The article analyzes the accumulated legislative experience in solving the Jewish problem up to 1880s. Relying on a serious array of legislative historical sources, the authors conclude that by regulating the life of the Russian Jews legally, the Russian Empire took steps towards their civil equality, although the Russian legislation on the Jews is complicated due to the fact that, affecting the most diverse spheres of public life, it did not meet the realities. This feature influenced public opinion and led to the differentiation of the society in the matters related to the integration of the Jewish people with the citizens of the Russian Empire. One of the key theses of this article is the factual consideration of restrictive legal measures that prevent the emancipation of the Jews. © 2022, Rossiiskaya Akademiya Nauk, Institut Istorii (Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of General Hist. All rights reserved.