Article:1.6.3 - Revision history

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	<span id="rabbi-mosheh-isserles-and-the-codification-of-jewish-law"></span>		<span id="rabbi-mosheh-isserles-and-the-codification-of-jewish-law"></span>
	= Rabbi Mosheh Isserles and the Codification of Jewish Law =		= Rabbi Mosheh Isserles and the Codification of Jewish Law =

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	Rema was born in Kazimierz just outside Kraków and journeyed to Lublin to study with Rabbi '''Shalom Shakhna''' (d. 1558). At that time, a debate took place among scholars in Lublin concerning the codification of Jewish law. The issue at hand was whether it was an appropriate and worthy enterprise to write a book of rulings that summarizes the halakhic discourse and establishes clear rules of conduct. The debate in Lublin was occurring at the same time as Rabbi Karo was busy with his codificatory projects, but the two deliberations were independent of each other. Indeed, the first volume of Rabbi Karo’s halakhic work, ''Beit Yosef'' [The House of Joseph], was published in Venice in 1550, while the debate in Lublin preceded that date, before Rema returned to Kraków sometime before 1547.		Rema was born in Kazimierz just outside Kraków and journeyed to Lublin to study with Rabbi '''Shalom Shakhna''' (d. 1558). At that time, a debate took place among scholars in Lublin concerning the codification of Jewish law. The issue at hand was whether it was an appropriate and worthy enterprise to write a book of rulings that summarizes the halakhic discourse and establishes clear rules of conduct. The debate in Lublin was occurring at the same time as Rabbi Karo was busy with his codificatory projects, but the two deliberations were independent of each other. Indeed, the first volume of Rabbi Karo’s halakhic work, ''Beit Yosef'' [The House of Joseph], was published in Venice in 1550, while the debate in Lublin preceded that date, before Rema returned to Kraków sometime before 1547.

	The efforts to write comprehensive and summative halakhic works were related to the invention of the printing press, which triggered codificatory processes in many jurisdictions. Thus, in 1506 a collection of Latin sources of Polish law was published in Kraków. The work included the laws of the Sejm, royal edicts, international agreements, and customs [[1.6.3-Rema-1\|'''(fig.1)''']]. In 1519, King Sigismund I the Old (1467-1548) approved the codification of Armenian law in Latin for the Armenians residing in his kingdom. Nearby territories responded with their own codifications, such as that of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1529, 1566, 1588), and the province of Mazovia (1532, 1540). These cultural and intellectual trends within the Kingdom of Poland did not bypass the Jewish world.		The efforts to write comprehensive and summative halakhic works were related to the invention of the printing press, which triggered codificatory processes in many jurisdictions. Thus, in 1506 a collection of Latin sources of Polish law was published in Kraków. The work included the laws of the Sejm, royal edicts, international agreements, and customs [[Image:1.6.3-Rema-1\|'''(fig.1)''']]. In 1519, King Sigismund I the Old (1467-1548) approved the codification of Armenian law in Latin for the Armenians residing in his kingdom. Nearby territories responded with their own codifications, such as that of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1529, 1566, 1588), and the province of Mazovia (1532, 1540). These cultural and intellectual trends within the Kingdom of Poland did not bypass the Jewish world.

	Despite his students’ entreaties, Rabbi Shalom Shakhna refused to write a code of law, or any legal treatise. He feared that such a book might limit the freedom of future jurists to rule as they saw fit, since they might feel bound by the written word. His own approach, as his son communicated it, was to encourage “each person to make time-sensitive rulings (''hora’at sha‘ah'') according to his own heart.”<ref><span dir="rtl"></span>''Teshuvot mei-ha-rema'' (Kraków 1640), §25, fol. 59 col. 4 – fol. 65 col. 4.</ref>		Despite his students’ entreaties, Rabbi Shalom Shakhna refused to write a code of law, or any legal treatise. He feared that such a book might limit the freedom of future jurists to rule as they saw fit, since they might feel bound by the written word. His own approach, as his son communicated it, was to encourage “each person to make time-sensitive rulings (''hora’at sha‘ah'') according to his own heart.”<ref><span dir="rtl"></span>''Teshuvot mei-ha-rema'' (Kraków 1640), §25, fol. 59 col. 4 – fol. 65 col. 4.</ref>
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	Rema may have begun to compose ''Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' even before he learned of the existence of ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' – Rabbi Karo’s second halakhic work that was printed in 1564-1565, only five years before ''Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' was published. Stylistically, both works were codificatory works that presented the reader with succinct directives, without in-depth discussions.		Rema may have begun to compose ''Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' even before he learned of the existence of ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' – Rabbi Karo’s second halakhic work that was printed in 1564-1565, only five years before ''Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' was published. Stylistically, both works were codificatory works that presented the reader with succinct directives, without in-depth discussions.

