ARTSCROLL ENGLISH TANACH: THE JEWISH BIBLE, WITH INSIGHTS FROM CLASSIC RABBINIC THOUGHT Selected Bibliography of Classic Sources Through 1850 Note: Entries that are names of commentators are in bold; entries that are names of works are in bold italic. Abarbanel, Don Isaac — (1437 – 1508) Philosopher, commentary on the Pentateuch that is quoted by statesman, leader of Spanish Jewry at the time of Ramban, Rabbeinu Bachya, and others. the Expulsion in 1492. Wrote massive commentary Chasam Sofer — Title of the many works of R’ Moshe on nearly the entire Tanach. Sofer (1762 – 1839), Rabbi of Pressburg and Akeidah, Akeidas Yitzchak — Profound philosophical- acknowledged leader of Hungarian Jewry who led homiletical commentary on the Pentateuch by R’ the battle against Reform. Yitzchak Arama (1420 – 1494), one of the leading Chinuch — see Sefer HaChinuch. rabbis of 15th-century Spain. Chizkuni — Commentary on the Pentateuch by R’ Alshich — Extremely popular commentary on the Chizkiyah ben Manoach, who lived in the 13th cen- Tanach by R’ Moshe Alshich (1508 – 1593?), tury, probably in France. dayan and preacher in Safed during its golden age. Chullin — Literally, “Not Sanctified.” Talmudic tractate Arachin — Literally, “Valuation.” Talmudic tractate in in Seder Kodashim. See Mishnah. Seder Kodashim. See Mishnah. Daas Zekeinim — Collection of comments on the Avodah Zarah — Literally, “Idolatry.” Talmudic trac- Pentateuch by the Tosafists of the 12th and 13th tate in Seder Nezikin. See Mishnah. centuries. Baal HaTurim — Commentary on the Pentateuch by Degel Machaneh Ephraim — Chassidic commentary R’ Yaakov (c.1275 – c.1340), the son of the Rosh. on the Pentateuch by R’ Moshe Chaim Ephraim The commentary is composed of two parts: a) a of Sudylkov (1748 – 1800), grandson of the Baal brief one based on gematria (a system of the numer- Shem Tov. ical values of Hebrew letters) and Masoretic inter- Derech HaChaim — Commentary on Ecclesiastes by pretations, known as Baal HaTurim; b) an extensive R’ Pinchos ben Yehudah, 19th century, Grodno. exegetical commentary, known as Peirush HaTur Devarim Rabbah — The section of Midrash Rabbah on HaAruch. the Book of Deuteronomy. See Midrash Rabbah. Bais HaLevi — Commentary on the Pentateuch by R’ Di Trani — R’ Yeshaya HaZaken (the Elder) (Rid) Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik (1820 – 1892), Rosh (c.1180 – c.1260), Tosafist, Halachist, teacher, Yeshivah in Volozhin and afterward Rabbi of Slutzk composed many Tosafos (lit., additions; the and Brisk. Considered one of the most brilliant medieval commentaries to the Talmud) to various Talmudists of the 19th century. tractates of Talmud. In addition, he answered Bamidbar Rabbah — The section of Midrash Rabbah halachic queries from all over Italy and Germany; on the Book of Numbers. See Midrash Rabbah. his responsa are cited in Shibolei HaLeket. He also Bava Basra — Literally, “Last Gate,” Talmudic tractate wrote commentaries on the Torah and the Passover in Seder Nezikin. See Mishnah. Haggadah. Bava Kamma — Literally, “First Gate,” Talmudic trac- Drashos HaRan — A collection of discourses by R’ tate in Seder Nezikin. See Mishnah. Nissim of Gerona, Spain (c.1290 – c.1375). A clas- Bechoros — Literally, “First-Borns.” Talmudic tractate sic exposition of the fundamentals of Judaism. in Seder Kodashim. See Mishnah. Emek HaNetziv — Commentary on Sifri’s volumes on Beitzah — Literally, “Egg.” Talmudic