The 50 Foundational Jewish Books
This is a guide to fifty classic books of the Jewish tradition: ethics (mussar), philosophy, halakhah, Kabbalah and Hasidism. Each entry links to a page with the author, the title, the structure and the facts of the work, verified in sources we cite at the end of each article.
- Mesillat Yesharim (מסילת ישרים) — Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (the Ramchal)
- Tomer Devorah (תומר דבורה) — Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (the Ramak)
- Derech Hashem (דרך ה’) — Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (the Ramchal)
- Pirkei Avot (פרקי אבות) — Sages of the Mishnah (from Shimon the Righteous to shortly after Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi)
- Chovot HaLevavot (חובות הלבבות) — Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Paquda
- Sefer HaChinuch (ספר החינוך) — Anonymous (a Levite of Barcelona)
- The Guide for the Perplexed (מורה נבוכים) — Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (the Rambam)
- Mishneh Torah (משנה תורה) — Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (the Rambam)
- Shaarei Teshuvah (שערי תשובה) — Rabbeinu Yonah of Gerona
- Menorat HaMaor (Aboab) (מנורת המאור) — Rabbi Yitzchak Aboab I
- Orchot Tzaddikim (ארחות צדיקים) — Anonymous
- Sefer HaYashar (ספר הישר) — Anonymous
- The Kuzari (ספר הכוזרי) — Rabbi Yehuda Halevi
- Emunot VeDeot (האמונות והדעות) — Rabbi Saadia Gaon
- Sefer Chasidim (ספר חסידים) — Attributed to Rabbi Yehuda HeChasid of Regensburg
- Iggerot HaRambam / Iggeret Teiman (איגרות הרמב“ם) — Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides)
- Iggeret HaRamban (אגרת הרמב“ן) — Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban)
- Kad HaKemach (כד הקמח) — Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher
- Sefer HaIkkarim (ספר העיקרים) — Rabbi Yosef Albo
- Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (קיצור שולחן ערוך) — Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried
- Nefesh HaChaim (נפש החיים) — Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin
- Pele Yoetz (פלא יועץ) — Rabbi Eliezer Papo
- Kav HaYashar (קב הישר) — Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kaidanover (Koidanover)
- Reshit Chochmah (ראשית חכמה) — Rabbi Eliyahu de Vidas
- Sefer HaMiddot (ספר המדות) — Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
- Likutei Moharan (לקוטי מוהר״ן) — Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
- Shivchei HaBesht (שבחי הבעש“ט) — Rabbi Dov Baer ben Samuel
- Tanya / Tania (תניא) — Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
- Maalot HaMiddot (מעלות המדות) — Rabbi Yechiel ben Yekutiel Anav
- Torat HaAdam (תורת האדם) — Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban)
- Sefer Mitzvot Gadol (SeMaG) (ספר מצוות גדול) — Rabbi Moses of Coucy
- Sefer Mitzvot Katan (SeMaK) (ספר מצוות קטן) — Rabbi Isaac of Corbeil
- Hakdamat HaRambam laMishnah (הקדמת הרמב“ם למשנה) — Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides)
- Shemonah Perakim (שמונה פרקים) — Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides)
- Sefer HaEmunah VeHaBitachon (ספר האמונה והבטחון) — Attributed to the Ramban; possibly Rabbi Yaakov ben Sheshet
- Menorat HaMaor (Alnaqua) (מנורת המאור) — Rabbi Yisrael ben Yosef Alnaqua
- Chafetz Chaim (חפץ חיים) — Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan
- Shemirat HaLashon (שמירת הלשון) — Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan (the Chafetz Chaim)
- Ahavat Chesed (אהבת חסד) — Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan (the Chafetz Chaim)
- Sefer HaRokeach (ספר הרוקח) — Rabbi Eleazar ben Judah of Worms (the Rokeach)
- Daat Tevunot (דעת תבונות) — Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal)
- Kalach Pitchei Chochmah (קל“ח פתחי חכמה) — Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal)
- Maamar HaIkkarim (מאמר העיקרים) — Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal)
- Tzavaat HaRivash (צוואת הריב“ש) — Compiled by Rabbi Yeshaya of Yanov
- Keter Shem Tov (כתר שם טוב) — Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
- Degel Machaneh Ephraim (דגל מחנה אפרים) — Rabbi Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Sudilkov
- Kedushat Levi (קדושת לוי) — Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev
- Bnei Yissachar (בני יששכר) — Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Dinov
- Noam Elimelech (נועם אלימלך) — Teachings of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk
- Shaar HaKavanot (שער הכוונות) — Rabbi Chaim Vital
A note on the texts
The original texts of these works are, for the most part, old and in the public domain; modern translations are not necessarily so. If you are looking for an edition to read, check who the translator and the publisher are. The page on the Tanya (Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi) is under review and is not yet published.