The Book of the Shulchan Aruch

<p>Perhaps no book is less known yet more important than the <em>Shulchan Aruch</em>. </p><p> </p><p>Most people have heard of the Talmud - that compendium of Jewish laws and thus the essence of Judaism. The Talmud however is vast and largely inscrutable for non-Jews. Fortunately back in the mid-1500s a Jewish rabbi named Joseph Karo decided to create a condensed compact version of the Talmud. He called it 'the set table': the <em>Shulchan Aruch</em>. </p><p> </p><p>Most of the <em>Shulchan Aruch</em> deals with inter-Jewish laws but a fair number of passages discuss non-Jews - the Gentiles or in less polite terms the 'goyim.' As it happens the laws of Judaism hold Gentiles in very low regard; they can be cheated lied to abused even killed if it serves Jewish interests. Jewish supremacy reigns throughout the Talmud and the <em>Shulchan Aruch</em>.</p><p> </p><p>In Weimar Germany a German scholar of religion and the Hebrew language named Erich Bischoff decided to write a summary and analysis of this most-important of books. In 1929 he published <em>Das Buch vom Schulchan Aruch </em>- the present work. Never before or since has a knowledgeable scholar conducted such an honest and critical study. Here we see many dark corners of the Jewish religion exposed; here we see exactly how Jews view the contemptible goyim.</p><p> </p><p>This book is invaluable for all those interested in cutting through the fog and obscurity of the Talmud and in getting to the heart of Jewish thinking and Jewish attitudes: the <em>Shulchan Aruch.</em></p>