Rishonim (Hebrew: ראשונים; sing. ראשון, Rishon) "the former ones," were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and following the Geonim. Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master Posek ( Hebrew פוסק po·ˈseq pl Poskim, פוסקים is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the The Shulchan Aruch (שולחן ערוך literally " Set Table " (also Shulhan Aruch or Shulchan Arukh) is a Codification Geonim ( Hebrew: גאונים also transliterated Gaonim) were the presidents of the two great rabbinical colleges of Sura Rabbinic scholars subsequent to the Shulkhan Arukh are known as " Acharonim — the latter ones".

The distinction between Rishonim and Geonim is meaningful historically; in Halakha (Jewish Law) the distinction is less important. Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law According to a widely held view in Orthodox Judaism, Acharonim generally cannot dispute the rulings of rabbis of previous eras unless they find support of other rabbis in previous eras. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized On the other hand, this view is not formally a part of halakhah itself, and according to some rabbis is a violation of the halakhic system. Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law In the The Principles of Jewish Law Orthodox rabbi Menachem Elon writes that such a view:

inherently violates the precept of Hilkheta Ke-Vatra'ei, that is, the law is according to the later scholars. Menachem Elon (born 1923 an Israeli jurist who served as a justice on the Israeli Supreme Court (1977-1993 and its Deputy President (1988-1993 This rule dates from the Geonic period. It laid down that until the time of Rabbis Abbaye and Rava (4th century) the Halakha was to be decided according to the views of the earlier scholars, but from that time onward, the halakhic opinions of post-talmudic scholars would prevail over the contrary opinions of a previous generation. See Piskei Ha'Rosh, Bava Metzia 3:10, 4:21, Shabbat 23:1

