are included printed The
Mishnah Berurah is traditionally printed in 6 volumes alongside selected other commentaries. The work provides simple and contemporary explanatory remarks and citations to daily aspects of
halakha. It is widely used as a reference and has mostly supplanted the
Chayei Adam and the
Aruch HaShulchan as the primary authority on Jewish daily living among
Ashkenazi Jews, particularly those closely associated with
haredi yeshivas. The
Mishnah Berurah is accompanied by additional in-depth glosses called ''Be'ur Halakha
, a reference section called Sha'ar Hatziyun
(these two were also written by the Chofetz Chaim
), and additional commentaries called Be'er Hagolah
, Be'er Heitev
, and Sha'arei Teshuvah''. The Mishnah Berurah's "literary style can be described as follows: In relation to a given law of the
Shulhan Aruch, he raises a particular case with certain peculiarities that may change the law; then, he enumerates the opinions of the
Ahronim (the later authorities, of the 16th century and on) on that case, from the most lenient to the most stringent; and finally, he decides between them.... Having displayed what we may call the "leniency-stringency spectrum", [he] actually offers the reader an array of conduct options from which he may
pick the one that seems right for him. This choice is not altogether free, since [he] shows a clear inclination to one side of the spectrum - the stringent - and encourages the reader to follow it, but still, the soft language of the ruling suggests that if one follows the other side of the spectrum, the lenient, he will not sin, since there are trustworthy authorities that may back his choice." Not all of the Mishnah Brurah was written by Kagan: some parts were instead written by his son or various students, which accounts for the existence of several contradictions between different rulings in the text. ==Impact==