[Avodah] Tur Organization

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, May 14, 2025 at 05:57:58AM +0300, Joel Rich via Avodah wrote:
> I just noticed that the Tur does not describe his four volumes in his
> introductions as the 4 turim until the fourth volume (choshen mishpat).
> Certainly not a conclusive proof, but I wonder if it leans towards that
> there was no overarching vision of what it would be when he started.

I suggested here in the past a logic to the Tur's structure, that it was
a collapsed version of the Shishah Siderei Mishnah:

OC: the only part of Zera'im that's really in his project is Berakhos.
Somethingt the Bavli found as well. So OC is Zera'oi (ie Berakhos) plus
Mo'eid

YD: Qodshim and Taharos collapsed, for similar reasons. And then a catchall
for other dinim that don't have a mesechta (nichum aveilim, kibud av va'im,
kavod haTorah, etc...)

EhE: Nashim

CM: Neziqim

So, given that the structure appears to be preplanned (except perhaps for
the miscellania at the end of YD), why didn't R Yaaqov ben Asher refer to
his work as the "Arba Turim" until the end?

I don't know. But it could have been something as balebatish as his not
wanting to use the word "4" until he knew he would finish all four.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Today is the 31st day, which is
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   4 weeks and 3 days in/toward the omer.
Author: Widen Your Tent      Tifferes sheb'Hod: What level of submission
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF                    results in harmony and balance?