Update: 105 Chapters Translated! 15% Completed of SA Orach Chaim
UPDATES An important milestone has been reached, over 100 chapters have been translated! Feb 2013: three purim chapters added! Jan 2013: A very difficult and important chapter added in the Shabbat section, the complicated laws of leaving food on the stove. Dec 2012, 4 chapters added in Shabbat section, November 2012: Another Shabbat Chapter added. October 2012: One more Sabbath Chapter Added!
Many of you might have noticed that I post updates infrequently. I am in quite busy and don't have a lot of time on my hands.
This web page will eventually with Hashem's help contain a online complete free english translation of the shulchan aruch (not kittsur shulchan arach, the real long one) and hopefully more works. This project was started in 2005. Be patient as it takes a long time to translate everything into clear, articulate English that preserves the original meaning. Free Torah for everyone !!!
About the translater and webmaster Dr. Jay Dinovitser D.O.
Dr. Jay Dinovitser D.O. is a Physician and has a B.A. in Biochemistry. He previously attended The Rabbinical Seminary of America (Chovitz Chaim). He is currently in residency. Contact: yanky5cool@yahoo.com
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 shrunk 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