot'': laws of obligatory gifts to the priests ## ''Maaser'': laws of tithes ## ''Sheini'': laws of secondary tithes ## ''Bikurim'': laws of first fruit offerings ## ''Shemittah'': laws of the sabbatical year # Jerusalem Modell BW 3

''Avodah'' (Divine Service): ## ''Bet HaBechirah'': laws of God's chosen house ## ''K'lei HaMikdash'': laws of the temple utensils and those who serve within ## ''Bi'at HaMikdash'': laws of entry to the sanctuary ## ''Issurei HaMizbe'ach'': laws of entities prohibited to be offered on the altar ## ''Ma'aseh HaKorbanot'': laws of the sacrificial procedures ## ''Temidim uMusafim'': laws of continual and additional offerings ## ''Pesule HaMukdashim'': laws of consecrated entities that have been disqualified ## ''Avodat Yom HaKippurim'': laws of the Yom Kippur service ## ''Me'ilah'': laws of the misappropriation of consecrated property # ''Korbanot'' (Offerings) ## ''Korban Pesach'': the Passover offering ## ''Chagigah'': the festival offering ## ''Bechorot'': laws regarding first-born children ## ''Shegagot'': Offerings for Unintentional Transgressions ## ''Mechussarey Kapparah'': Offerings for Those with Incomplete Atonement ## ''Temurah'': Substitution # ''Taharah'' (

Ritual Purity Ritual purification is a ritual prescribed by a religion through which a person is considered to be freed of ''uncleanliness'', especially prior to the worship of a deity, and ritual purity is a state of ritual cleanliness. Ritual purification ...

) ## ''Tumat Met'': defilement by coming into contact with death ## ''Para Aduma'': the

red heifer The red heifer () was a reddish brown Cattle, cow sacrificed by Temple priests as a ritual purification, purification ritual in biblical times. Ritual in the Torah The red heifer offering is described in Book of Numbers, Numbers 19. The Tora ...

## ''Tumat Zara’at'': defilement by tzara'at ## ''Metamei Mischkaw u-Moschaw'' tangential defilement ## ''She'ar Avot haTumot'' other sources of defilment ## ''Tumat Ochalin'': defilement of foods ## ''Kelim'': vessels ## ''Mikvaot'': laws regarding the

mikvah A mikveh or mikvah (, ''mikva'ot'', ''mikvot'', or ( Ashkenazic) ''mikves'', lit., "a collection") is a bath used for ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve ritual purity. In Orthodox Judaism, these regulations are steadfastly adhered t ...

# ''Sefer Nezikim'', also known as ''Sefer Nezikin'' (

torts A tort is a civil wrong, other than breach of contract, that causes a claimant to suffer loss or harm, resulting in legal liability for the person who commits the tortious act. Tort law can be contrasted with criminal law, which deals with c ...

) ## ''Nizqei Mamon'': property damage ## ''Geneivah'': theft ## ''Gezeilah v'Avidah'': robbery and lost property ## ''Hovel uMaziq'': one who injures another ## ''Rotzeah uShmirat Nefesh'': murderers and life preservation # ''Sefer Kinyan'' (Acquisition) ## ''Mechirah'' sale ## ''Zechiyah uMatanah'': ownerless property and gifts ## ''Sh’chenim'': neighbors ## ''Shluhin v’Shutafin'': agents and partners ## ''‘Avadim'': slaves # ''Sefer Mishpatim'' (Civil Laws) ## ''Schirut'' rent ## ''Sheilah uPiqadon'' borrowing and deposits ## ''Malveh v'Loveh'' lenders and borrowers ## ''To'en v'Nit'an'' plaintiff and reception ## ''Nahalot'' inheritance # Sanhedrin1

''Sefer Shoftim'' (Judges) ## ''

Sanhedrin The Sanhedrin (Hebrew and Middle Aramaic , a loanword from , 'assembly,' 'sitting together,' hence ' assembly' or 'council') was a Jewish legislative and judicial assembly of either 23 or 70 elders, existing at both a local and central level i ...

'' ## ''Edut'': testimony ## ''Mamrim:'' heretics ## ''Evel'': mourning ## ''Melachim uMilhamoteyhem'': kings and wars

Notable laws

Mishneh Torah contains a widely quoted list of eight levels of charitable donation, where the first level is most preferable, and the eighth the least (see

Tzedakah ''Tzedakah'' ( ''ṣədāqā'', ) is a Hebrew word meaning "righteousness", but commonly used to signify ''charity''. This concept of "charity" differs from the modern Western understanding of "charity". The latter is typically understood as ...

