Bet Yosef

work by Karo

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Last updated

June 22, 2026

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The Bet Yosef is a monumental work by Rabbi Joseph ben Ephraim Karo, a Spanish-born Jewish scholar who later settled in Safed, Palestine. Written in the 16th century, it serves as a comprehensive codification of Jewish law, aiming to standardize customs and laws derived from the Talmud. Karo meticulously gathered and analyzed the legal decisions of prominent Talmudic authorities, often basing his conclusions on the majority opinion.1

Due to the Bet Yosef's extensive nature, Karo created a condensed version called the Shulchan Aruch ("The Prepared Table"). This abridged work, along with a corrective commentary by Rabbi Moses Isserles that incorporated Ashkenazi customs, remains the authoritative guide for Orthodox Jewry today.12

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Joseph ben Ephraim Karo
…codification of Jewish law, the Bet Yosef (“House of Joseph”). Its condensation, the Shulḥan ʿarukh (“The Prepared Table,” or “The Well-Laid Table”), is still authoritative for Orthodox Jewry.
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…codification of Jewish law, the Bet Yosef (“House of Joseph”). Its condensation, the Shulḥan ʿarukh (“The Prepared Table,” or “The Well-Laid Table”), is still authoritative for Orthodox Jewry.
Read More