WORD OF THE MONTH

A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem...

18 IYAR - Lag BaOmer - Yahrzeit of R' Shimon bar Yochai, student of R' Akiva, one of the teachers of R' Yehuda HaNasi

432nd yahrzeit of Rabbi Moshe Isserles, the RAMA, who amended the Shulchan Aruch to suit Ashkenazi halacha and tradition. (He was 32 years younger than Rabbi Yosef Karo, and died 2 years before the Mechabeir did. The Rama died in his early 50s; the Mechabeir died in his late 80s.)
19 IYAR - 712th yahrzeit of Rabbi Meir of Rothenberg, after 7 years in prison. He was buried only 14 years after his death because he forbade his community to ransom his body for the exorbitant sums demanded. He was among the last of the Tosefists. In addition to Biblical and Talmudic commentaries, we have over 1000 halachic responsa from this Torah giant.

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