	In his introduction to ''Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'', Rema explained why there was a need for a ''kashrut'' treatise, even though ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' included ''kashrut'' laws. First, he argued that Rabbi Karo – a native of Spain who had been exiled to Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, and Egypt, eventually settling in Safed – had not given proper voice to Ashkenazi conventions. In response, Rema sought to add Ashkenazi voices to the halakhic conversation. Second, Rema wrote for Jews “in these lands.” The title page of ''Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' [[1.6.3-Rema-5\|'''(fig. 5)''']] – penned by Rema, the printer, or both together – specified that “these lands” referred to Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Bohemia, Moravia, and Germany and France. In this way, Rema sought to unify Halakha for all the communities that would come to be included under the rubric “Ashkenazim.” This aspect of his enterprise provoked the ire of his former peer at the yeshiva in Lublin, Rabbi Ḥayim ben Betsalel of Friedberg, who believed in local rabbinic authority and preservation of customs and practices within each community of those lands, rather than unifying the entire region.		In his introduction to ''Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'', Rema explained why there was a need for a ''kashrut'' treatise, even though ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' included ''kashrut'' laws. First, he argued that Rabbi Karo – a native of Spain who had been exiled to Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, and Egypt, eventually settling in Safed – had not given proper voice to Ashkenazi conventions. In response, Rema sought to add Ashkenazi voices to the halakhic conversation. Second, Rema wrote for Jews “in these lands.” The title page of ''Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' [[Image:1.6.3-Rema-5\|'''(fig. 5)''']] – penned by Rema, the printer, or both together – specified that “these lands” referred to Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Bohemia, Moravia, and Germany and France. In this way, Rema sought to unify Halakha for all the communities that would come to be included under the rubric “Ashkenazim.” This aspect of his enterprise provoked the ire of his former peer at the yeshiva in Lublin, Rabbi Ḥayim ben Betsalel of Friedberg, who believed in local rabbinic authority and preservation of customs and practices within each community of those lands, rather than unifying the entire region.

	Another halakhic work by Rema was appended to the volume of ''Torat ha-ḥaṭat'': The laws of ''Niddah'' [a menstruating woman] from Rabbi Karo’s ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'', accompanied by Rema’s annotations. As Rema stated on the title page of the addendum, his annotations were intended to “make known what is the custom in these lands.”<ref><span dir="rtl"></span>''Zot Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' (Kraków [1569]), fol. 85r.</ref> [[1.6.3-Rema-6\|'''(fig. 6)''']] This addendum is the first installation of Rema’s great halakhic enterprise: annotations on the entire ''Shulḥan ʻArukh''.		Another halakhic work by Rema was appended to the volume of ''Torat ha-ḥaṭat'': The laws of ''Niddah'' [a menstruating woman] from Rabbi Karo’s ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'', accompanied by Rema’s annotations. As Rema stated on the title page of the addendum, his annotations were intended to “make known what is the custom in these lands.”<ref><span dir="rtl"></span>''Zot Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' (Kraków [1569]), fol. 85r.</ref> [[Image:1.6.3-Rema-6\|'''(fig. 6)''']] This addendum is the first installation of Rema’s great halakhic enterprise: annotations on the entire ''Shulḥan ʻArukh''.

	In Rema’s eyes, ''Shulḥan'' ''ʻArukh'' was indeed a marvelous work, although it was marred by substantial flaws. First, as mentioned above, it did not give adequate expression to halakhic opinions and customs of Ashkenazi Jewry. Second, Rabbi Karo’s decision-making rules, especially his reliance on a virtual panel of judges, contravened the halakhic tradition that avoided ruling according to rigid rules. Third, ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' presented Halakha as a legal system devoid of divergent opinions and steely debate. Rema sought to remedy these flaws by presenting contrary views held by Ashkenazi sages alongside the ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' text, “in order to awaken the minds of students in every place, that they should know that his words are subject to disagreement,” as well as to document the accepted custom in his own geographic region.		In Rema’s eyes, ''Shulḥan'' ''ʻArukh'' was indeed a marvelous work, although it was marred by substantial flaws. First, as mentioned above, it did not give adequate expression to halakhic opinions and customs of Ashkenazi Jewry. Second, Rabbi Karo’s decision-making rules, especially his reliance on a virtual panel of judges, contravened the halakhic tradition that avoided ruling according to rigid rules. Third, ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' presented Halakha as a legal system devoid of divergent opinions and steely debate. Rema sought to remedy these flaws by presenting contrary views held by Ashkenazi sages alongside the ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' text, “in order to awaken the minds of students in every place, that they should know that his words are subject to disagreement,” as well as to document the accepted custom in his own geographic region.