Contemporary reaction

Critics and criticism

The ''Mishneh Torah'' was strongly opposed almost as soon as it appeared. Major sources of contention were the absence of sources and the belief that the work appeared to be intended to supersede study of the

. Some criticisms appear to have been less rational in nature. Indeed, Maimonides quotes the Talmud in stating that one should study the Talmud for a third of one's study time. The most sincere but influential opponent, whose comments are printed parallel to virtually all editions of the ''Mishneh Torah'', was Rabbi

Abraham ben David of Posquières Abraham ben David ( – 27 November 1198), also known by the abbreviation RABaD (for ''Rabbeinu'' Abraham ben David) Ravad or RABaD III, was a Provençal ḥakham, an important commentator on the Talmud, ''Sefer Halachot'' of Isaac Alfasi, and ...

(Raavad III, France, 12th century). Many critics were especially bitter against the new methods which he had employed, and the very peculiarities which he had regarded as merits in his work failed to please his opponents because they were innovations. Thus they reproached him because he departed from the Talmudic order and introduced a division and arrangement of his own, and because he dared to sometimes decide according to the

and the Jerusalem Talmud as against the Babylonian Talmud. Especially sharp was the blame heaped upon Maimonides because he neglected to cite his sources; this was considered an evidence of his superciliousness, since it made it difficult, if not absolutely impossible, for scholars to verify his statements, and compelled them to follow his decisions absolutely. Yet, despite all this, Maimonides remained certain that in the future the ''Mishneh Torah'' would find great influence and acceptance. This is boldly expressed in a letter to his student Rabbi Yoseph ben ha-rav Yehudah:

Maimonides' response

Maimonides defended himself. He had not composed this work for glory; he desired only to supply the necessary, but lacking, code, for there was danger lest pupils, weary of the difficult study, might go astray in decisions of practical importance. He noted that it had never been his intention to abolish Talmudic studies altogether, nor had he ever said that there was no need of the "Halakot" of Rabbi Isaac Alfasi, for he himself had lectured to his pupils on the Gemara and, at their request, upon Alfasi's work.Responsa, No. 140 However, he did state that for the masses, there was no need for Talmud study, as the ''Mishne Torah'', along with the written Torah, would suffice. He also stated that in-depth study of Talmudic discussions was "a waste of time", for the sole purpose of study was to know how to practice the law. He said that his omission of his sources was due solely to his desire for brevity, although he regretted that he had not written a supplementary work citing his authorities for those halakot whose sources were not evident from the context. He would, however, should circumstances permit, atone for this error, however toilsome it might be to write such a supplement. Raavad was forced to acknowledge that the work of Maimonides was a magnificent contribution, nor did he hesitate to praise him and approve his views in many passages, citing and commenting upon the sources. Later works (e. g.,

Yosef Karo Joseph ben Ephraim Karo, also spelled Yosef Caro, or Qaro (; 1488 – March 24, 1575, 13 Nisan 5335 A.M.), was a prominent Sephardic Jewish rabbi renowned as the author of the last great codification of Jewish law, the ''Beit Yosef'', and its ...

's ''Kesef Mishné'') set out to find sources for Maimonides' decisions, and to resolve any disputes between him and the Raavad.

Yonah of Gerona

Yonah of Gerona Yonah may refer to: * Yonah (microprocessor), a code name for a processor in Intel's Pentium M line * ''The Yonah'' (locomotive), a steam locomotive in the Great Locomotive Chase during the American Civil War * Yonah, Georgia * Yonah Gerondi (die ...

was a cousin of

Nachmanides Moses ben Nachman ( ''Mōše ben-Nāḥmān'', "Moses son of Nachman"; 1194–1270), commonly known as Nachmanides (; ''Nakhmanídēs''), and also referred to by the acronym Ramban (; ) and by the contemporary nickname Bonastruc ça Porta (; l ...

(Ramban) who was initially a member of the vocal opponents of the "Yad". He was involved in the burning of a number of copies of the ''Sefer ha-Madda'' in the 1240s. Regret followed, when he saw the

being burnt in Paris in 1244, which he interpreted as a sign from Heaven that he had been mistaken. He set out 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. The definition ...

, to ask forgiveness on Maimonides' grave in presence of ten witnesses, but failed to continue to his destination. He composed a classic work on penitence (titled ''Shaarei Teshuva'', "The Gates of Repentance") during his soul-searching.

Influence

Thus the work of Maimonides, notwithstanding the sharp attacks upon it, soon won general recognition as an authority of the first importance for ritual decisions. According to several authorities, a decision may not be rendered in opposition to a view of Maimonides, even though the latter apparently militated against the sense of a Talmudic passage, for in such cases the presumption was that the words of the Talmud were incorrectly interpreted. Likewise: "One must follow Maimonides even when the latter opposed his teachers, since he surely knew their views, and if he decided against them he must have disapproved their interpretation". Even when later authorities, like

Asher ben Jehiel Asher ben Jehiel (, 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 Rabbi Asher” or by the Hebrew ...

