Acharonim

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Periods of development of the Halakha
Zugot Tannaim Amoraim Savoraim Geonim Rishonim Acharonim

Acharonim (Hebrew: אחרונים; sing. אחרון, Acharon; lit. "later ones") is a term used in Jewish law and history, to signify the leading rabbis and poskim (Jewish legal decisors) living from roughly the 16th century to the present.

The Acharonim follow the Rishonim, the "first ones" - the rabbinic scholars between the 13th and the 16th century following the Geonim and preceding the Shulkhan Arukh. The publication of the Shulkhan Arukh thus marks the transition from the era of Rishonim to that of Acharonim.

1 Consequences for Halachic Change
2 Some Acharonim
3 See also
4 External links and references

[edit] Consequences for Halachic Change

According to many rabbis in the Orthodox Jewish community, scholars in one era within the history of halachic development cannot challenge the rulings of previous-era scholars, and hence Achronim cannot dispute the rulings of rabbis of previous eras unless they find support of other eras from rabbis in previous eras. On the other hand, this view is not formally a part of halakhah itself, and according to some rabbis is a violation of the halalkhic system. In the The Principles of Jewish Law Orthodox rabbi Menachem Elon writes:

"...[such a view] inherently violates the precept of Hilkheta Ke-Vatra'ei, that is, the law is according to the later scholars. 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."

Despite such views, the prevailing opinion within the orthodox community is what has been dictated in the past should not be changed without support from previous (pre-Acharonim) scholars.

The question of which prior rulings can and cannot be disputed has led to efforts to define which rulings are within the Acharonim era with precision. According to many rabbis the Shulkhan Arukh is from an Acharon. Some hold that Rabbi Yosef Karo's Beit Yosef has the halakhic status of a work of a Rishon, while his later Shulkhan Arukh has the status of a work of an Acharon.

[edit] Some Acharonim

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Isaac Abendana, 17th century Sephardic scholar in England
Jacob Abendana, 17th century Sephardic rabbi in England
Isaac Aboab da Fonseca, 17th century Dutch scholar and Kabbalist, first Rabbi in the Americas
Bezalel Ashkenazi, (Shittah Mekubetzet), 16th century Talmudist
Chaim Joseph David Azulai, (Chida, Shem ha-Gedolim) 18th century scholar and traveler, pioneered history of rabbinic writings
Yair Bacharach, (Havvot Yair), 17th century German Talmudist
Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, (Netziv ; Ha'emek Davar) 19th century head of Volozhin Yeshiva in Lithuania
Moses ben Jacob Cordovero, (RaMaK) 16th century Holy Land Kabbalistic scholar
Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler, (Michtav Me'Eliyahu) 20th century religious philosopher and ethicist
Dovber of Mezeritch, (Maggid), 18th century Eastern European mystic, primary disciple of the Baal Shem Tov
Elijah ben Solomon, (Gra, Vilna Gaon), 18th century Talmudist and mystic, Lithuanian leader of the Mitnagdim, opponent of Hasidim
Jacob Emden, 18th century Danish/German scholar and controversialist
Baruch Epstein, (Torah Temimah), 20th century Lithuanian Torah commentator
Moshe Mordechai Epstein, ( Levush Mordechai), 20th sentury Talmudist and co-head of Slabodka Yehiva
Yechiel Michel Epstein, (Aruch ha-Shulchan) 19th-20th century halakhist and posek (decisor)
Jonathan Eybeschutz, 18th century scholar, Dayan of Prague, accused of heresy
Moshe Feinstein, (Igrot Moshe), 20th century Russian-American legal scholar and Talmudist
Nosson Tzvi Finkel, (Alter / Sabba), early 20th century founder of Slabodka Yeshiva, Lithuania. Disciples opened major yeshivas in US and Israel
Kalonymus Haberkasten, 16th century Polish rabbi; Rosh Yeshiva of many great Rishonim
Hillel ben Naphtali Zevi, (Bet Hillel), 17th century Lithuanian scholar
Samson Raphael Hirsch, 19th century German rabbi, founder of the Torah im Derech Eretz movement
Yitzchok Hutner, (Pachad Yitzchok), 20th century European-born, American and Israeli Rosh Yeshiva
Moshe Isserles, (Rema), 16 century Polish legal scholar, author of Hamapah component of the Shulkhan Arukh.
Yisrael Meir Kagan, (Chofetz Chaim), 20th century Polish legalist and moralist
Yosef Karo, (Mechaber), 16th century Spanish and Land of Israel legal codifier of the Shulkhan Arukh code of Torah Law
Abraham Isaac Kook, 20th century philosopher and mystic, first chief rabbi of Palestine
Judah Loew ben Bezalel, (Maharal), 16th century Prague mystic and Talmudist
Isaac Luria, (Ari), 16th century Holy Land mystic, founder of Lurianic Kabbalah
Solomon Luria, (Maharshal), 16th century Posek and Talmudist
Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, (Ramchal), 18th century Italian philosopher, mystic, and moralist
Malbim, Meir Lob ben Jehiel Michael, (The Malbim), 19th century Russian preacher and scholar
Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, (Ohr Sameiach ; Meshech Chochmah) Lithuanian-Latvian Talmudist and communal leader
Menasseh Ben Israel, 17th century Portuguese/Dutch Kabbalist, diplomat and publisher
Obadiah ben Abraham of Bertinoro, (Bartenura) 15th century commentator on the Mishnah
Yisrael Lipkin Salanter, 19th century Lithuanian ethicist and moralist
David HaLevi Segal, (Taz) 16th century Halakhist, major commentatry on the Shulchan Aruch
Sforno, 15th, 16th, and 17th century family of Italian Torah scholars and philosophers
- Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno, (Sforno), 16th century Italian scholar and rationalist
Moses Sofer, (Chatam Sofer) 19th century Eastern European rabbi
Hayyim ben Joseph Vital, 16th Kabbalist
Shalom Sharabi, 18th/19th century Yemenite Sage, Master Kabbalist and Founder of the Mystical Beit El 12 Mekubalim.