Rashi - R' Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105), Troyes, France. "Rabban Shel Yisrael" - The great Rishon who wrote commentary on all areas of Torah.
Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin - (1823–1900), Lublin, Poland. A disciple of R’ Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica, R’ Yehudah Leib Eiger (grandson of Rabbi Akiva Eiger), and R’ Sholom Rokeach of Belz. As a young man he gained widespread acclaim as an illuy, After the death of R' Eiger in 1888, agreed to take over the leadership of the Hasidim and deliver public classes whose transcriptions were compiled into his work known as Pri Tzadik.
Ba’al HaTurim - Rabbi Jacob ben Asher (1269-1343), Spain; Composer of Arba'ah Turim, tracing Halacha from the Torah through Talmud and early Poskim. Many commentaries were written on the Tur, including R' Yosef Karo’s “Beit Yosef” which formed the basis of the Shulchan Arukh.
Chovot Halevavot - R' Bachya ibn Pekuda (1050-1120), Saragossa, Spain; Rabbi, philosopher, and dayyan, with a wide knowledge of secular literature and philosophy. He wrote his great work, Chovot Halevavot (Duties of the Heart), to fill what he perceived as a need for bringing together the many ethical teachings scattered throughout Jewish literature; discussing topics such as the unity of G-d, devotion to G-d and repentance. The book is divided into ten “gates” or treatises.
Mesilat Yesharim - Ramchal - R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707-1746), Venice. Italy; An ethical - musar - text, arranged as a dialogue between a wise man and a a pious person. Widely learned in virtually every yeshiva since formal study of musar texts was introduced by the Mussar Movement of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter. The aim is the perfection of character.
Chafetz Chaim - R' Yisrael Meir ha-Kohen Kagan (1838-1933), known popularly as the Chofetz Chaim, after his book on lashon hara, who was also well known for the Mishna Berurah, his book on ritual law, was an influential Lithuanian Jewish rabbi, Halakhist, posek, and ethicist whose works continue to be widely influential in Orthodox Jewish life.
Ba’al Shem Tov - R' Yisrael ben Eliezer (1700-1760), Poland, Ukraine; Founder of the Chasidic movement. Of humble and obscure origins, was introduced to kabbalah by R' Adam Baal Shem of Ropczyce. In 1734, presented himself to the world as a "Baal Shem," a "Master of the Name," the title used for holy men who perform miracles. His teachings made kabbalistic teachings accessible to the common Jew and emphasized ways of drawing closer to the Divine outside of the traditional Torah study framework.
Avodat Yisrael - Kozhnitzer Maggid - R' Yisrael Hopstein of Kozhnitz (1737-1814), Poland; Founder of the Kozhnitz dynasty. Born to his father Shabbetai at an advanced age, after having received a blessing from the Baal Shem Tov. Studied under R' Shmelke of Nikolsberg, and later under the Mezeritcher Maggid and R' Elimelech of Lizhensk.
Maharzu - R’ Zev Wolf Einhorn (Late 1700’s-1862), Grodno and Vilna; A scholar who wrote one of the most important commentaries on Midrash Rabbah, as well as on other midrashic works.
Maharal - The Maharal of Prague - R' Yehuda Loew ben Bezalel (1520 - 1609), Prague; Mystically inclined philosopher whose writings left an indelible impression on generations of Ashkenazic Jewry. His numerous philosophical works became cornerstones of Jewish thought and had a profound influence on Chassidic teaching. He also wrote halachic works, including a commentary on the Arba'ah Turim.
Rambam - Maimonides - Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1137-1204), Spain, Morocco, Egypt.
Ra'avad - R' Avraham ben David of Posquieres (1125-1198), France; Talmudic commentator and mystic, his best-known work consists of extensive critical comments on Rambam's Mishneh Torah, which are published alongside the Rambam's text in almost every version. He wrote talmudic commentaries that are quoted extensively by a number of Rishonim but have been lost for the most part. It was from his circle that kabbalah emerged in the 12th century, and the early prominent kabbalists cite his activity as central to that emergence.
Kessef Mishneh - Rav Yoseph Karo (1488-1575), Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tzefat; Author of the Shulchan Aruch. Kessef Mishneh is a commentary on Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, published during his lifetime. In his introduction, he writes that his goal was to cite the source of each law, and to defend the Rambam from Raavad's arguments.
Ori V'Yishi - R' Meir Aryeh Reiss shlit"a; New York.
Zohar - Central work of mystical tradition of Kabbalah. Traditionally attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. First appeared in 13th-century Spain.
Rav Chaim Volozhin - Rav Chaim (Ickovits) of Volozhin (1749-1821), Volozhin; foremost disciple of Vilna Gaon and founder of Volozhin Yeshiva.
Rav Shach - Rav Elazar Shach (1899-2001), Lithuania, Israel; A leading Haredi rav in Bnei Brak, he served as one of three co-deans of the Ponevezh yeshiva, and founded the Degel HaTorah political party representing Lithuanian Ashkenazi Jews in the Israeli Knesset. Served as head of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, chairman of Chinuch Atzmai and Va'ad HaYeshivos, as well as the honorary president of hundreds of yeshivos and organizations worldwide.
Ben Yehoyada - The Ben Ish Chai - R' Yosef Hayyim (1834-1909), Baghdad; Chacham of the Baghdad Jewish community for over 50 years. Prominent authority on halacha and a master kabbalist. His work is based on his classes on the weekly parsha, containing both kabbalistic insights as well as practical laws for everyday life. He also composed "Ben Yehoyada", a commentary on the Aggadic portions of the Talmud, and responsa entitled "Rav Pe'alim".
Vilna Gaon (The Gra) - R' Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman (1720-1797), Vilnius, Poland, Lithuania. Foremost leader of misnagdic Jewry of the past few centuries. Considered the father of the stream of Lithuanian Kabbalah and remembered as a leader of the opposition to the Hasidic movement.
Yalkut Shimoni - Compiled between 11th and 14th centuries in Thessaloniki. The author collected and arranged various interpretations from older midrashim. It contains more than 10,000 statements in aggadah and halakhah covering all of Torah, sourced from more than 50 works of which it is the only source for some of them (Sifrei Zuta, Yelammedenu, Midrash Esfah, Midrash Avkir, Midrash Tadshe, Devarim Zuta).
