Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin (1823–1900), Lublin, Poland. Born into a Lithuanian Rabbinic family before becoming a follower of the Chasidic Rebbe, Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica, and Yehudah Leib Eiger - grandson of Rabbi Akiva Eiger. Also a disciple of Rabbi Sholom Rokeach of Belz. As a young man he gained widespread acclaim as an illuy - a brilliant talmudist - but refused to accept any rabbinic post, instead eking out a living by his wife running a small used clothing store. Upon 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.
Magen Avraham - R’ Abraham Abele Gombiner (1635-1682), Poland; Posek whose rulings have had a decisive impact on Ashkenazic practice. His great work, "Magen Avraham" on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim was written between 1665 and 1671, but only published posthumously, as he did not have the funds to publish it during his lifetime. Parents were killed in the Chmielnicki massacres of 1648.
Arizal - Ari HaKadosh, Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572), Yerushalayim, Egypt, Tzefat; Considered the forefather of modern Kabbalah.
Sefat Emet - R’ Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter of Gur (1847-1905), Poland; Gerer Rebbe, father of the Imrei Emet. Author of a monumental Torah commentary considered one of the pillars of chasidic thought. The title of the book is based on his last discourse, which ended with a verse from Mishlei: "Sefat Emet Tikon La’ad" — The lips of truth shall be established forever.
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.
Yalkut Reuveni - R’ Reuven Hoshke HaKohen Sofer (died 1673), Prague; Kabalist and rabbi of Prague. Yalḳuṭ Reuveni is a vast compendium of Midrashim derived from the nigleh level (the oral tradition contained mainly in the Talmud) and nistar level (the esoteric tradition of Kabbalistic writings). Arranged according to the order of the weekly parasha and subject matter.
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.
Rashi - R’ Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105), Troyes, France. "Rabban Shel Yisrael" - The great Rishon who wrote commentary on all areas of Torah.
Ma’adanei Shmuel - Rav Shmuel Truvitz (1934-1996), Israel; was the rabbi of the Kiryat Kaliv neighborhood in Rishon LeZion, the rav of the city's rabbinical court, and founder of the Knesset Meir yeshiva. Ma'adanei Shmuel includes commentaries on the Haftorot, ethical essays, teachings of Chazal, and Torah insights.
Zohar - Central work of mystical tradition of Kabbalah. Traditionally attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. First appeared in 13th-century Spain.
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.
Targum Onklos - According to tradition, written by a Roman convert to Judaism who lived in the first or second century.
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.
Binyan Shlomo - Shlomo HaKohen of Vilna (1828-1905); One of the main editors of the Vilna edition of the Talmud and eventually the rav of Vilna. His glosses on the Talmud were published in the Vilna Edition Shas under the name "Cheshek Shlomo"; his halachik responsa were published under the title "Binyan Shlomo". Though he was more focused on study than communal affairs, he was an ardent supporter of the new Jewish settlements in Palestine.
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.
Alsheich HaKadosh - Rabbi Moshe Alsheich (1508–1593), Tzefat; Student of Rabbi Yosef Caro; Rebbe of Rav Chaim Vital.
Rav Shalom Schwadron - (1912-1997), Yerushalayim; Known as the "Maggid of Yerushalayim" for his fiery, inspirational mussar talks delivered on Friday-nights at the Zichron Moshe shtiebel near Geula. Talmid muvhak of the mashgiach ruchani at Chevron Yeshiva, Rav Leib Chasman, and also studied under Rav Elya Lopian, Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, and Rav Meir Chodosh. Some of the stories he told about the character and conduct of Torah leaders and tzadikim of previous generations were incorporated in the "Maggid" series of books by Rabbi Paysach Krohn, whose parents hosted Rav Schwadron during his visits. After the untimely death of Rabbi Avrohom Zelig Krohn, Rav Schwadron became a surrogate father to his seven orphans and encouraged Rabbi Paysach Krohn to pen the first of his popular "Maggid" books, The Maggid Speaks.
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.
Rav Chaim Volozhin - Rav Chaim (Ickovits) of Volozhin (1749-1821), Volozhin; Popularly known as Reb Chaim Volozhiner, was the foremost disciple of the Vilna Gaon and the founder of the Volozhin Yeshiva. The yeshiva taught the Gaon's study method of penetrating analysis of the Talmud, a unique style which was then copied by all of the great Lithuanian yeshivas. Reb Chaim himself was also considered one of the greatest Talmudic scholars of his age. His major work is Nefesh HaChaim, an explication of Jewish belief.
Rambam - Maimonides - Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1137-1204), Spain, Morocco, Egypt.
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer - Composed by Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus (1st-2nd century) during times of the Mishnah.
Targum Yonatan ben Uziel - Aramaic translation to Nevii’im; One of 80 tannaim who studied under Hillel HaZaken during era of Roman rule.
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.
Midrash Talpiot - R’ Eliyahu be Avraham Shlomo HaKohen (1659–1729), Turkey.
Rema - Rav Moshe Isserles (1520-1572), Poland; Primary Halachic authority for European Jewry, author of Sefer HaMappah (Hagahot HaRama) on Shulchan Arukh, and Darchei Moshe on Tur. Also authored Mechir Yayin, an allegorical commentary on Megillat Esther, written in his youth one Purim under difficult circumstances and given to his family in lieu of mishloach manot.
