Arba'ah Turim
Arba'ah Turim (), often called simply the Tur, is an important Halakhic code composed by Yaakov ben Asher (Cologne, 1270 – Toledo, Spain c. 1340, also referred to as "Ba'al Ha-Turim"). The four-part structure of the Tur and its division into chapters ("simanim") were adopted by the later code Shulchan Aruch. This was the first book to be printed in Southeast Europe and the Near East. Meaning of the name. The title of the work in Hebrew means "four rows", in allusion to the jewels on the High Priest's breastplate. Each of the four divisions of the  work is a "Tur", so a particular passage may be cited as "Tur Orach Chayim, siman 22", meaning "Orach Chayim division, chapter 22". This was later misunderstood as meaning "Tur, Orach Chayim, chapter 22" (to distinguish it from the corresponding passage in the Shulchan Aruch), so that "Tur" came to be used as the title of the whole work. 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"). 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. Later developments. The best-known commentary on the "Arba'ah Turim" is the "Beit Yosef" by rabbi Joseph ben Ephraim Karo: this goes beyond the normal functions of a commentary, in that it attempts to review all the relevant authorities and come to a final decision on every point, so as to constitute a comprehensive resource on Jewish law. Other commentaries are "Bayit Chadash" by rabbi Joel Sirkis, "Darkhei Moshe" by Moses Isserles, "Beit Yisrael (Perishah u-Derishah)" by rabbi Joshua Falk, as well as works by a number of  other "Acharonim". These often defend the views of the Tur against the Beit Yosef. The "Tur" continues to play an important role in Halakha. Students of the "Shulchan Aruch", particularly in Orthodox Semikhah programs, typically study the "Tur" and the "Beit Yosef" concurrently with the "Shulchan Aruch" itself: in some editions the two works are printed together, to allow comparison of corresponding "simanim".