Some Rishonim

• Abba Mari, (Minhat Kenaot), 13th century Provençal rabbi. Abba Mari ben Moses ben Joseph, was a Provençal rabbi, born at Lunel, near Montpellier, towards the end of the 13th century Provence (disambiguation Provence a province in southern France, was a great Torah center in the times of the Tosafists.
• Don Isaac Abravanel, (Abarbanel), 15th century philosopher and Torah commentator
• Jacob Berab, 15th-16th century proponent of Semicha (Ordination)
• Israel Bruna, (Mahari Bruna), 15th century German Rabbi and Posek
• Levi Ibn Chaviv, 15th-16th century, Spanish born, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem
• Abraham ibn Daud, (Sefer HaKabbalah), 12th century Spanish philosopher
• Abraham ibn Ezra, (Even Ezra), 12th century Spanish-North African Biblical commentator
• David ben Solomon ibn Abi Zimra, (Radbaz), 15-16th century commentator and halakist, chief rabbi of Egypt
• David Abudraham, said to be a student of the Baal Ha-Turim (but this is doubtful)
• Samuel ben Jacob Jam'a, 12th century North African rabbi and scholar
• Asher ben Jehiel, (Rosh), 13th century German-Spanish Talmudist
• David Kimhi, (RaDaK) 12th century French biblical commentator, philosopher, and grammarian
• Yaakov ben Moshe Levi Moelin, (Maharil), 14th century codifier of German minhag
• Obadiah ben Abraham of Bertinoro, (Bartenura), 15th century commentator on the Mishnah
• Bahya ibn Paquda, (Hovot ha-Levavot), 11th century Spanish philosopher and moralist
• Hasdai Crescas, (Or Hashem), 14th century Talmudist and philosopher
• Dunash ben Labrat, 10th century grammarian and poet
• Rabbenu Gershom, 11th century German Talmudist and legalist
• Gersonides, Levi ben Gershom, (Ralbag), 14th century French Talmudist and philosopher
• Eliezer ben Nathan, 12th century poet and pietist
• Hillel ben Eliakim, (Rabbeinu Hillel), 12th century Talmudist and disciple of Rashi
• Ibn Tibbon, a family of 12th and 13th century Spanish and French scholars, tranlators, and leaders
• Isaac Alfasi, (the Rif), 12th century North African and Spanish Talmudist and Halakhist; author of "Sefer Ha-halachoth". Isaac ben Judah or Yitzchak ben Yehuda Abravanel (1437 - 1508 (יצחק בן יהודה אברבנאל was a Jewish Statesman, philosopher Jacob Berab, also Jacob Berav, Yaakov Berav, Yaakov Bei Rav, Talmudist and Rabbi; born at Moqueda near Toledo Semicha (סמיכה "leaning the hands" also semichut (סמיכות "ordination" or semicha lerabbanut (סמיכה לרבנות "rabbinical Israel Bruna (1400 - 1480 was a German Rabbi and Posek (decisor on Jewish Law) Posek ( Hebrew פוסק po·ˈseq pl Poskim, פוסקים is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Rabbi Levi Ibn Habib was Rabbi of Jerusalem; born at Zamora, Spain, about 1480 died at Jerusalem about 1545 Abraham ibn Daud ( Hebrew Avraham ben David ha-Levi; Arabic ابراهيم ابن داود) was a Spanish-Jewish astronomer Abraham ben Meir ibn Ezra ( Hebrew: אברהם אבן עזרא or ראב"ע, also known as Abenezra) (1092 or 1093–1167 was one of the Rabbi David ben Solomon ibn (Abi Zimra (דוד בן שלמה אבן אבי זמרא also called Radbaz ( רדב"ז) after the initials of his name R David ben Josef ben David Abudraham (fl 1340 ( Hebrew: דוד אבודרהם) or Abudarham was a rishon who lived at Seville Spain Samuel ben Jacob Jam'a (or Samuel ben Jacon ibn Jam' Hebrew: שמואל בן יעקב ג'אמע) was Rabbi of the North-African community of Kabez (קאבס Asher ben Jehiel ( Hebrew, אשר בן יחיאל, or Asher ben Yechiel sometimes Asheri) (1250 or 1259 &ndash 1328 was an eminent Rabbi and David Kimhi (דוד קמחי also Kimchi or Qimchi) (1160 &ndash 1235 also known by the Hebrew Acronym as the RaDaK (he רד"ק Jacob b Moses Moelin (יעקב בן משה מולין c 1365 &ndash 1427 was a Talmudist and Posek (authority on Jewish law) best known for Minhag ( Hebrew: מנהג "custom" pl minhagim) is an accepted tradition or group of traditions in Judaism. Obadiah ben Abraham ( Hebrew: עובדיה מברטנורא) of Bertinoro was a Jewish Rabbi and a commentator on the Mishnah The Mishnah or Mishna (he משנה "repetition" from the verb shanah he שנה or "to study and review" is a major work of Rabbinic Judaism Bahya ben Joseph ibn Paquda (also Pakuda Bakuda Hebrew: בחיי אבן פקודה) was a Jewish philosopher and Rabbi who lived at Saragossa Hasdai ben Abraham Crescas ( Hebrew: חסדאי קרשקש) (born in Barcelona,c Dunash ha-Levi ben Labrat (920-990 ( Hebrew: דוֹנָש הלוי בֵּן לָבְרָט Arabic: دناش بن لبراط was a medieval Jewish commentator Gershom ben Judah, (c 960 -1040? -1028? best known as Rabbeinu Gershom ( Hebrew: רבנו גרשום, "Our teacher Gershom" and also commonly Levi ben Gershom ( לוי בן גרשום) better known as Gersonides or the Ralbag (1288-1344 was a famous Rabbi, philosopher Mathematician Eliezer ben Nathan ( Hebrew: אליעזר בן נתן) of Mayence (1090-1170 Ra'aven (ראב"ן was a Halakist and liturgical Hillel ben Eliakim, known in Hebrew to Talmud scholars as Rabbeinu Hillel, ( "Our Rabbi Hillel") was a Jewish Ibn Tibbon ( Heb אבן תבון) is a family of Jewish rabbis and translators that lived principally in Provence in the twelfth and Rabbi Isaac ben Jacob Alfasi (1013 - 1103 - also Isaac Hakohen, Alfasi or the Rif (רי"ף - was a Talmudist and Posek (decisor
• Jacob ben Asher, (Baal ha-Turim ; Arbaah Turim), 14th century German-Spanish Halakhist
• Joseph Albo, (Sefer Ikkarim), 15th century Spain
• Joseph ibn Migash 12th century Spanish Talmudist and rosh yeshiva; teacher of Maimon, father of Maimonides
• Meir Abulafia, (Yad Ramah), 13th century Spanish Talmudist
• Maimonides, Moshe Ben Maimon, (Rambam), 13th century Spanish-North African Talmudist, philosopher, and law codifier
• Mordecai ben Hillel, (The Mordechai), 13th century German Halakhist
• Nahmanides, Moshe ben Nahman, (Ramban), 13th century Spanish and Holy Land mystic and Talmudist
• Nissim Ben Jacob (Rav Nissim Gaon), 10th century Tunisian Talmudist
• Nissim of Gerona, (RaN), 14th century Halakhist and Talmudist
• Rashi, (Solomon ben Yitzchak), 11th century Talmudist, the primary commentator of Talmud
• Elazar Rokeach, (Sefer HaRokeach), 12th century German rabbinic scholar
• Samuel ben Judah ibn Tibbon, 12th-13th century French Maimonidean philosopher and translator
• Tosafists, (Tosafot), 11th, 12th and 13th century Talmudic scholars in France and Germany
• Yehuda Halevi, (Kuzari), 12th century Spanish philosopher and poet devoted to Zion
• Menachem Meiri, (Meiri), 13th century Talmudist
• Yom Tov Asevilli, (Ritva), 13th century Talmudist
• Yitzhak Saggi Nehor, (Isaac the Blind), 12th-13th century Provencal Kabbalist
• Solomon ben Aderet, (Rashba), 13th century Talmudist
• Aharon HaLevi, (Ra'ah), 13th century Talmudist
• Zerachiah ha-Levi of Girona, (Baal Ha-Maor) 12th century Talmudist
• Meshullam ben Jacob, (Rabbeinu Meshullam Hagodol), 12th century Talmudist

