אות - כט

The Rebbe constantly stressed for us the importance of studying the codes of religious law. He emphasized this more than any other study (cf. Niddah 73a; Likutey Moharan II, 2:2) .

It is best to study all four sections of the Shulchan Arukh 36 "The Prepared Table,” the universally-accepted code of Jewish law written by Rabbi Joseph Caro (1488-1575), with additions for the Ashkenazic community by Rabbi Moses Isserles (1520-1572). It consists of four parts: Orach Chaim ("Path of Life"), on prayer and the holy days; Yoreh Dei'ah ("Teacher of Knowledge"), on kashrut and other ritual laws; Even HaEzer ("The Helping Stone"), on marriage and divorce; and Choshen Mishpat ("Breastplate of Judgment"), on judicial law. in order, from beginning to end (see Alim LeTerufah #6) . If you can also study its major commentaries, all the better. If not, you should at least cover the codes with the shorter commentaries.

This study is a great spiritual remedy. Through sin, good and evil become mixed up. A legal opinion provides for a clear separation between the valid and invalid, the permitted and the forbidden, the clean and the unclean. When you study religious law, good is purified and once again separated from evil (cf. Likutey Moharan I, 8:6, 62:2) .

The Rebbe said that everyone must study the codes each day, without fail.

If you are under duress and have no time, you may study any law in the Shulchan Arukh , even if it does not follow your regular course of study. 37 This must be a paragraph dealing with a legal decision ( Kokhavey Or , p. 73, #11).

You should go through at least one law every day of your life. Under normal circumstances, you should have a fixed practice of studying the Shulchan Arukh in order, a given amount each day. Continue until all four sections are completed and then start again at the beginning. Continue this way all the days of your life.