(the ''Rosh''), decided against Maimonides, it became a rule of the Oriental Jews to follow the latter, although the European Jews, especially the Ashkenazim, preferred the opinions of the Rosh in such cases. But the hope which Maimonides expressed, that in time to come his work and his alone would be accepted, has been only half fulfilled. His ''Mishneh Torah'' is indeed still very popular, but there has been no cessation in the study of other works. Ironically, while Maimonides refrained from citing sources out of concern for brevity (or perhaps because he designed his work to be used without studying the Talmud or other sources first), the result has often been the opposite of what he intended. Various commentaries have been written which seek to supply the lacking source documentation, and, indeed, today, the ''Mishneh Torah'' is sometimes used as a sort of an index to aid in locating Talmudic passages. In cases where Maimonides' sources, or interpretation thereof, is questionable, the lack of clarity has at times led to lengthy analyses and debates – quite the opposite of the brevity he sought to attain. On the other hand, this only became an issue for students and scholars who studied the ''Mishneh Torahs sources. According to Maimonides himself, deducing law from the sources had already become a precarious proposition (for a number of reasons) – even in his own times. This necessarily relates to different subjects – like the influence of the exile, language skills, lack of time, censorship, and alternate versions of the Talmud.

Printed editions and textual accuracy

Over time many textual errors and distortions have appeared in the various editions of Maimonides' ''Mishneh Torah''. These inaccuracies are in the text of rulings, in the drawings made by Maimonides, as well as in the division (and thus the numbering) of rulings. There are various reasons for these inaccuracies. Some are due to errors in the copying of manuscripts (before the age of printing) or mistakes by typesetters of later editions. Others are due to conscious attempts to "correct" the text, and yet others to Christian censorship (in countries under its control). In addition, Maimonides himself frequently edited the text of his own autograph copy, such that manuscripts copied from his own book did not preserve his later corrections. Thus, the received version may not be the text that Maimonides intended us to read. Often the distortions in existing versions prompted questions on the "Mishne Torah" which were solved in many creative and different ways by the scholars throughout the generations; many of these questions don't arise in the first place if the version is corrected based upon reliable manuscripts. In order to determine the exact version, scholars use reliable early manuscripts (some of them containing Maimonides' own signature), which are free of both Christian censorship and the changes of later readers who tried to "correct" the text on their own, without manuscript evidence. Since the middle of the 20th century there have been five scientific printings of the book: *Rabbi Shabsai Frankel's edition includes critical editions of the "classical" commentators on ''Mishneh Torah'' as well as the book itself. However, the actual text of ''Mishneh Torah'' in this edition is based heavily on the printed editions, rather than the early manuscripts, whose variant readings are relegated to marginal notes and an apparatus at the end of each volume. All the volumes have been published. *Rabbi

Yosef Qafih Yosef Qafiḥ ( , ), widely known as Rabbi Yosef Kapach (27 November 1917 – 21 July 2000), was a Yemenite-Israeli posek, authority on Jewish religious law (''halakha''), a Dayan (rabbinic judge), dayan of the Judiciary of Israel#Jewish courts, ...

's edition is based mainly on Yemenite manuscripts, and includes an extensive commentary by Qafih that surveys the discussions of the classical commentaries on ''Mishneh Torah'' and includes verbatim citation of previous commentaries in their entirety along with Qafih's comments. *The ''Yad Peshutah'' edition by Rabbi

Nahum Rabinovitch Nachum Eliezer Rabinovitch (; 30 April 1928 – 6 May 2020), born Norman Louis Rabinovitch, was a Canadian-Israeli Religious Zionist rabbi and ''posek''. He headed the London School of Jewish Studies from 1971 to 1982, and the ''hesder yeshiva' ...

, Rosh Yeshivat

Yeshivat Birkat Moshe Yeshivat Birkat Moshe is a hesder yeshiva located in the Mitzpeh Nevo neighborhood of the Israeli settlement, Ma'ale Adumim Ma'ale Adumim (; ) is an urban Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the West Bank, seven kilometers () ea ...

Ma'ale Adumim Ma'ale Adumim (; ) is an urban Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the West Bank, seven kilometers () east of Jerusalem. Ma'ale Adumim achieved city status in 1991. In 2015, its population was . It is located along Highway 1, whi ...