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	<span id="rabbi-mosheh-isserles-and-the-codification-of-jewish-law"></span>		<span id="rabbi-mosheh-isserles-and-the-codification-of-jewish-law"></span>
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	'''Levi Cooper'''		'''Levi Cooper'''

	Rabbi Mosheh Isserles (d. 1572) is the doyen of Jewish law for Ashkenazi Jewry. A native of Kraków, he is widely known by the acronym Rema which gave rise to the motto: “''U-venei yisrael yotse’im be-yad'' ''Rema''” – and the children of Israel go out by the hand of Rema, a pun on the biblical verse in Exod. 14:8 where the final word means high hand and is originally spelled with the Hebrew letter ''heh'' at the end, but here spelled with an ''aleph'' to indicate Mosheh Isserles. Rema’s halakhic positions are best known from his annotations to [https://encyclopedia.yivo.org/article/44\|''Shulḥan ʻArukh''] [The Set Table] – the code of Jewish law penned by Rema’s contemporary, Rabbi '''Joseph Karo''' (1488-1575).		Rabbi Mosheh Isserles (d. 1572) is the doyen of Jewish law for Ashkenazi Jewry. A native of Kraków, he is widely known by the acronym Rema which gave rise to the motto: “''U-venei yisrael yotse’im be-yad'' ''Rema''” – and the children of Israel go out by the hand of Rema, a pun on the biblical verse in Exod. 14:8 where the final word means high hand and is originally spelled with the Hebrew letter ''heh'' at the end, but here spelled with an ''aleph'' to indicate Mosheh Isserles. Rema’s halakhic positions are best known from his annotations to [[https://encyclopedia.yivo.org/article/44\|''Shulḥan ʻArukh'']] [The Set Table] – the code of Jewish law penned by Rema’s contemporary, Rabbi '''Joseph Karo''' (1488-1575).

	Rema was born in Kazimierz just outside Kraków and journeyed to Lublin to study with Rabbi '''Shalom Shakhna''' (d. 1558). At that time, a debate took place among scholars in Lublin concerning the codification of Jewish law. The issue at hand was whether it was an appropriate and worthy enterprise to write a book of rulings that summarizes the halakhic discourse and establishes clear rules of conduct. The debate in Lublin was occurring at the same time as Rabbi Karo was busy with his codificatory projects, but the two deliberations were independent of each other. Indeed, the first volume of Rabbi Karo’s halakhic work, ''Beit Yosef'' [The House of Joseph], was published in Venice in 1550, while the debate in Lublin preceded that date, before Rema returned to Kraków sometime before 1547.		Rema was born in Kazimierz just outside Kraków and journeyed to Lublin to study with Rabbi '''Shalom Shakhna''' (d. 1558). At that time, a debate took place among scholars in Lublin concerning the codification of Jewish law. The issue at hand was whether it was an appropriate and worthy enterprise to write a book of rulings that summarizes the halakhic discourse and establishes clear rules of conduct. The debate in Lublin was occurring at the same time as Rabbi Karo was busy with his codificatory projects, but the two deliberations were independent of each other. Indeed, the first volume of Rabbi Karo’s halakhic work, ''Beit Yosef'' [The House of Joseph], was published in Venice in 1550, while the debate in Lublin preceded that date, before Rema returned to Kraków sometime before 1547.

