Rav Leibowitz
Note: This post has been incorporated into a pamphlet on the Early Rishonim. It can be purchased on Amazon by clicking here.
Talmidei Ha-Ri
Ri’s students spread his teachings to
all corners of Ashkenaz, and beyond. He
had five primary students, each major channels for the dissemination of the
Tosafist teachings.
Ri's Major Students:
(1) Rabbenu Elchonon (d. 1184, Hy”d) was
Ri’s son. His greatness is often
compared with that of his father (Shu”t Maharik 52). R. Elchonon was killed al Kiddush Hashem in
1184, while his father was still alive.
R. Elchonon wrote a Tosafos commentary on the Talmud. We are currently only in possession of his Tosafot
on Avodah Zarah.
(2) R. Shimshon b. Avraham of Shantz (ר"ש משנץ, d. 1214) was one of the most prolific Tosafists. In fact, the Rosh (Shu"t 84:3) counts him along with R. Tam and Ri as the the three pillars of the Tosafist movement. He was a student of R. Tam and R. Hayyim Kohen, but his primary teacher was Ri. At the end of his life, he moved to to Israel.[1]
R.
Shimshon wrote Tosafot Shantz on the entire Talmud (Only a few tractates are
extant). It is record of the Ri’s
lectures with additions of R. Shimshon’s own original insights. Tosafos Shantz were very influential and
popular. In fact, many passages in our
Tosafos are verbatim quotes from Tosafot Shantz. R.
Shimshon also wrote a Mishna commentary on Sedarim Zeraim and Taharos – printed
as פירוש הר"ש printed alongside the Rambam in standard editions of the Mishna.[2]
(3) R. Yitchak b.
Avraham (ריצב"א, d. c1210) was the older brother of R. Shimshon. He too studied under R. Tam, but was
primarily a student of the RI. Ritzvah is
generally known as a posek, but he also appears in our Tosafos in at least seven tractates.
(4) Rabbenu Baruch (ר' ברוך, d. 1211) lived in Germany,
but studied in France under Ri and R. Eliezer of Metz. Even after Ri’s dath, R. Baruch remained in
France, eventually moving to Israel in 1208. R. Baruch wrote a Tosafos commentary known as
Tosafos Rabbenu Baruch, and he is quoted in the printed Tosafos.[3]
R. Baruch is also the author of Sefer
Ha-Terumah, an important halachic work that reflects many of the rulings and
teachings of the early Tosafists, especially Ri. Sefer Ha-Terumah focuses on topics relating
to practical halacha, such as shechita, gittin, teffilin, etc. It draws heavily on the Torah of the Ri. The sefer was very popular and spread quickly in France, Germany, Italy, and even
Spain.
(5) R. Yehudah of Paris (ר' יהודה שירליאון,
d. 1224) was one of Ri’s
last students. He is sometimes refered
to as רבינו האריה or as
Sir-Leon. R. Yehuda also studied under Ri’s older students, such as R. Shimshon and
R. Baruch. R. Yehudah’s beis midrash was
in Paris.[4] R. Yehudah wrote a Tosafot commentary,
Tosafot Rabbenu Yehudah, that were heavily based on the teachings of Ri.[5] We are only in possession of his Tosafos on
tractate Berachos, but there are indications he wrote on at least nineteen
other tractates.[6]
[1] R. Avraham b.
ha-Rambam writes how he and his father heard that R. Shimshon was in Akko but
they did not meet him as he did not pass through their region (Egypt).
[2] R. Shimshon is attributed with a commentary on Sifra, but it is not
clear at all that he wrote it. He also
wrote Teshuvos, many of them were collected by his student, R. Yaacov b. Shlomo
of Courson, some of these can be found in Or Zarua, Mordechai, and Teshuvos
Maimoniot. R. Shimshon also maintained a
correspondence with Rema, regarding the Rambam’s writings about resurrection.
[3] The printed
Tosafos on Zevachim is either Tosafos R. Baruch or heavily based on it. R. Baruch seems to have written a commentary on tractate Tamid,
and may be the author of the commentary on Sifra attributed to Rash Mi-Shantz.
[4] There was a Torah
center in Paris until 1182 when Philip Augustus expelled the Jews from
Ill-de-France. However in 1198, the
expulsion was revoked and the Torah center started up, ostensibly under R.
Yehudah. Paris was an intellectual
center in those days, even for Christian scholars, and it was called Civitas
Literarum, קרית
ספר, City of the Book.
[5] R. Yehudah
quotes the Rambam in one place in his Tosafos, and this appears to be the first
time one of the Tosafists quotes the Rambam in Tosafos, although we know from
the Rash Mi-Shantz’s correspondence with the Ramah that he was aware of the writings
of the Rambam. See also Tosafos YomTov
on Machshirin 5:10.
[6] Other Students of Ri: (1) R. Shimshon
of Coucy (שר מקוצי,
d. 1221) wrote a Tosafot commentary and is also quoted occasionally in the
printed Tosafot. Legend records that R. Shimshon
was held captive for many years by a Muslim lord. Eventually, he escaped and saved the life of
King Richard the Lionheart, who was lured into the lord’s estate. Richard made him the Count of Coucy, and he
served in this position for the remainder of his life, and was from them on known
as the “Sar” of Coucy. (2) R. Yosef
b. Baruch of Clisson (d. 1221) is
quoted in the printed Tosafos. He moved to
Israel with Rash Mi-Shantz in 1211, hence is quoted occasionally as “R. Yosef Ish
Yerushalayim.” R. Yosef’s route to
Israel went via Egypt and R. Avraham b. Ha-Rambam tells us “when French
Scholars came to this land, the great Rabbi Yosef…” (Milchamos Hashem qtd. in Urbach,
319), and R. Yehudah al-Charizi visited Israel and wrote, “I met angels of God,
pious Godly men, who came from France to dwell in Zion, and at their head is R.
Yosef…” (ibid.).
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