halachah

Halachah, from the Hebrew halakhah meaning “the way to go” or “the walking,” is the collective body of Jewish law developed from the Written and Oral Torah. It comprises normative rules and deliberations that guide practice in religious rituals, daily conduct, and ethics. The term is distinct from Haggadah, which contains narrative and homiletic material.

Halachah relies on primary sources such as the Written Torah and the Oral Torah (Mishnah and Gemara), and on later legal codes and responsa. Core texts include the Talmud, the Mishnah, and medieval codes like the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch, with the Mishneh Torah as a major codification. Decisions by authorities are called psak halacha. The process uses analogy, reasoning, and precedent to apply laws to new situations.

In practice, Halachah governs ritual observance (kashrut, Shabbat, prayer, holidays), family law (marriage, divorce, purity), and civil ethics (business conduct, oaths, charity). It accommodates variation among communities through customs (minhagim) and differing codes. In modern times, responsa address technology, medicine, and bioethics, showing ongoing development. The authority of Halachah and its application varies among Jewish movements: Orthodox communities generally view it as binding; other streams interpret or adapt it within their frameworks.