	The efforts to write comprehensive and summative halakhic works were related to the invention of the printing press, which triggered codificatory processes in many jurisdictions. Thus, in 1506 a collection of Latin sources of Polish law was published in Kraków. The work included the laws of the Sejm, royal edicts, international agreements, and customs [[~~Image:~~1.6.3-Rema-1\|'''(fig.1)''']]. In 1519, King Sigismund I the Old (1467-1548) approved the codification of Armenian law in Latin for the Armenians residing in his kingdom. Nearby territories responded with their own codifications, such as that of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1529, 1566, 1588), and the province of Mazovia (1532, 1540). These cultural and intellectual trends within the Kingdom of Poland did not bypass the Jewish world.		The efforts to write comprehensive and summative halakhic works were related to the invention of the printing press, which triggered codificatory processes in many jurisdictions. Thus, in 1506 a collection of Latin sources of Polish law was published in Kraków. The work included the laws of the Sejm, royal edicts, international agreements, and customs [[1.6.3-Rema-1\|'''(fig.1)''']]. In 1519, King Sigismund I the Old (1467-1548) approved the codification of Armenian law in Latin for the Armenians residing in his kingdom. Nearby territories responded with their own codifications, such as that of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1529, 1566, 1588), and the province of Mazovia (1532, 1540). These cultural and intellectual trends within the Kingdom of Poland did not bypass the Jewish world.

	Despite his students’ entreaties, Rabbi Shalom Shakhna refused to write a code of law, or any legal treatise. He feared that such a book might limit the freedom of future jurists to rule as they saw fit, since they might feel bound by the written word. His own approach, as his son communicated it, was to encourage “each person to make time-sensitive rulings (''hora’at sha‘ah'') according to his own heart.”<ref><span dir="rtl"></span>''Teshuvot mei-ha-rema'' (Kraków 1640), §25, fol. 59 col. 4 – fol. 65 col. 4.</ref>		Despite his students’ entreaties, Rabbi Shalom Shakhna refused to write a code of law, or any legal treatise. He feared that such a book might limit the freedom of future jurists to rule as they saw fit, since they might feel bound by the written word. His own approach, as his son communicated it, was to encourage “each person to make time-sensitive rulings (''hora’at sha‘ah'') according to his own heart.”<ref><span dir="rtl"></span>''Teshuvot mei-ha-rema'' (Kraków 1640), §25, fol. 59 col. 4 – fol. 65 col. 4.</ref>
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	Upon his return to Kraków, Rema established a ''yeshiva'', the traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature. From this period, Halakhic responsa written by Rema to inquirers from afar have survived. In addition, Rema’s annotations to ''Sefer Ha-Mordekhai'' – a 13<sup>th</sup> century Ashkenazi halakhic treatise by Rabbi '''Mordechai ben Hillel''' (c. 1250–1298) – have also reached us.		Upon his return to Kraków, Rema established a ''yeshiva'', the traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature. From this period, Halakhic responsa written by Rema to inquirers from afar have survived. In addition, Rema’s annotations to ''Sefer Ha-Mordekhai'' – a 13<sup>th</sup> century Ashkenazi halakhic treatise by Rabbi '''Mordechai ben Hillel''' (c. 1250–1298) – have also reached us.

	It is possible that Rema began at this time to write [[Ex-1.6.3-2\|''Darkhei Mosheh'']] [The Ways of Moses], a significant compilation of halakhic opinions that was designed to complement Rabbi Karo’s ''Beit Yosef''. This treatise was only published more than a century after Rema’s death, and it is unclear whether it was his first halakhic work. In Rema’s own day the contents of this work was not known to those who did not have access to the autograph manuscript or copies of the work. Thus, Rema’s standing as a leading halakhic decisor and the story of Kraków’s transformation into a center of Torah learning and authority cannot be attributed to this work.		It is possible that Rema began at this time to write [[Extension:Ex-1.6.3-2\|''Darkhei Mosheh'']] [The Ways of Moses], a significant compilation of halakhic opinions that was designed to complement Rabbi Karo’s ''Beit Yosef''. This treatise was only published more than a century after Rema’s death, and it is unclear whether it was his first halakhic work. In Rema’s own day the contents of this work was not known to those who did not have access to the autograph manuscript or copies of the work. Thus, Rema’s standing as a leading halakhic decisor and the story of Kraków’s transformation into a center of Torah learning and authority cannot be attributed to this work.

	Rema’s first published work was a commentary on the Book of Esther titled ''Meḥir Yayin'' [The Price of Wine] which was printed in 1559. A decade later Rema printed a philosophical work titled ''Torat Ha-ʻolah'' [The Treatise of the Burnt Offering]. Neither of these works dealt with Halakha. Rema’s philosophical writing was not limited to these two works: he also wrote [[Ex-1.6.3-1\|commentaries on the Zohar]] that were not printed, as well as writings about astronomy that have survived in manuscript. These writings are not responsible for Rema’s acclaim as a notable halakhic authority.		Rema’s first published work was a commentary on the Book of Esther titled ''Meḥir Yayin'' [The Price of Wine] which was printed in 1559. A decade later Rema printed a philosophical work titled ''Torat Ha-ʻolah'' [The Treatise of the Burnt Offering]. Neither of these works dealt with Halakha. Rema’s philosophical writing was not limited to these two works: he also wrote [[Extension:Ex-1.6.3-1\|commentaries on the Zohar]] that were not printed, as well as writings about astronomy that have survived in manuscript. These writings are not responsible for Rema’s acclaim as a notable halakhic authority.

