Legalism is hypocrisy; that is, insisting that another strictly abide by laws, rules, regulations, when they them self fail to obey those same rules. In theology, legalism is the enemy of the Gospel as legalism insists one must obey laws and edicts and rules and traditions in order to establish a relationship with Elohim when Elohim has clearly told human kind that relationship with Him is established by faith, not works; that is, faith in Jesus as one’s Messiah (John 14:6)…we trust in the “work” of Jesus for us at the Cross and not in our own efforts or “goodness” to earn favor with Elohim.