The Alter Rebbe compiled the Shulchan Aruch HaRav to make Halacha clear and accessible. Halacha is not restriction — it is the path of life, the way Hashem guides us to elevate every moment into kedusha. As the Rebbe said: "Halacha is G-d's will expressed in practical terms."
What we eat affects our soul. The laws of Kashrut — separating meat and dairy, checking for kosher signs, proper shechita — ensure that our physical nourishment also nourishes our neshama. The Rebbe emphasized that keeping Kosher is fundamental to Jewish identity.
From the moment we wake ("Modeh Ani") to when we sleep ("Kriat Shema al HaMita"), Halacha guides every step. Netilat Yadayim, Tzitzit, Tefillin, Mezuzah — these are not mere rituals, but channels of Divine light that protect and elevate the Jewish home.
The Rebbe launched 10 mitzvah campaigns to strengthen Jewish observance worldwide:
Halacha (הלכה) is Jewish law — the collective body of religious laws derived from the Written and Oral Torah. It governs every aspect of Jewish life, from prayer and Shabbat observance to business ethics and family purity. The Alter Rebbe compiled the Shulchan Aruch HaRav to make Halacha clear and accessible for every Jew.
The Shulchan Aruch HaRav is the halachic code compiled by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (the Alter Rebbe, founder of Chabad). Published in the 18th century, it synthesizes earlier halachic authorities and incorporates Kabbalistic and Chassidic perspectives, becoming the authoritative guide for Chabad Jews worldwide.
Kashrut (כשרות) is the body of Jewish dietary laws. Kosher food follows rules including: separating meat and dairy, only eating animals with split hooves that chew cud, only eating fish with fins and scales, and ensuring meat is slaughtered by a trained shochet (ritual slaughterer). These laws connect physical eating to spiritual elevation.
Tefillin (תפילין) are two small black leather boxes containing Torah verses (Shema, Vehaya, Kedesh, Vehaya ki yeviacha), bound to the arm and head with leather straps. Adult Jewish men wear them during weekday morning prayers. The Rebbe made tefillin one of his 10 Mivtzoim — mitzvah campaigns — encouraging every Jewish man to wear them daily.
A Mezuzah (מזוזה) is a parchment scroll inscribed with the Shema and Vehaya passages from the Torah, placed in a case and affixed to the doorposts of a Jewish home. It is a sign of a Jewish home and provides Divine protection. The Rebbe emphasized checking Mezuzot to ensure they are kosher.
Shabbat begins 18 minutes before sunset on Friday and ends when three stars appear on Saturday night. The 39 categories of forbidden labor (melachot) include writing, cooking, turning on electricity, and carrying in a public domain. One prepares by lighting Shabbat candles, reciting Kiddush over wine, and washing hands before the Challah meal.
The Rebbe taught: "When you help another Jew study Torah, it is as if you studied it yourself." Your tzedakah sustains Torah learning in Hadera.
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