Meshech Chochma - Rav Meir Simcha HaKohen of Dvinsk (1843-1926), Lithuania; Prominent leader of Orthodox Judaism in Eastern Europe in the early 20th century. Known for his writings on Rambam's Mishneh Torah, which he titled Ohr Somayach, as well as his novellae on the Torah, titled Meshech Chochma. He reputedly turned down offers for the rabbinate in various large cities, including Jerusalem, New York City and Kovno, and died in a hotel in Riga, Latvia, while seeking medical treatment.
Megaleh Amukot - R' Natan Nota Spira, (1585–1633), Poland. Chief Rabbi of Krakow. Descendant of a rabbinical family which traced its lineage as far back to Rashi. Megaleh Amukot is a commentary containing 252 explanations of Moshe's prayer referenced in the first pasuk of Vaetchanan.
Beit Yosef - Rav Yoseph Karo (1488-1575), Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tzefat; Author of the Shulchan Aruch & Kessef Mishneh.
Rokeach - Rabbi Elazar ben Yehuda ben Kalonymu, MiGermaiza (1176-1238) Mainz, Worms, Germany; Underwent great sufferings during the Crusades. The last major member of the Hasidei Ashkenaz, a group of German Jewish pietists. Sefer Ha-Roḳeaḥ (The Perfumer) is a halachic guide to ethics and Jewish Law for the common reader. Authored many piyyutim protesting Israel's suffering and hoping for redemption and revenge against her tormentors.
Rashi - R' Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105), Troyes, France. "Rabban Shel Yisrael" - The great Rishon who wrote commentary on all areas of 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.
Orchot Chaim - Rabbeinu Asher, the Rosh, (1250-1327), Germany, Spain; One of the Ba’alei Hatosafot and classic codifiers and commentators on the Talmud. In Orchot Chaim, he wrote a "diary" - of Jewish life - a calendar of principles - a list of guidelines to be read, studied, and lived every day of the week. Over many centuries of cherished use, this list of maxims has become a small but invaluable treasure.
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.
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.
Ibn Ezra - R' Avraham ben Meir ibn Ezra (1089-1164), Spain; Wrote on grammar, philosophy, astronomy, medicine, and mathematics, but most famous for his Torah commentary. His commentaries focus on grammatical explanations and the "peshat" (plain-sense) meaning of the text.
Rabbeinu Bachya - (Rabbeinu Behaye) R’ Bahya ben Asher (1255-1340), Spain. Torah commentary incorporating the literal meaning along with allegorical, Midrashic, and Kabbalistic interpretations.
Ne'imot Yomeiru - Rav Baruch Rosenblum, shlit”a, Bnei Brak; Editions published for Pesach, Yamim Noraim, Purim, Tisha B'av and the Three Weeks, and Chanukah.
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.
Sefer HaMakabim - The Books of the Maccabees recounts the history of the Maccabees, the leaders of the Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid dynasty. Originally written in Hebrew around the beginning of the reign of the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus (Yochanan Kohen Gadol), approximately 129 BCE (3631), and was translated into Greek shortly afterwards. The Hebrew original is lost to us today.
Netziv - Rav Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin (1816-1893), Lithuania. Born into a family of Jewish scholars, a descendant on his mother's side of R' Meir Eisenstadt. His first wife was the granddaughter of R. Chaim Volozhin, and his second the daughter of R. Yechiel Michel Epstein. In 1854 he was appointed head of the Volozhin yeshiva, where he introduced a style of Talmud study based on broad knowledge of Tannaitic and Geonic literature as well as the Rishonim.
Da'at Zekainim - The Ba'alei HaTosafot were members of a school of Torah and Talmudic interpretation in 12th and 13th century France and Germany. Their roots are in the work of Rashi and their approach is analytical, comparative and incisive. Other works emerged from their school, most notably Machzor Vitri and the Torah commentary, Da'at Z'kenim.
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.
Tzror Hamor - R’ Avraham Sabah (1440-1508), Spain, Portugal, and Morocco; Spanish scholar who spent much of his life fleeing persecution. With the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492, fled to Portugal, only to be expelled again in 1497. His two sons were taken from him and forcibly baptized as Christians. He was arrested in Lisbon and tortured, but eventually escaped to Fez in Morocco, having to flee without being able to recover his writings. He later rewrote from memory the works he had to abandon.
Targum Yonatan ben Uziel - Aramaic translation to Nevii’im; One of 80 tannaim who studied under Hillel HaZaken during era of Roman rule.
