The laws relating to the Jews fall into three main groupings: (1) those concerning relations between the Jews and the government; (2) those concerning relations between Jews and non-Jews; (3) those concerning relations between Jews and other Jews.

These three areas were not entirely separated from one another, and even intersected at certain points. Thus, for example, there was a clear overlap between the areas of 1 and 2 concerning the question of the service of Jews in the curias, while 1 related to both 2 and 3 insofar as the government intervened in the internal life of the Jewish community ensuring the adoption of the “right” stance on specific matters, e.g., their attitude towards converts to Christianity. It is clear that distinct legal traditions which developed over a very long period of time were created in each of these three areas, and each tradition should be examined separately.