ShulchanArach.com: Free English Translation of The Shulchan Aruch: Jewish Code of Law
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 !!!
Shulchan Aruch Free English Translation (in progress)
Laws of Daily Living Ch 1-7:
Chapter 1: Laws of Morning Preparation Chapter 2: Laws of Dressing Chapter 3: Using the facilities Chapter 4:The laws of Nitilas Yadayim ( Washing of the hands ) Chapter 5 and 6: Intentions for Blessings & Laws of Elokai N'shama and Asher Yatzar Chapter 7: Law of Reciting Asher Yatzar After Using the Restroom
Laws of Tzitzit Ch 8-25:
Chapter 8: Laws of Tzitzit and Wrapping Chapter 9: Garments Requiring Tzitzit and Those That Are Exempt Chapter 10: Tzitzit: Laws Concerning the Corners of a Garment Chapter 11: Tzitzit: Laws Concerning the Tzitzit Threads Chapter 12: Tzitzit: Factors That Make Tzitzit Invalid
Laws of the Sabbath Ch 242-???
Chapter 242: To Be Careful with the Honor of Shabbat Chapter 243: The Law of One Who Rents His Field and Bath House to Gentiles Chapter 244: The Types of Work a Gentile is Able to Do for a Jew Chapter 245: A Jew and a Gentile Who are Partners, How Can it Be Arranged on Shabbat Chapter 246: The Laws of Lending and Renting to a Gentile on the Sabbath Chapter 247: The Laws of Sending Out Letters on the Sabbath Chapter 248: The Laws of Setting Sail and Caravan Traveling on Sabbath Chapter 249: Laws of Being Tied Down on Friday Chapter 250: Laws of Shabbat Meal, Ch. 251: To not do work on Erev Shabbat from Mincha and Onwards Ch. 252: Acts of Labor that are Permitted and Prohibited to Begin on Erev Shabbat in Order that they Will be Completed on the Sabbath Chapter 253: The Law of Putting Pots on Single and Double Stoves on the Sabbath
Laws of Rosh Hashannah. Ch 581-603
Chapter 581: The laws of the days of supplication and the eve of Rosh Hashanah Chapter 582: Prayers said on ten days of repentance and Rosh Hashanna Chapter 583 and 584: Customary Foods to Eat The Night of Rosh Hashanah & The Torah Reading Arrangement on Rosh Hashanah Chapter 585: The Blessing Said on the Shofer Ch. 586: The Laws of the Rosh Hashanah Shofer Chapter 587: The Laws Concerning One Who Blew A Shofer in a Pit Chapter 588: The Time for Blowing the Shofer Chapter 589: Those Required to Blow the Shofer Chapter 590: The Correct Order Of Shofer Blowing Chapter 591: How the Quiet Mussuf is Performed Chapter 592:The Loud Mussaf Service and the Order of the Shofer Blows Chapter 593: If the blessings and the Shofer blowing hold back each other, Chapter 594: An individual who did not pray (the Mussaf service of Rosh Hashanah), his friend can not be Yotzai him, Chapter 595: One who is not an expert in both the Shofer blowing and in the prayers, Chapter 596: No title, Chapter 597: If it is permitted to fast on Rosh Hashanah Chapter 598-599 No Title, Ch. 600: An egg that was made on Rosh Hashanah and the laws of Kiddush, Ch. 601: The arrangement of the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Ch. 602: The arrangment of the days of Repentance, Ch. 603: No Title
Laws Of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement): Ch 604-624
Ch 604: The Order of Erev Yom Kippur and 605: The Custom of Kaparot on Erev Yom Kippur Ch 606: How a person should make appeasement with his friend on Erev Yom Kippur Ch 607: The arrangement of Vidoy in Mincha on Erev Yom Kippur Ch 608: The arragnement of the concluding meal Ch 609: Keeping food warm on Erev Yom Kippur & Ch 610: Lighting candles on Yom Kippur Ch 611: Yom Kippur at night has the same laws as during the day and Ch 612: The prohibition on eating on Yom Kippur and the measurement Ch 613: The Prohibition of Bathing on Yom Kippur Ch 614: The Prohibition of Anointing and Wearing Leather Shoes Shulchan Aruch Chapter 615: The Prohibition of Having Sex During Yom Kippur Ch 616: When Do Children Begin to Fast on Yom Kippur Ch 617: Laws of a Pregnant, Nursing and a Woman Who Recently Gave Birth on Yom Kippur Ch618: The Laws of a Sick Person on Yom Kippur Ch 619: The Order of the Night of Yom Kippur Ch 620: A Good Custom to Be Brief With the Morning Prayer Ch 621: The Order of the Torah reading and Circumcision Ch 622: The Order of the Mincha Prayer Ch 623: The Order of the Concluding Neilah Prayer Ch 624: The Order of After Yom Kippur is Concluded
Laws Of Succot: Ch 625-???
Ch 625: The Laws of Succot Ch 626: If One is Able to Build a Succah Under a Tree or a Roof Ch 627: The Laws of Sitting in the Succah Ch 628: The Laws of a Succah Under a Succah Shulchan Aruch Ch 629: What One is Able to Make the Sechach Out Of, Ch. 630: The Laws of the Walls of the Succah Ch 631: A Succah Who's Sun is More Than it's Shade & Other Laws of Sechach Ch 632 Things That are Invalid For the Sechach Ch 633: Laws of the Height of the Succah Ch 634: Succah Can Not be Less than 7x7 Ch 635: The Law of a Succah Made for the Purpose of Shade Ch 636: The Law of an Old Succah Ch 637: The Laws of a Borrowed or Stolen Succah
Laws of Chanukah (670-684)
Ch 670: Things that are Permitted and Prohibited on Chanukah Ch 671: The Order of Lighting the Chanukah Candles and Where to Place Them Ch 672: The Time for Lighting Chanukah Candles Ch 673: Oils and Wicks That Are Valid for Chanukah Ch 674: It is Permitted to Light From Candle To Candle Ch 675: That The Lighting is the Mitzvah and Not the Placing Ch 676: The Order of the Blessings and the Lighting Ch 677: The Law of a Guest on Chanukah Ch 678: The Shabbat Candles Take Priority Over the Chanukah Candles, Ch 679: No Title, Ch 680: To Not Place the Candles Near the Door On The Eve of Shabbat, Ch 681: One May Not Use the Chanukah Candles For Havdalah After Shabbat is Over Ch 682 The Laws of the Al Hanissim Prayer on Chanukah; Ch 683: No Title; Ch 684: Order of Torah Reading on Chanukah
Laws of Purim
Ch. 686: The Laws of the Fast of Esther, Ch. 687: The Law of Who is Obligated to Read the Megillah Ch. 688: The Law of Cities that Had Walls From the Time of Joshua the Son of Nun
Other Chapters:
Chapter 182: Grace After Meals (Birchas Hamazone) and The Cup Used for The Blessing Chapter 183: How the Mevarach Should Prepare the Cup for Birchas Hamazone Chapter 218: Blessings Said on Miracles Chapter 549: Laws of the Ninth of Av and Other Fasts & Chapter 550: Difference Between the Ninth of Av and Other Fasts Ch 560: To Make a Memorial to the Destruction of the Temple Chapter 561: The Law When One Sees the Cities of Judea, Jerusalem and the Holy Temple in Their Destruction
Click Here for the HEBREW TEXT of The Shlchan Aruch -Nice format but does not label the additions of the Rama
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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