Arrangement and Contents
The Arba'ah Turim, as the name implies, consists of four divisions ("Turim"); these are further organised by topic and section (siman, pl. simanim).
- The four Turim are as follows:
- Orach Chayim - laws of prayer and synagogue, Sabbath, holidays
- Yoreh De'ah - miscellaneous ritualistic laws, such as shechita and kashrut
- Even Ha'ezer - laws of marriage, divorce
- Choshen Mishpat - laws of finance, financial responsibility, damages (personal and financial) and legal procedure
In the Arba'ah Turim, Rabbi Jacob traces the practical Jewish law from the Torah text and the dicta of the Talmud through the Rishonim. He used the code of Rabbi Isaac Alfasi as his starting point; these views are then compared to those of Maimonides, as well as to the Ashkenazi traditions contained in the Tosafist literature. Unlike Maimonides' Mishneh Torah, the Tur is not limited to normative positions, but compares the various opinions on any disputed point. (In most instances of debate, Rabbi Jacob follows the opinion of his father, Rabbi Asher ben Jehiel, the Rosh.) The Arba'ah Turim also differs from the Mishneh Torah, in that, unlike Maimonides' work, it deals only with areas of Jewish law that are applicable in the Jewish exile.
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