Jacob ben Asher
Encyclopedia
Jacob ben Asher, also known as Ba'al ha-Turimas well as Rabbi Yaakov ben Raash (Rabbeinu Asher), was likely born in Cologne, Germany c.1269 and likely died in Toledo, Spain c.1343.
He was an influential Medieval rabbinic authority
. He is often referred to as the Baal ha-Turim ("Master of the Rows"), after his main work in halakha
(Jewish law), the Arba'ah Turim
("Four Rows"). The work was divided into 4 sections, each called a "tur," alluding to the rows of jewels on the High Priest's breastplate. He was the third son of the Rabbi Asher ben Jehiel
(known as the "Rosh"), a German
-born Rabbi who moved to Spain
. Besides his father, who was his principal teacher, Jacob quotes very often in the Turim his elder brother Jehiel; once his brother Judah (see Tur Orach Chaim, § 417), and once his uncle Rabbi Chaim (ib. § 49). According to many, Jacob moved to Spain with his father and was not born there.
Some say Jacob succeeded his father as the rabbi of the Jewish community of Toledo
(Zacuto), while others say his brother Judah ben Asher
did. His brothers were also rabbis of different communities in Spain. He lived in abject poverty most of his life, and according to The Sephardic Community of Chios, is said to have fallen ill and died with his 10 companions on the island of Chios
, in Greece
, whilst travelling.
He was an influential Medieval rabbinic authority
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
. He is often referred to as the Baal ha-Turim ("Master of the Rows"), after his main work in halakha
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
(Jewish law), the Arba'ah Turim
Arba'ah Turim
Arba'ah Turim , often called simply the Tur, is an important Halakhic code, composed by Yaakov ben Asher...
("Four Rows"). The work was divided into 4 sections, each called a "tur," alluding to the rows of jewels on the High Priest's breastplate. He was the third son of the Rabbi Asher ben Jehiel
Asher ben Jehiel
Asher ben Jehiel- Ashkenazi was an eminent rabbi and Talmudist best known for his abstract of Talmudic law. He is often referred to as Rabbenu Asher, “our Rabbi Asher” or by the Hebrew acronym for this title, the ROSH...
(known as the "Rosh"), a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born Rabbi who moved to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Besides his father, who was his principal teacher, Jacob quotes very often in the Turim his elder brother Jehiel; once his brother Judah (see Tur Orach Chaim, § 417), and once his uncle Rabbi Chaim (ib. § 49). According to many, Jacob moved to Spain with his father and was not born there.
Some say Jacob succeeded his father as the rabbi of the Jewish community of Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
(Zacuto), while others say his brother Judah ben Asher
Judah ben Asher
Judah ben Asher was a German Talmudist and later rabbi of Toledo, Spain, brother of Jacob ben Asher . These dates are deduced from the evidence furnished by Judah's testament and epitaphs Judah ben Asher (June 30, 1270 – July 4, 1349) was a German Talmudist and later rabbi of Toledo, Spain,...
did. His brothers were also rabbis of different communities in Spain. He lived in abject poverty most of his life, and according to The Sephardic Community of Chios, is said to have fallen ill and died with his 10 companions on the island of Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
, in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, whilst travelling.
Works
- Arba'ah TurimArba'ah TurimArba'ah Turim , often called simply the Tur, is an important Halakhic code, composed by Yaakov ben Asher...
, one of the most important halachic books of all times. - Sefer ha-Remazim, or "Kitzur Piske ha-Rosh" (Constantinople, 1575), an abridgment of his father's compendium of the Talmud, in which he condensed his father's decisions, omitting the casuistry.
- Rimze Ba'al ha-Turim (Constantinople, 1500), a commentary on the Pentateuch, which is printed in virtually all Jewish editions of the Pentateuch. This concise commentary consists of mystical and symbolical references in the Torah text (see Masoretic textMasoretic TextThe Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
), often using gematriaGematriaGematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...
and acronyms as well as other occurrences of particular words elsewhere in the TorahTorahTorah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
. - Perush Al ha-Torah, a less known commentary on the Pentateuch (Zolkiev, 1806), taken mainly from Nachmanides, but without his cabalistic and philosophical interpretations. Jacob quotes many other commentators, among them Saadia GaonSaadia GaonSaʻadiah ben Yosef Gaon was a prominent rabbi, Jewish philosopher, and exegete of the Geonic period.The first important rabbinic figure to write extensively in Arabic, he is considered the founder of Judeo-Arabic literature...
, RashiRashiShlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
, Joseph Dara and Abraham ibn EzraAbraham ibn EzraRabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra was born at Tudela, Navarre in 1089, and died c. 1167, apparently in Calahorra....
. - Works of Jacob ben Ascher in the Gesamtkatalog der WiegendruckeGesamtkatalog der WiegendruckeThe Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke is an ongoing project of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin to publish a union catalogue of incunabula. The Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke is available in part in print and in its entirety—in draft form—via an online database...
. Retrieved 2010-04-20 - Baal HaTurim Chumash,' ' Davis Edition by Artscroll - Torah with the Baal HaTurim's Classic Commentary - Hebrew/English. ISBN 1-57819-128-9