See also

• Rabbinic literature
• Eras of history important in Jewish law
• List of rabbis
• History of Responsa: Rishonim

External links and references

• The Rules of Halacha, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
• The different rabbinic eras, faqs. Jacob ben Asher, in Hebrew Ya'akov ben Asher, (1270-ca 1340 ( Toledo, Spain) was an influential Medieval rabbinic authority Joseph Albo ( Hebrew: יוסף אלבו) (c 1380–1444 was a Jewish philosopher and Rabbi who lived in Spain during the Joseph ben Meir ibn Migash or Migas (1077 - 1141 ( יוסף בן מאיר הלוי אבן מיגאש) was a Rabbi, Posek, and Rosh Yeshiva Rosh yeshiva, ( pl. Heb. Roshei yeshiva; Yeshivish Rosh yeshivas) (ראש ישיבה is the title given to the dean of Meir Abulafia is commonly known as "the Ramah" ( Hebrew: רמ"ה Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and Mordechai ben Hillel, also known as The Mordechai, (c 1250 &ndash 1298 was a 13th century German Rabbi and Posek. Nahmanides (1194 &ndash c 1270 was a Catalan Rabbi, philosopher, Physician, Kabbalist and biblical commentator. Nissim Ben Jacob ( Rav Nissim Gaon, 990-1062 Hebrew: ניסים בן יעקב) was a Rabbi and Talmudist best known today for his Talmudic Rabbi Nissim ben Reuven (1320 - 1380 Hebrew: נסים בן ראובן) of Girona, Catalonia was an influential Talmudist and authority For the astrological concept see Rāshi (Jyotiṣa. Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki, (רבי שלמה יצחקי better known by the acronym Rashi Eleazar ben Judah ben Kalonymus of Worms ( Hebrew: אלעזר מוורמס, also Elazar Rokeach or Rokeiach) (c Samuel ben Judah Ibn Tibbon, more commonly known as Samuel ibn Tibbon ( Hebrew: שמואל בן יהודה אבן תבון, Arabic: Tosafists were Medieval Rabbis who created critical and explanatory Glosses on the Talmud. Yehuda Halevi, in full Yehuda ben Shemuel Ha-Levi, also Judah Halevi, or Judah ben Samuel Halevi ( Hebrew: יהודה הלוי) (c Rabbi Menachem Meiri (1249 &ndash c 1310 was a famous Provençal rabbi, Talmudist and Maimondean. Yom Tov Asevilli or Yom Tov ben Avraham Asevilli (or Yom Tov the son of Abraham Asevilli) (1250-1330 who is commonly known to scholars of Judaism as Rabbi Yitzhak Saggi Nehor רַבִּי יִצְחַק סַגִּי נְהוֹר also known as Isaac the Blind, (c Provence ( Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm is a region of southeastern France Shlomo ben Aderet ( Hebrew: שלמה בן אדרת) (or Solomon son of Aderet) (1235 — 1310 was a Medieval Rabbi, halakhist Aaron ha-Levi of Barcelona (1235 &ndash c 1290 ( Hebrew: אהרן הלוי) known as the R a' AH (the Acronym for his Zerachiah ben Isaac Ha-Levi Gerondi ( Hebrew: זרחיה הלוי) called the ReZaH, RaZBI or Baal Ha-Maor (author of the book Rabbeinu Meshullam son of Jacob ( Meshullam ben Ya'akov) also known as Rabbeinu Meshullam hagodol (Rabbi Meshullem the great was a Franco-Jewish Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense can mean the entire spectrum of Rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law This is a list of prominent Rabbis Rabbis are Judaism 's spiritual and religious leaders History of responsa in Judaism spans a period of 1700 years Responsa constitute a special class of Rabbinic literature, differing in form, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan (1934-January 281983 was a noted American Orthodox Rabbi and author with a background in both Physics and Judaism org
• Torah Personalities and the Times in Which They Lived (MP3s), Rabbi R Y Eisenman
• The Rishonim 4800–5160 (1040–1400), chabad. MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a Digital audio encoding format using a form of Lossy data compression org
• Rashi by Maurice Liber Biography of Rashi, one of the first Rishonim.
• Mini-Biographies from chaburas. org
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