[1][2] It focuses on the Orach Chaim and Yoreh Deah sections of the Shulchan Aruch, and includes laws of daily life, Shabbat, holidays and so on.

Rabbi Ganzfried expressed his intentions in his introduction:[3] [This book] includes from the four sections of the Shulchan Aruch, those necessary and essential laws for all people in Yisrael for knowing them, and are written in a simple language and a correct order.

Caro had already used a similar method to write the Shulchan Aruch in 1563; his rabbinic authorities of reference were Isaac Alfasi, Maimonides, and Asher ben Yechiel.

[4] The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch was first published in 1864 and became immensely popular after its publication for its simplicity, and is still commonly studied in Orthodox Rabbinic Judaism.

Many other works, such as Ben Ish Hai, Chayei Adam and others, are similarly concise and suitable for laypersons as summaries of the Shulchan Aruch, but have not reached the level of the Kitzur's popularity.

The Kitzur is not used as a basis for making decisions of a legal nature; instead, rabbis use the full Shulchan Aruch and later works by the achronim and poskim.