. This edition is based on a number of manuscripts (different ones are used for the different books, according to their reliability) and includes an original commentary on the ''Mishneh Torah''. *''The Exact Mishneh Torah'' edition by Rabbi Yitzchak Shelat, also of

, has no commentary. It compares the printed versions to the fixed version. So far, four volumes have been printed; the publisher expects to print two new volumes each year. *A one-volume edition (1000 pages), published by

Yeshivat Or Vishua Yeshivat Or Vishua is a hesder yeshiva located in the Neve Sha'anan neighborhood of Haifa. Its head is Rabbi Eliyahu Zini Eliyahu Rahamim Zini (born 11 August 1946) is the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Or Vishua, which he founded in Haifa in 2001 ...

and now in its third edition, reflects all the editions based on reliable manuscripts, accompanied by surrounding indexes but with no commentary. The text was checked again, based mainly on Qafih's edition. It gives variant readings from the other leading editions only in cases where the changes are meaningful. "The Mishne Torah Project" of the yeshiva also plans to publish a multi-volume pocket edition including vowel diacritics and cross-references to other passages and to Maimonides' other works. The pocket version of ''Sefer Ha-Madda'' (The Book of Knowledge) is already in print.

Codes and commentators

Brockhaus and Efron Jewish Encyclopedia e9 327-0

''Mishneh Torah'' itself has been the subject of a number of commentaries, the most notable being ''Magid Mishné'' by Vidal de Toulouse, ''Migdal Oz'' by

Shem Tov ben Abraham ibn Gaon Shem Tov ben Abraham ibn Gaon (; 1283 – c. 1330) was a Spanish Talmudist and kabbalist. Biography Shem Tov was born at Soria, Spain. From his genealogy given in the preface to his ''Keter Shem Tov'', Azulai concluded that "Gaon" must have b ...

''Kesef Mishné'' by

, ''Mishné la-Melech'' by

Judah Rosanes Judah ben Samuel Rosanes (1657–1727) was Rabbi of Constantinople and son-in-law of Abraham Rosanes I. His teachers in Talmud and rabbinics were Samuel HaLevi and Joseph di Trani the Younger. On account of his knowledge of Arabic and Turkish he w ...

, ''Lechem Mishné'' by Abraham de Boton, ''Rabbi David ben Zimra (Radbaz)'' and ''

'' by

(which details

customs). Most commentators aim to resolve criticisms of the Raavad, and to trace Maimonides' sources to the text of the

Midrash ''Midrash'' (;"midrash"
. ''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. ; or ''midrashot' ...

and

. Later codes of Jewish law, such as ''

Arba'ah Turim ''Arba'ah Turim'' (), often called simply the ''Tur'', is an important Halakha#Codes of Jewish law, Halakhic code composed by Yaakov ben Asher (Cologne, 1270 – Toledo, Spain c. 1340, also referred to as ''Ba'al Ha-Turim''). The four-part stru ...

'' by Rabbi

Jacob ben Asher Jacob ben Asher (c. 1270–1340), also known as Ba'al ha-Turim as well as Yaakov ben haRosh, was an influential Medieval rabbinic authority. He is often referred to as the Ba'al ha-Turim ("Author of the ''Turim''"), after his main work, the ''A ...

and ''

Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulhan Arukh'' ( ),, often called "the Code of Jewish Law", is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Rabbinic Judaism. It was authored in the city of Safed in what is now Israel by Joseph Karo in 1563 and published in ...

'' by Rabbi

, draw heavily on Maimonides' work, and in both, whole sections are often quoted verbatim. Also there were many attempts down to the present time to force those who follow the rulings of Maimonides to change to the Shulchan Aruch or some other latter work of Minhag/Halakha. In response to this Karo wrote:

Who is he whose heart conspires to approach forcing congregations who practice according to the RaMBaM of blessed memory, to go by any one of the early or latter-day Torah authorities?! ... Is it not a case of a fortiori, that regarding the School of Shammai—that the halakhah does not go according to them—they
he Talmudic Sages He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter call ...
said ‘if
ne practices NE, Ne or ne may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Neutral Evil, an alignment in the American role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' * New Edition, an American vocal group * Nicomachean Ethics, a collection of ten books by Greek philosopher Ar ...
like the School of Shammai
e may do so, but E, or e, is the fifth letter and the second vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''e'' (pronounced ); plur ...
according to their leniencies and their stringencies’: The RaMBaM, is the greatest of all the Torah authorities, and all the communities of the Land of Israel and the Arab-controlled lands and the West
orth Africa Orth can refer to: Places * Orth, Minnesota, an unincorporated community in Nore Township, Minnesota, United States * Orth an der Donau, a town in Gänserndorf, Lower Austria, Austria * Orth House, a historic house in Winnetka, Illinois, United S ...
practice according to his word, and accepted him upon themselves as their Chief Rabbi. Whoever practices according to him with his leniencies and his stringencies, why coerce them to budge from him? And all the more so if also their fathers and forefathers practiced accordingly: for their children are not to turn right or left from the RaMBaM of blessed memory. And even if communities that practice according to the Rosh or other authorities like him became the majority, they cannot coerce the minority of congregations practicing according to the RaMBaM of blessed memory, to practice like they do. And there is no issue here concerning the prohibition against having two courts in the same city ��lo tithgodedu’ since every congregation should practice according to its original custom…

Present day

Study

The in-depth study of ''Mishneh Torah'' underwent a revival in

Lithuanian Lithuanian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Lithuania, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe ** Lithuanian language ** Lithuanians, a Baltic ethnic group, native to Lithuania and the immediate geographical region ** L ...