	Rema’s first halakhic work to be printed was ''Zot Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' (or simply, ''Torat ha-Ḥaṭat'', or ''Torat Ḥaṭat'') [The Law of the Sin Offering, or slight variations of this title], which was published in Kraków in 1569. The book dealt with Jewish dietary laws (''kashrut'') and was based on the format of the 13<sup>th</sup> century work ''Shaʻarei Dura'' [The Gates of Dura], written by Rabbi '''Yitsḥaḳ ben Meir of Dura''' (Düren, Germany).		Rema’s first halakhic work to be printed was ''Zot Torat Ha-ḥaṭat'' (or simply, ''Torat ha-Ḥaṭat'', or ''Torat Ḥaṭat'') [The Law of the Sin Offering, or slight variations of this title], which was published in Kraków in 1569. The book dealt with Jewish dietary laws (''kashrut'') and was based on the format of the 13<sup>th</sup> century work ''Shaʻarei Dura'' [The Gates of Dura], written by Rabbi '''Yitsḥaḳ ben Meir of Dura''' (Düren, Germany).
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	Thus, from his home in Kraków, during his relatively short lifetime, Rema left an indelible mark on the world of Halakha; a stamp that persists to this day. To the extent that Ashkenazi Jewry “go out by the hand of Rema,” it is fair to say that Jews who seek to learn and to teach, to observe and to perform the commandments “go out” holding on to the precious tomes of ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' with Rema’s annotations.		Thus, from his home in Kraków, during his relatively short lifetime, Rema left an indelible mark on the world of Halakha; a stamp that persists to this day. To the extent that Ashkenazi Jewry “go out by the hand of Rema,” it is fair to say that Jews who seek to learn and to teach, to observe and to perform the commandments “go out” holding on to the precious tomes of ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' with Rema’s annotations.


	'''Select Bibliography'''		'''Select Bibliography'''
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	Twersky, Isadore. “The Shulḥan ʻArukh: Enduring Code of Jewish Law,” ''Judaism: A Quarterly Journal'' 16, no. 2 (Spring 1967): 141-158		Twersky, Isadore. “The Shulḥan ʻArukh: Enduring Code of Jewish Law,” ''Judaism: A Quarterly Journal'' 16, no. 2 (Spring 1967): 141-158

	~~== footnotes ==~~
	<references />		<references />

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	Thus, from his home in Kraków, during his relatively short lifetime, Rema left an indelible mark on the world of Halakha; a stamp that persists to this day. To the extent that Ashkenazi Jewry “go out by the hand of Rema,” it is fair to say that Jews who seek to learn and to teach, to observe and to perform the commandments “go out” holding on to the precious tomes of ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' with Rema’s annotations.		Thus, from his home in Kraków, during his relatively short lifetime, Rema left an indelible mark on the world of Halakha; a stamp that persists to this day. To the extent that Ashkenazi Jewry “go out by the hand of Rema,” it is fair to say that Jews who seek to learn and to teach, to observe and to perform the commandments “go out” holding on to the precious tomes of ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' with Rema’s annotations.

	~~Test sentence.{{#tag:ref\|Test footnote}}~~


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	Twersky, Isadore. “The Shulḥan ʻArukh: Enduring Code of Jewish Law,” ''Judaism: A Quarterly Journal'' 16, no. 2 (Spring 1967): 141-158		Twersky, Isadore. “The Shulḥan ʻArukh: Enduring Code of Jewish Law,” ''Judaism: A Quarterly Journal'' 16, no. 2 (Spring 1967): 141-158

			== footnotes ==
	<references />		<references />

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	Thus, from his home in Kraków, during his relatively short lifetime, Rema left an indelible mark on the world of Halakha; a stamp that persists to this day. To the extent that Ashkenazi Jewry “go out by the hand of Rema,” it is fair to say that Jews who seek to learn and to teach, to observe and to perform the commandments “go out” holding on to the precious tomes of ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' with Rema’s annotations.		Thus, from his home in Kraków, during his relatively short lifetime, Rema left an indelible mark on the world of Halakha; a stamp that persists to this day. To the extent that Ashkenazi Jewry “go out by the hand of Rema,” it is fair to say that Jews who seek to learn and to teach, to observe and to perform the commandments “go out” holding on to the precious tomes of ''Shulḥan ʻArukh'' with Rema’s annotations.

