The canonization of sacred texts has accompanied Jewish history from its beginning: the Bible, the Mishnah, the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmuds, Gaonic monographs, and the medieval “Books of Rulings” (Sifrei Pesiqah). At first glance, R. Karo's codes of law Beit Yosef and Shulchan ‘Arukh might seem to be no more than two more names in this long list. Even if we take into consideration the high value of Talmudic erudition in Jewish culture, was this enough to motivate R. Karo to dedicate so many years of his life to this project? Moreover, in what sense were these double codes of law canonical; how did they differ from other Talmudic and post-Talmudic compositions, especially of the early modern period?

Legal canons, or codifications, were common to all three monotheistic religions. Codification implied an attempt to standardize law and legal discussions around several books of major importance. This chapter will shift the main focus of discussion from the textual aspect—that is the content and legalistic assertions—to the social and cultural scene in which they crystallized. More concretely, in respect to R. Karo, beyond the issue of the legalistic-halakhic components of his works, I wish to discuss their function and their response to both Jewish and Muslim surroundings. As we will see, codification is a dynamic process that does not halt once the composition of a text has been finalized. It is rather a product negotiated between legal experts and their “lay” community; between central political authorities and the legal-professional milieu; and between the text and the interpretations woven around it. Clarifying the use of the term codification, its main characteristics, and their history in all three monotheistic religions will provide the starting point for this chapter and indeed this entire book.

Canon: History and General Meaning

The term canon refers to texts of exceptional importance, especially of a religious character, serving as a source of inspiration and emulation for the group considering them as canonical. The semantic history of canonization and modern research on the term in Western civilization have revolved around major religious texts, such as the New and Old Testaments, examining their evolvement, philological aspects, the crystallization of their final form, the historical processes and institutional mechanisms behind the textual fixation, and their deep impact on cultural heritage.