Jacob ben Asher
Jacob ben Asher Hebrew ר ' יעקב בן אשר (* 1283 in Cologne, † 1340 in Toledo) was a halachic authority of the Middle Ages. After his major work Arba'a Turim Hebrew " ארבעה הטורים " he is commonly known as Ba'al ha - Turim Hebrew " בעל הטורים ".
Life
Jacob was his brother Yehuda ben Asher born as in Cologne and studied with his father Asher ben Jehiel. In 1303, the family moved to Toledo, where he lived in great poverty. He avoided exercise rabbinical offices, and devoted all his time to the study.
From the insight that " logical inferences had become faulty, had increased disputes that opinions had reproduced itself, so that there is no halachic rules which are free of disagreements ," he decided to put together a work that all Halachos and customs should include which concerned the individual and the community.
Classification of Arba'a Turim
Arba'a Turim literally means " Four rows " and refers to the breastplate of the high priest (see also the Urim and Thummim ). The work is divided into four parts.
- Orach Chaim, Hebrew אורח חיים ie " Way of life ", contains 697 paragraphs above blessings, prayers, the Sabbath and Jewish holidays.
- Jore De'a, Hebrew יורה דעה, ie " He teaches knowledge " and " teacher of knowledge", in 403 paragraphs dealt with Jewish dietary laws and cleaning, grief laws and rules on usury and idolatry.
- Eben Ha - Ezer, Hebrew אבן העזר, ie "Stone of Help " ( biblical place, 1 Sam 7:12) contains 178 paragraphs on marriage laws.
- Hoshen Mishpat Ha -, Hebrew חושן משפט, ie " Breastplate of justice" in section 427 treats the entire civil and criminal law.
The work has been further commented in later centuries and often forms the basis of the Shulchan Aruch of Joseph Karo. The Arba'a Turim follows the Shulchan Aruch in its division into four major subject areas.
Further work
Jacob ben Asher also wrote a commentary on the Pentateuch, which was printed in 1806 Zolkiew, where he summarized earlier comments by Saadia Gaon, Rashi, Abraham ibn Ezra and Nachmanides. Here he focused on the Pshat, ie the literal meaning of an expression, and avoided to consider Kabbalistic explanations.