Judaism in the late 19th century. The Lithuanians did not use it as a source book on practical

, as they followed the Ashkenazi authorities such as

Moses Isserles Moses Isserles (; ; 22 February 1530 / 25 Adar I 5290 – 11 May 1572 / 18 Iyar 5332), also known by the acronym Rema, was an eminent Polish Ashkenazi rabbi, talmudist, and '' posek'' (expert in Jewish law). He is considered the "Maimonides o ...

and the '' Aruch ha-Shulchan''. Instead, they used it as a guide to Talmudic interpretation and methodology. Given the fact that the ''Mishneh Torah'' entirely omits these topics, this reading seems paradoxical and against the grain. Their method was to compare the Talmudic source material with Maimonides' final decision, in order to reconstruct the rules of interpretation that must have been used to get from one to the other. It thus remains an integral part of the

Yeshiva A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...

curriculum. As regards Talmud study, it is one of the primary works referenced in analyzing the Talmudic text from a legal point of view, as mentioned. It is also a primary text referenced in understanding the ''Halakha'' as presented in the ''

'' and ''

''; and ''Mishneh Torah'' is thus one of the first post-Talmudic sources consulted when investigating a question of Jewish law. See ; ; . Prominent recent authorities who have written commentaries on the work include Rabbis

Meir Simcha of Dvinsk Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (also known as Meir Simcha Ha-Kohen, 1843 – 14 August 1926) was an Orthodox rabbi in the Russian Empire and Latvia. A leader of the Jewish community in Daugavpils, he is known for his writings on Maimonides' Mishneh Tora ...

(''

Ohr Somayach Ohr Somayach may refer to: * Ohr Somayach (book), commentary by Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk **''Ohr Somayach'', common reference to Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk *Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem, a network of yeshivas based in Israel * Ohr Somayach, Monsey, ...

''),

Chaim Soloveitchik Chaim (Halevi) Soloveitchik (Yiddish: חיים סאָלאָווייטשיק, ), also known as Chaim Brisker (1853 – 30 July 1918), was a rabbi and Talmudic scholar credited as the founder of the Brisker method of Talmudic study within Judaism ...

(''

Chiddushei Rabbeinu Chaim Chiddushei Rabbeinu Chaim HaLevi Al-HaRambam (Hebrew: חידושי רבינו חיים הלוי על הרמב"ם, lit. ''Our Rabbi Chaim the Levite's Novellae on Maimonides'') is a volume of commentary by Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik on Maimonides’ ...

''),

Yitzchok Isaac Krasilschikov Yitzchok Isaac ben Dov Ber Krasilschikov (; ; 1888 – 13 May 1965), also known as the "Gaon of Poltava," was a Talmudic scholar and author of a monumental commentary on the Jerusalem Talmud. He was one of the last publicly practicing Orthodox r ...

(''Tevunah''),

Isser Zalman Meltzer Isser Zalman Meltzer (; February 6, 1870 – November 17, 1953),Isser Zalman Meltzer "Even HaEzel" (1870 - 1953) was a Jewish rabbi, rosh yeshiva and posek. He was known as the "Even HaEzel", after the title of his commentary on Rambam's ''Mishn ...

(''

Even HaEzel Isser Zalman Meltzer (; February 6, 1870 – November 17, 1953),Isser Zalman Meltzer "Even HaEzel" (1870 - 1953) was a Jewish rabbi, rosh yeshiva and posek. He was known as the "Even HaEzel", after the title of his commentary on Rambam's ''Mishne ...

''), and, more recently, the

Lubavitcher Rebbe Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson Menachem Mendel Schneerson ( – June 12, 1994; AM 11 Nissan 5662 – 3 Tammuz 5754), known to adherents of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or simply the Rebbe, was an American Orthodox rabbi and the most recent Rebb ...

('' Hadran al HaRambam''),

Elazar Shach Elazar Menachem Man Shach (, Elazar Shach; January 1, 1899 O.S. – November 2, 2001) was a Haredi rabbi who headed Lithuanian Orthodox Jews in Israel and around the world from the early 1970s until his death. He served as chair of the Counc ...

(''Avi Ezri''),

(''

Yad Peshuta A yad (; , ) is a Jewish ritual pointer, or stylus, popularly known as a Torah pointer, used by the reader to follow the text during the Torah reading from the parchment Torah scrolls. It is often shaped like a long rod, capped by a small hand w ...

