Orach Chayim

Orach Chayim, (manner/way of life) is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of Halakha (Jewish law), Arba'ah Turim.

Rabbi Yosef Karo modeled the framework of the Shulkhan Arukh (שולחן ערוך), his own compilation of practical Jewish law, after the Arba'ah Turim.

[citation needed] Thus, Orach Chayim in common usage may refer to another area of halakha, separate from Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation.

Orach Chayim deals with, but is not limited to: Maginei Eretz was the first edition of the Orach Chaim, published with the commentaries Magen David and Magen Avraham on either side of the main text.

The Magen David was written by Rabbi David HaLevi Segal and has since been referred to as the "Taz" (The abbreviation for Turei Zahav), for consistency with Segal's commentary on the Yoreh Deah section of the Shulchan Aruch.