			Test sentence.{{#tag:ref\|Test footnote}}


	'''Select Bibliography'''		'''Select Bibliography'''

Liat at 18:39, 4 June 2026

2026-06-04T18:39:25Z

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	Rema was born in Kazimierz just outside Kraków and journeyed to Lublin to study with Rabbi '''Shalom Shakhna''' (d. 1558). At that time, a debate took place among scholars in Lublin concerning the codification of Jewish law. The issue at hand was whether it was an appropriate and worthy enterprise to write a book of rulings that summarizes the halakhic discourse and establishes clear rules of conduct. The debate in Lublin was occurring at the same time as Rabbi Karo was busy with his codificatory projects, but the two deliberations were independent of each other. Indeed, the first volume of Rabbi Karo’s halakhic work, ''Beit Yosef'' [The House of Joseph], was published in Venice in 1550, while the debate in Lublin preceded that date, before Rema returned to Kraków sometime before 1547.		Rema was born in Kazimierz just outside Kraków and journeyed to Lublin to study with Rabbi '''Shalom Shakhna''' (d. 1558). At that time, a debate took place among scholars in Lublin concerning the codification of Jewish law. The issue at hand was whether it was an appropriate and worthy enterprise to write a book of rulings that summarizes the halakhic discourse and establishes clear rules of conduct. The debate in Lublin was occurring at the same time as Rabbi Karo was busy with his codificatory projects, but the two deliberations were independent of each other. Indeed, the first volume of Rabbi Karo’s halakhic work, ''Beit Yosef'' [The House of Joseph], was published in Venice in 1550, while the debate in Lublin preceded that date, before Rema returned to Kraków sometime before 1547.

	The efforts to write comprehensive and summative halakhic works were related to the invention of the printing press, which triggered codificatory processes in many jurisdictions. Thus, in 1506 a collection of Latin sources of Polish law was published in Kraków. The work included the laws of the Sejm, royal edicts, international agreements, and customs [[1.6.3-Rema-1\|'''(fig.1)''']]. In 1519, King Sigismund I the Old (1467-1548) approved the codification of Armenian law in Latin for the Armenians residing in his kingdom. Nearby territories responded with their own codifications, such as that of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1529, 1566, 1588), and the province of Mazovia (1532, 1540). These cultural and intellectual trends within the Kingdom of Poland did not bypass the Jewish world.		The efforts to write comprehensive and summative halakhic works were related to the invention of the printing press, which triggered codificatory processes in many jurisdictions. Thus, in 1506 a collection of Latin sources of Polish law was published in Kraków. The work included the laws of the Sejm, royal edicts, international agreements, and customs [[Image:1.6.3-Rema-1\|'''(fig.1)''']]. In 1519, King Sigismund I the Old (1467-1548) approved the codification of Armenian law in Latin for the Armenians residing in his kingdom. Nearby territories responded with their own codifications, such as that of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1529, 1566, 1588), and the province of Mazovia (1532, 1540). These cultural and intellectual trends within the Kingdom of Poland did not bypass the Jewish world.

	Despite his students’ entreaties, Rabbi Shalom Shakhna refused to write a code of law, or any legal treatise. He feared that such a book might limit the freedom of future jurists to rule as they saw fit, since they might feel bound by the written word. His own approach, as his son communicated it, was to encourage “each person to make time-sensitive rulings (''hora’at sha‘ah'') according to his own heart.”<ref><span dir="rtl"></span>''Teshuvot mei-ha-rema'' (Kraków 1640), §25, fol. 59 col. 4 – fol. 65 col. 4.</ref>		Despite his students’ entreaties, Rabbi Shalom Shakhna refused to write a code of law, or any legal treatise. He feared that such a book might limit the freedom of future jurists to rule as they saw fit, since they might feel bound by the written word. His own approach, as his son communicated it, was to encourage “each person to make time-sensitive rulings (''hora’at sha‘ah'') according to his own heart.”<ref><span dir="rtl"></span>''Teshuvot mei-ha-rema'' (Kraków 1640), §25, fol. 59 col. 4 – fol. 65 col. 4.</ref>