Chida - R' Chaim Yosef David Azulai (1724-1806), Jerusalem, Africa, and Europe; Jerusalem born scholar and pioneer in the publication of Jewish religious writings. Elected in 1755 to become an emissary for the small Jewish community in Israel; would travel around Europe extensively, making an impression in every Jewish community that he visited.
Netivot Yitzchak - Rav Yitzchak ben Chaim Shraga Levin shlit”a, Bnei Brak.
Ramchal - Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707-1746), Venice. Italy; Author of Messilat Yesharim.
Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropola - (1600-1648); Kabbalist in Poland. Murdered by Cossacks during Chmelnitzki Massacres of 1648-49.
Rambam - Maimonides - Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1137-1204), Spain, Morocco, Egypt.
Seder Olam - Two works of early rabbinical literature dealing with chronology. 1) Seder Olam Rabbah - Attributed to tanna R’ Yose ben Chalafta; a 2nd century chronology detailing dates of biblical events from creation to Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia. It adds no stories beyond what is in the biblical text, instead filling in gaps and addressing questions like the age of Yitzchak at the Akeidah and the number of years Yehshua led Bnei Yisrael. 2) Seder Olam Zutta - a smaller, anonymous 9th-century chronicle, based in part on the Seder Olam Rabbah, and continuing the project of providing dates for historical events, beginning with Adam and continuing to the talmudic period.
Yareach L'Moadim - Rav Yerucham Olshin shlit”a, Lakewood, NJ. Member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and one of the four roshei yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood. Student of Rav Eliyahu Moshe Shisgal (son in law of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein), Rav Abba Berman, and Rav Shneur Kotler. His works about Jewish holidays were published under the title Yareach L'Moadim.
Bnei Yissaschar - R’ Tzvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov (1783-1841), Poland; nephew of Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk. The Chozeh of Lublin told him that he was a reincarnation of the great early Torah sages of the tribe of Yissaschar. Best known for his work Bnei Yissas'char, discourses on the Torah and Festivals as viewed from a kabbalistic prospective; Derech Pikudecha, exposition on the 613 mitzvot; Agra DeKallah, a commentary on the Torah; and Hagahot Mahartza on the Zohar.
Pri Chadash - Rabbi Hezekiah da Silva (1659-1698), Italy, Amsterdam, Yerushalayim.
Chatam Sofer - R’ Moshe Sofer of Pressburg (1785–1835), Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Ukraine.
Pnei Yehoshua - Rav Yaakov Yehoshua Falk (1680-1756), Poland. Germany.
Zohar - Central work of mystical tradition of Kabbalah. Traditionally attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. First appeared in 13th-century Spain.