tractate in Seder Numbers and Deuteronomy by Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Moed. See Mishnah. Yehudah Berlin (HaNetziv or Netziv) (1817 – 1893), Berachos — Literally, “Blessings.” Talmudic tractate in Rosh Yeshivah of the famous yeshivah of Volozhin Seder Zeraim. See Mishnah. in Russia. Bereishis Rabbah — The section of Midrash Rabbah Eruvin — Literally, “Co-mingling.” Talmudic tractate on the Book of Genesis. See Midrash Rabbah. in Seder Moed. R’ Bunim of P’schis’cha — (1765 – 1827) Leading Gemara — Commentary on and explication of the Chassidic Rebbe in Poland in the early-19th cen- Mishnah; also known as Talmud. See Mishnah. tury. Some of his teachings are collected in Chedvas Gur Aryeh — Supercommentary on Rashi’s Simchah, Kol Simchah, and Ramasayim Tzofim. Pentateuch commentary by the Maharal of Prague Chagigah — Literally, “Festival.” Talmudic tractate in (1526 – 1609). Seder Moed. See Mishnah. Haamek Davar — Commentary on the Pentateuch R’ Chananel — (died c.1055) Rosh Yeshiva and Rabbi by Rabbii Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin (HaNetziv of the Jewish community of Kairouan, North Africa; or Netziv) (1817 – 1893), Rosh Yeshivah of the author of famous Talmud commentary, and of famous yeshivah of Volozhin in Russia. Halachos Gedolos — Halachic work by Rav Shimon Kereisos — Literally, “Excisions.” Talmudic tractate in Kayyara (Bahag) (9th century), arranged in the Seder Kodashim. See Mishnah. order of the Talmud and stating the Talmud’s Kesubos — Literally, “Marriage Contracts.” Talmudic conclusions. tractate in Seder Nashim. See Mishnah. Hilchos Matnos Aniyim — Laws of Gifts to the Poor; a Kiddushin — Literally, “Betrothals.” Talmudic tractate section of Mishnah Torah, Rambam’s work on the in Seder Nashim. See Mishnah. mitzvah of giving charity. Kli Yakar — Popular commentary on the Pentateuch Hilchos Melachim — Laws of Kings; a section of by R’ Shlomo Ephraim Lunshitz (c.1550 – 1619), Mishnah Torah, Rambam’s work on the laws of Rosh Yeshiva in Lemberg and Rabbi of Prague, one kings; also discusses the Messianic age. of the leading Polish rabbis of the early-17th cen- Hilchos Teshuvah — Laws of Repentance; a section tury. Talmid of Maharal. of Mishnah Torah, Rambam’s work on the require- Kluger, R’ Shlomo — (1785 – 1869) Rabbi of Brody in ments of true repentance. Galicia, author of numerous works, one of the lead- Hilchos Tumas Tzaraas — Laws of the Impurity of ing Torah scholars of the 19th century. Tzaraas; a section of Mishnah Torah, Rambam’s Kotzk, R’ Menachem Mendel of — (1787 – 1859) One work on the biblical affliction of tzaraas, caused by of the leading Chassidic Rebbes in the mid-19th improper speech. century; his pithy comments are published in Emes Hil. Yesodei HaTorah — Laws of the Foundations of V’Emunah, in Ohel Torah, and in the numerous Torah; a section of Mishnah Torah, Rambam’s dis- works of his disciples. cussion of the obligation to love and fear God. Lechem Dim’ah — Commmentary on Megillas Eichah Hirsch, R’ Samson Raphael — (1808 – 1888) Rabbi (Lamentations) by Rabbi Shmuel de Uzeda (see in Frankfurt-am-Main; great leader of modern Iggeres Shmuel). German-Jewish Orthodoxy and battler against Mahara Azulai — R’ Abraham Azulai (c.1570 – 1643) Reform; author of many works, including a five- was a Kabbalistic author and commentator born volume commentary on the Pentateuch. at Fez. In Hebron he wrote a commentary on the