''), and Rabbi

Yosef Kapach Yosef Qafiḥ ( , ), widely known as Rabbi Yosef Kapach (27 November 1917 – 21 July 2000), was a Yemenite-Israeli authority on Jewish religious law (''halakha''), a dayan of the Supreme Rabbinical Court in Israel, and one of the foremost lea ...

. See also:

List of commentaries on Mishneh Torah List of commentaries on Maimonides' Mishneh Torah The ''Mishneh Torah'' (), also known as ''Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka'' (), is a code of Rabbinic Jewish religious law (''halakha'') authored by Maimonides (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon/Rambam). The ''Mis ...

Many scholarly speeches (e. g., the traditional Rabbi's speech on the

preceding

Pesach Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Biblical Egypt, Egypt. According to the Book of Exodus, God in ...

and

) often revolve around a reconciliation between two passages in Maimonides' work. Rav Soloveitchik's work ''Al haTeshuvah'' discussing

in the light of Rambam's work, is widely studied and referenced (in Modern Orthodox communities) in the days leading up to

and

. Today, thousands of

Orthodox Jews Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as literally revealed by God on Mount Sinai and faithfully tr ...

, particularly

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...

Hasidim Ḥasīd (, "pious", "saintly", "godly man"; plural "Hasidim") is a Jewish honorific, frequently used as a term of exceptional respect in the Talmudic and early medieval periods. It denotes a person who is scrupulous in his observance of Jewish ...

, participate in one of the annual study cycles of ''Mishneh Torah'' (one or three chapters a day), innovated by the

, in the spring of 1984. Parallel to the three- or one-chapter(s)-a-day cycle, there is a daily study of the

Sefer Hamitzvot ''Sefer Hamitzvot'' ("Book of Commandments", ; ) is a work by the 12th-century rabbi, philosopher, and physician, Moses Maimonides. While there are various other works titled similarly, the title "''Sefer Hamitzvot''" without a modifier refers ...

"Book of the Commandments", also authored by

. A popular commentary, ''Rambam La'Am'' ('Rambam for the Nation'), was produced in 1971 by Rabbi (published by Mossad Harav Kook). This 20 volume set is widely used in daily Rambam study, in the Israeli Chabad and

Religious Zionist Religious Zionism () is a religious denomination that views Zionism as a fundamental component of Orthodox Judaism. Its adherents are also referred to as ''Dati Leumi'' (), and in Israel, they are most commonly known by the plural form of the fi ...

communities.

Adin Steinsaltz Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz (; 11 July 19377 August 2020) was an Israeli Chabad Chasidic rabbi, teacher, philosopher, social critic, author, translator and publisher. His '' Steinsaltz edition of the Talmud'' was originally published in ...

produced a similarly positioned commentary, published by Koren in 2017.

Practice

As for ''halakha l'maaseh'' (practical application of Jewish law), although the majority of Jews keep Jewish law according to various other Rabbinic codes organized around the

, an increasing number of

, as well as various other individuals, are being attracted to the ''Mishneh Torah'' as their choice code of Jewish law by which to live. They may consider it a return to the original ways of their ancestors. One individual who contributed to this phenomenon was Rabbi

Yiḥyah Qafiḥ Yiḥyah Qafiḥ (; also known as Yiḥyah ibn Shalomo el Qafiḥ and as Yahya Kapach (his Hebrew name)) (1850–1931), known also as ''"Ha-Yashish"'' (English: "the Elder"), served as the Chief Rabbi of Sana'a, Yemenite Jews, Yemen in the late n ...

, the founder of the

Dor Daim The Dardaim, or Dor Daim (), are adherents of the Dor Deah (, 'generation of knowledge') movement of Orthodox Judaism. ''Dor Deah'' is an allusion to the Israelites during the Exodus as recounted by the Hebrew Bible. The movement was formed in Ye ...

movement in Yemen. The ''Mishneh Torah'' had always been a leading authority in the

Baladi Baladi ( ' relative-adjective 'of town', 'local', 'rural', comparable to English ''folk'', with a lower-class connotation) can refer to an Egyptian musical style, the folk style of Egyptian bellydance (Raqs Baladi), or the Masmoudi Sogheir rh ...

(local, traditionalist) Yemenite community – as a matter of local custom. Scholarly work in this vein was continued by his grandson, Rabbi

Yosef Qafiḥ Yosef Qafiḥ ( , ), widely known as Rabbi Yosef Kapach (27 November 1917 – 21 July 2000), was a Yemenite-Israeli authority on Jewish religious law (''halakha''), a dayan of the Supreme Rabbinical Court in Israel, and one of the foremost lea ...

