The Evil Eye

(Ayin Ha'Rah)

in Medieval Judaism

Who’s Who & What’s What of Ancient & Medieval Jews and Judaica

(An Appendix)

Who’s Who

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai [2nd C, Galilee], aka Rashbi is considered by many to be the author the Zohar. He was a disciple of Rabbi Akiva and survived the reign of Hadrian.

Rabbi Moses ben Maimon [1138-1204, Spain/Egypt], aka Maimonides or the Rambam (not to be confused with the Ramban) is most famous for writing the Mishneh Torah and A Guide for the Perplexed. No other work either before or since compares to the scope of the Mishne Torah – it encompasses the entirety of Jewish law. He was a prolific writer and wrote in Arabic but with Hebrew lettering in order to make his works understandable by more people. He was in his mid-fifties when he was appointed as a personal physician by a royal courtier and then to Saladin, the sultan of Egypt and Syria.

Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac [1040-1105, France], aka Rashi was by far the most outstanding Biblical commentator of the Middle Ages. He was born in Troyes, France. His commentaries are included in most printed Jewish Bibles even today. 

Rabbi Yehuda HaChasid [1150-1217, Germany], aka Judah ben Samuel of Regensberg was the author of Sefer Chasidim. He was a leader of the Chassidei Ashkenaz, a Jewish mysticism movement in Germany that emphasized specific prayer and moral conduct.

Rabbi Isaac ben Abraham the Blind [1160-1235, France], aka Saggi Nehor which means "of Much Light" referencing excellent vision – rather ironic for a blind man. He is suspected by some to have written the Bahir, an important early text on Kabbalah.

Rabbi Moses ben Nahman [1194-1270, Spain/Acre] aka Nachmanides or the Ramban (not to be confused with the Rambam) was a medieval Jewish scholar. He was also a Sephardic rabbi, philosopher, physician, kabbalist, and biblical commentator.

Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg [c. 1215–1293] was a German poet and a major author of the tosafot on Rashi's commentary on the Talmud. He is also known as Meir ben Baruch, the Maharam of Rothenburg. Born in Worms, he comes from a long line of rabbis. 

Rabbi Moshe ben Shem Tov [1240-1305, Spain], aka Moses de León is often credited as the author of the Zohar. It is more likely that he was actually the editor and publisher.

Rabbi Levi ben Gershom [1288-1344, France], aka Gersonides was a French astronomer, mathematician, philosopher, physician, and Talmudist. He wrote a long commentary on the Tanakh in which he lists all the moral lessons of the biblical stories.

Rabbi Ovadia ben Jacob Sforno [1475-1550] was an Italian rabbi, Biblical commentator, philosopher and physician. He was often consulted in matters of religious as well as secular matters.

Moses ben Jacob Cordovero [1522-1570], was a leading figure in the circle of mystics for which 16th century Sefat in the Holy Land was renowned. His book, “Tomer Devorah,” an ethical treatise devoted to the doctrine of the Imitation of G-d was first published in Venice in 1588. 

. . . and the non-Jews

Ibn Sina aka Avicenna [980-1037] also known as Ibn Sina was a Persian astronomer, physician, and writer of great note. His Book of Healing is unparalleled and his Canon of Medicine established a standard for medical text that remained in use until the middle of the 17th century. 

Thomas Aquinas [1224/25-1274] was canonized in 1323. He was a theologian, scholar, and poet in the Italian Dominican church. 

Jacopo Sannazaro [1458-1530] aka Actius Sincerus Sannazarius, was Italian poet who wrote in both Italian and Latin. His most famous work, Arcadia, was a pastoral romance that significantly preceded the Romantic Movement.

Andrea Cattani [d.1506] an Italian philosopher who frequently cited Avicenna and agreed with much of his philosophies.

William Shakespeare [1564-1616] was an extremely prolific British poet and playwright.

What’s What

Talmud - a Hebew word meaning instruction. A collection of 63 tractates outlining Jewish law and tradition. The Talmud is composed of two parts: Mishna and Gemara

Mishna - finalized in 200 CE by Judah the Prince, the Mishna is the written “clarification” of the Torah and consists of six orders/books each containing 7-12 tractates (63 total) which are further divided into chapters (517 total) creating a web of greater understanding. 

Gemara - is the second component of the Talmud and is made up of rabbinical commentary on the Mishna. The earliest version, the Jerusalem Talmud came out of the Galilee: Tiberias, Sepphoris, and Caesarea most likely from the school of Yichanan bar Nappaha between 350-400 CE. The later, more reknown and widely studied Babylonian Talmud came 200 years later circa 500 CE and came out of the rabbinical schools of . . . Babylon!

Tanach - an acronym for the three parts of Jewish Scripture: Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim (תנך). The word Torah is frequently substituted incorrectly. 

Torah - Correctly refers only to the Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Nevi’im - Literally means Prophets and refers to the Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings followed by the Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, and Malaci. 

Ketuvim - Means "writings." Consists of 4 divisions: (1) Poetry (Psalms, Proverbs, Job); (2) Megillot/Scrolls (Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther), (3) Prophecy (Daniel); and (4) History (Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles I & II) 

Midrash - a collection of rabbinic literature from the first millenium CE composed of commentaries on and discussions of sermons, aggadah and halakha. 

Aggadah - rabbinic literature not related to halakha

Halakha - Jewish religious laws

Zohar - a Hebrew word meaning splendor or radiance. It is also the name of a collection of commentaries on the mystical aspects of the Torah, mysticism, the origin of the universe, and mystical psychology. 

Sepher Yetzirah - the oldest known extant book on Jewish Kabbalah. Sometimes it is considered more a mathematical and linguistic treatise. The patriarch Abraham is most commonly deemed its author although some attribute its writing to Rabbi Akiva.