Ibn Ezra, R’ Avraham — (1089 – c.1164) Bible com- Zohar. mentator; paytan. Composed classic commentary Maharit — R’ Joseph Trani (1538 – 1639) or R’ Joseph on entire Tanach, famous for its grammatical and di Trani (the Elder) was a Talmudist of the latter linguistic analysis. part of the 16th century who lived in Greece. By Ibn Latif, Isaac — (1210 – 1280) Philosopher and bibli- contemporary scholars he was called Mahrimat, cal commentator in Toledo, Spain; early commen- and regarded as one of the foremost Talmudists tator on Rambam’s Moreh Nevuchim (Guide for the of his time. Today he is more widely known as Perplexed). Maharit. He authored She’eilos U’Teshuvos, a three- Ibn Nachmias — R’ Joseph ben Joseph ibn Nachmias part work of halachic response, as well as numer- was a talmid of the Rosh in 14th-century Spain. ous commentaries on the Talmud. He wrote commentaries to Esther, Jeremiah, and Maharal — Acronym for R’ Yehudah Loewe ben Bezalel Mishlei. (1526 – 1609), one of the seminal figures in Jewish Ibn Yachya. R’ Tam — (1494 – 1534) Bible commenta- thought in the last five centuries. Chief Rabbi in tor born in Florence, Italy. Author of Commentary to Moravia, Posen, and Prague. Author of numerous the Five Megillos, Derech Chaim, and Ner Mitzvah; works in all fields of Torah. the latter two were consigned to flames at the burn- Maharzu — Acronym for Moreinu HaRav Zeev Wolf ing of the Talmud in Padua in 1554. Einhorn of Vilna (died 1862), author of a compre- Iggeres Shmuel — Encyclopedic commentary on the hensive commentary on the Midrash Rabbah. Book of Ruth, authored by R’ Shmuel de Uzeda Maimonides — See Rambam. (born c.1540), a student of the Ari. Malbim — Acronym for Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Ikkarim, Sefer HaIkkarim — (Book of Principles), a Michel (1809 – 1879), Rabbi in Germany, Romania, 15th-century work by R’ Joseph Albo (c.1380 – and Russia, leading Torah scholar and one of the 1444) whose main theme is the exposition of the preeminent Bible commentators of modern times. principles of Judaism. Demonstrated how the Oral tradition is implicit in Kaftor VaFerach — Famous work on the history, geog- the Biblical text. raphy, and Halachos of Eretz Yisrael, by R’ Eshtori Matnos Aniyim — See Hilchos Matnos Aniyim. HaParchi (c.1282 – c.1357), a disciple of the Rosh. Mechilta — Tannaitic Halachic midrash to the Book Kara, R’ Yosef — (late 11th – early 12th century) R’ of Exodus. Yosef ben Shimon acquired the name Kara (from Megillah — Talmudic tractate dealing with the laws of Mikra [Scripture]) for his work in Biblical commen- Purim and of reading the Megillah (Scroll of Esther), tary. R’ Yosef considered the plain meaning to be found in Seder Moed. See Mishnah. the objective of the text, and the homiletic explana- Meiri — Rabbi Menachem HaMeiri (1249-c.1310) tions an added attraction. was a famous Catalan rabbi, Talmudist and fol- Keilim — Literally, “Utensils.” Seder of the Mishnah in lower of Rambam. Meiri’s work on the Talmud, Beis Seder Tohoros. See Mishnah. HaBechirah, presents a synopsis of the arguments presented in the Talmud and of the commentators’ The Gemara, or Talmud, was developed as a com- commentaries. mentary and explication of the Mishnah. R’ Menachem — R’ Menachem ben Chalbo (11th cen- Mizrachi — Basic supercommentary on Rashi’s tury) was one of the first Bible commentators in Pentateuch commentary by R’ Eliyahu Mizrachi northern France.