(also spelled Gafah, Qafahh or Kapach). Yosef Qafiḥ is credited with the publication of an almost encyclopedic commentary to the entire ''Mishneh Torah'', including his own insights, set to a text of the ''Mishneh Torah'' based upon the authoritative, hand-written manuscripts preserved by the

Yemenite Jewish Yemenite Jews, also known as Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from ; ), are a Jewish diaspora group who live, or once lived, in Yemen, and their descendants maintaining their customs. After several waves of persecution, the vast majority of Yemenite J ...

community. The introduction to his edition of the ''Mishneh Torah'' is well known in itself as a defense for the keeping of halakha according to the ''Mishneh Torah''. During his lifetime, Yosef Qafiḥ was a leading figure in the Baladi Yemenite community as a whole, as well as the

or strict "Rambamists". After Qafiḥ died, Rabbi Rasson Arusi has largely filled his place as the leading public representative of the Baladi and Rambamist communities. Rabbi Rasson Arusi is founder of 'Halikhoth Ahm Yisroel' and Makhon Mishnath haRambam, and head of the marriage department of the Rabbinate of Israel, as well as chief rabbi of city of

Kiryat Ono Kiryat Ono () is a city in the Tel Aviv District of Israel. It is located east of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Modern Kiryat Ono is adjacent to the biblical Ono, which was located in what is now the area of Or Yehuda. The city also ...

in Israel. Arusi and the organization Makhon Mishnath haRambam have published several books filled with commentary on various parts and aspects of the ''Mishneh Torah'' as well as topics related to the Yemenite Jewish community. Besides the works of Qafiḥ and Arusi, there are a number of other commentaries to the ''Mishneh Torah'' written by leaders of the Yemenite Jewish community.

Ethnology

Scholars specializing in the study of the history and subculture of Judaism in premodern China (Sino-Judaica) have noted this work has surprising similarities with the liturgy of the

Kaifeng Jews Kaifeng Jews ( zh, t=開封猶太人, p=Kāifēng Yóutàirén; ) are a small community of descendants of Chinese Jews in Kaifeng City, Henan of China. In the early centuries of their settlement, they may have numbered around 2,500 people. Des ...

, descendants of Persian merchants who settled in the Middle Kingdom during the early

Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...

. Beyond scriptural similarities, Michael Pollak comments the Jews' Pentateuch was divided into 53 sections according to the Persian style. He also points out: The work was being used by the Jews of India during Maimonides' lifetime. In response to a letter from the Rabbis of Lunel, France requesting him to translate his ''

Guide of the Perplexed ''The Guide for the Perplexed'' (; ; ) is a work of Jewish theology by Maimonides. It seeks to reconcile Aristotelianism with Rabbinical Jewish theology by finding rational explanations for many events in the text. It was written in Judeo-Arabic ...

'' from Arabic to Hebrew, Maimonides applauded their piety in light of what he viewed as the general stagnation of religiosity throughout the rest of the Jewish world. However, he commented: "Only lately some well-to-do men came forward and purchased three copies of my code

he ''Mishneh Torah'' He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...

which they distributed through messengers... Thus, the horizon of these Jews was widened, and the religious life in all communities as far as India revived." Further support for the ''Mishneh Torah'' circulating in India comes in the form of a letter sent from

Safed Safed (), also known as Tzfat (), is a city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of up to , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and in Israel. Safed has been identified with (), a fortif ...

, Israel, to Italy in 1535. In it, David del Rossi claimed that a Tripolitan Jewish merchant had told him the India town of Shingly (

Cranganore Kodungallur (; formerly also called as Cranganore (anglicised name), Portuguese: Cranganor; Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the M ...

) had a large Jewish population who dabbled in yearly pepper trade with the Portuguese. As far as their religious life, he wrote they: "only recognize the Code of Maimonides and possessed no other authority or Traditional law."

Adam Schiff Adam Bennett Schiff (born June 22, 1960) is an American lawyer, author, and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from California, a seat he has held since 2024. A m ...

chose to take his Senate oath of office on a second edition
Soncino, 1490
of the ''Mishneh Torah'' in 2024, "in part because of his concerns about the state of the rule of law" and also because of "his nerdy interest in how old this volume is and how comprehensive it is".

Translations

The first known English translation of the ''Mishneh Torah'' was made in 1832 by Herman Hedwig Bernard, professor of Hebrew at Cambridge University. Bernard's work is titled ''The Main Principles of the Creed and Ethics of the Jews Exhibited in Selections from the Yad Hachazakah of Maimonides, with A Literal English Translation, Copious Illustrations from the Talmud, &c.''. Bernard's work includes a glossary of words and concepts which appear in the ''Mishneh Torah''. The 1888 work ''Dat Vadin'' by Rabbi Moses Frankel, published in Odessa, is a

Russian language Russian is an East Slavic languages, East Slavic language belonging to the Balto-Slavic languages, Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family. It is one of the four extant East Slavic languages, and is ...

