Rashi - R’ Yechezkel Yitzchaki (1040-1105), Troyes, France. "Rabban Shel Yisrael" - The great Rishon who wrote commentary on all areas of Torah.
Tanna debei Eliyahu - A Midrash that reworks earlier Midrashim, using them to highlight ideas like the importance of Tefilla and Torah study. The Talmud attributes a midrash of the same name to Eliyahu HaNavi, though whether the existing midrash is the one referred to in the Talmud has long been a subject of debate. Some date the work as early as the 3rd century CE, while others date it as later as the 10th century.
Kli Yakar - R’ Yechezkel Ephraim Luntschitz (1550-1619), Chief Rabbi of Prague following the Maharal. His primary work was written after becoming deathly ill and vowing to compose a commentary on the Torah if he survived.
Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh - Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar (1696-1743), Salé, Morocco. Considered to be one of the most prominent Rabbis of Morocco, and in Hassidic Judaism.
Ba’al HaTanya - The Alter Rebbe - R’ Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), founder of Chabad Chasidism. Disciple of the Maggid of Mezeritch. Composed Shulchan Arukh HaRav. Author of Tanya, a highly influential presentation of chasidic philosophy drawing heavily on Kabbalah.
Rambam - Maimonides - Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1137-1204), Spain, Morocco, Egypt.
Rav Chaim Volozhin - Rav Chaim (Ickovits) of Volozhin (1749-1821), Volozhin; foremost disciple of Vilna Gaon and founder of Volozhin Yeshiva.
Maharsha - R’ Shmuel Eidels (1555-1631), Poland. Wrote commentary on the Talmud, named Chiddushei Halachot, and commentary on the aggadot of the Talmud, named Chiddushei Aggadot. Married the daughter of Edel Lifschitz of Posen and the late Brisker Rav. His mother-in-law supported his Yeshiva for over 2 decades, and in appreciation he adopted her name. Also served as rav in Chelm, Lublin, Tiktin and Ostroh.
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.
Rav Chaim Kanievsky - Rav Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky (1928-2022), Bnei Brak, Israel. A leading authority in Haredi Jewish society on legal and ethical practice, known as "Gadol HaDor" and "Sar / Prince of Torah". Born in Pinsk (Poland/Belarus) to R’ Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, known as the "Steipler Gaon", and Miriam Karelitz, sister of the Chazon Ish. Moved to Mandatory Palestine at age 6, never again leaving the country. While a talmid at the Lomza Yeshiva, served in the Israel Defense Forces, guarding an outpost overlooking Jaffa. Married to Batsheva, daughter of Rav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, and brother of Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein.
Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein shlit"a; Prominent rabbi, posek, and expert in medical ethics. Av Beit Din of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood of Bnei Brak, and Rosh Kollel of Kollel Bais David in Holon, and Rav of Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak. studied in the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Jerusalem under Rabbi Aryeh Levin. Studied in the Slabodka yeshiva in Bnei Brak, where he became a student of Rabbi Yehezkel Abramsky, who gave him rabbinic ordination. Married Aliza Shoshana Eliashiv, daughter of Rav Yosef Shalom Eliashiv and granddaughter of Rabbi Aryeh Levin.
Ramban - Nachmanides – R’ Moshe ben Nachman (1194-1270), Girona, Spain, Akko; A leading Torah scholar of the middle-ages who authored commentaries on Torah and the Talmud. He was a posek who wrote responsa and stand-alone works on Halachic topics, as well as works on mysticism, science and philosophy. Immigrated to Israel at age 72 and settled in Akko.
Siftei Chachamim - R’ Shabbetai ben Yoseph Bass (1641-1718), Poland, Prague, Germany, Amsterdam; A commentary on Rashi’s commentary on Chumash. Mostly a collection of other commentaries, in addition to the author’s own insight meant to give a basic understanding of Rashi.
Moshav Zekainim - Rabbi Solomon ben David Sassoon (1915-1985), London, Yerushalayim; Student of Rav Eliyahu Dessler.
Panim Yafos - Rabbi Pinchas Halevi Horowitz (1730-1805), Galicia, Frankfurt; Also known as the Baal Hafla'ah. Brother of R' Shmelke of Nikolsburg, both of whom were major students of the Maggid of Mezritch. Panim Yafos is a kabbalistic commentary on the Torah.
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.
Chizkuni - R’ Chizkiah ben Manoach (1040-1560), France. The details of his biography are unknown. Author of popular commentary on the Torah, which is a compilation of insights culled from the Midrashim, and the writings of twenty Rishonim, including Rashi, Rashbam and Ibn Ezra.
Shem Mishmuel - Rav Shmuel Bornsztain (1855-1926), Poland; second Sochatchov Rebbe. A leading Chasidic thinker and a Rebbe to thousands of Chasidim in the Polish cities of Sochaczew (Sochatchov) and Łódź. Son of the first Sochatchover Rebbe, he labored over the compilation and publication of his father’s manuscripts and published his father’s voluminous responsa on Shulchan Aruch under the title Avnei Nezer.
Tur - Rabbi Jacob ben Asher (1269-1343), Spain; Composer of Arba’ah Turim, tracing Halacha from the Torah through the Talmud and early Poskim, citing the author’s opinions as well as dissenting opinions. Many commentaries were written on the Tur, most prominent among them Rabbi Yosef Karo’s “Beit Yosef,” which formed the basis of the Shulchan Arukh.
Rav Yonatan Eybeschutz - Rav Yonatan Eybeschutz (1690-1764), Hamburg, Prague, Vienna, Lithuania; Decendent from the family of R’ Natan Neta Shapirah, The Megale Amukot. An exceptional Talmudist, Halachist and Kabbalist, he held positions as Dayan of Prague, and later rose to the position of Rabbi of the "Three Communities," Altona, Hamburg and Wandsbek. Fought allegations that he was a secret follower of the Shabbateanism, an outlawed movement centered around the false messiah Shabtai Zvi. This controversy spread to all major Jewish communities, and he was attacked by opponents until his death. A contemporary rabbinic tribunal exonerated him.
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).