summary of the ''Mishneh Torah''. In 1944,

Philip Birnbaum Philip Birnbaum (; March 30, 1904 – March 19, 1988) was an American religious author and translator. He is best known for his work ''Ha-Siddur ha-Shalem'', a translation and annotation of the Siddur first published in 1949. Biography Birnbaum ...

published an excerpted translation published as ''Maimonides' Mishneh Torah: Yad Hazakah''. The Yale Judaica Series edition of the ''Mishneh Torah'' was started in 1949 and is almost complete, except "the Book of Knowledge", which is in progress: * Introduction, Isadore Twersky (1982) * Book 2, ''The Book of Love'', Menachem Kellner (2004) * Book 3, ''The Book of Seasons'', Solomon Gandz and Hyman Klein (1961) * Book 3, ''Treatise 8, The Sanctification of the New Moon'', Solomon Gandz, Julian Obermann, Otto Neugebauer (1956) * Book 4, ''The Book of Women'', Isaac Klein (1972) / * Book 5, ''The Book of Holiness'', Leon Nemoy, Louis I. Rabinowitz, and Philip Grossman (1965) * Book 6, ''The Book of Asseverations'', B. D. Klein (1962) * Book 7, ''The Book of Agriculture'', Isaac Klein (1979) * Book 8, ''The Book of Temple Service'', Mendell Lewittes (1957) * Book 9, ''The Book of Offerings'', Herbert Danby, (1950) * Book 10, ''The Book of Cleanness'', Herbert Danby, (1954) * Book 11, ''The Book of Torts'', Hyman Klein (1954) * Book 12, ''The Book of Acquisitions'', Isaac Klein (1951) * Book 13, ''The Book of Civil Laws'',

Jacob J. Rabinowitz Jacob J. Rabinowitz (; 1899–1960) was a professor of law, notable for his English translation of one of the Mishneh Torah books. Rabinowitz was born in Russia and at a young age emigrated with his family to the United States. His father, Rabbi ...

(1949) * Book 14, ''The Book of Judges'', Abraham M. Hershman (1949) In 1981

Feldheim Publishers Feldheim Publishers (or Feldheim) is an American Orthodox Jewish publisher of Torah books and literature. Its extensive catalog of titles includes books on Jewish law, Torah, Talmud, Jewish lifestyle, Shabbat and Jewish holidays, Jewish history, ...

published an edition of the first two books based on the Oxford manuscript, with the translation of

Moses Hyamson Rabbi Moses Hyamson (September 3, 1862 – June 9, 1949) was an Orthodox rabbi, former head Dayan of the London Beth Din and between 1911 and 1913, acting Chief Rabbi of the British Empire. He was renowned as a highly learned Hebrew scholar, ...

. As the translation was made from the traditional printed texts, it does not always match the Hebrew. Moznaim Publishing Corporation has published an annotated English translation of the ''Mishneh Torah'' by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger. This edition is available online on chabad.org In November 2006

Mayer Alter Horowitz Mayer Alter Horowitz is an American Hasidic rabbi. Since 2009, he has been the Bostoner rebbe of Jerusalem. Early life and education Horowitz was born in Boston, the son of Levi Yitzchak Horowitz, the second Bostoner rebbe, and Raichel Unger Le ...

of the Boston Hasidic dynasty announced that The Nesher Hagodol Legacy Foundation had begun a translation "Perush HaMeir" elucidating and explaining the ''Mishneh Torah''.

References

External links

Introduction to Rambam Meduyak
(by Rabbi

Yitzchak Sheilat Rabbi Yitzchak Sheilat (; born Yitzchak Grinshpan; 1946) is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi and scholar of Jewish thought, specializing in the writings of Maimonides and Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. He co-founded and serves as a senior faculty member ...

), an overview of the textual history of Mishneh Torah
Entire Mishneh Torah of Rabbi Qafih's edition freely viewable online
(desired section must be selected).
Bodleian Library MS. Huntington 80
Mishneh Torah (Sefer ha-Madaʻ. Sefer Ahavah), in

' own handwriting
Mishneh Torah at sefaria.org, in 2 Hebrew versions 1 German version and several partial English versions as of Apr. 2022

– full text in English, chabad.org/library
Daily Rambam Study – audio classes and text
(English/Hebrew)

(Hebrew)

(Hebrew)

(English)

– links to translations and resources

from www.torah.org

An online Spanish translation of the ''Mishneh Torah''

Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Edition
(Spanish) {{Authority control 12th-century books Rabbinic legal texts and responsa Works by Maimonides Hebrew-language religious books Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law Sifrei Kodesh Hebrew-language literature

Sources

Language and style

Contents

The books and sections

Notable laws

Contemporary reaction

Critics and criticism

Maimonides' response

Yonah of Gerona

Influence

Printed editions and textual accuracy

Codes and commentators

Present day

Study

Practice

Ethnology

Translations

See also

References

External links