Alexander Suslin
Encyclopedia
Alexander Suslin ha-Kohen was a prominent 14th century rabbinic authority
born in Erfurt
, Germany
. He was one of the most important Talmudists of his time. He flourished in the first half of the fourteenth century. He was rabbi first in Cologne
and Worms
, and then moved to Frankfort-on-the-Main. He authored Sefer Agudah, a halakhic
work (structured by the order of the Talmud
's tractates) which was highly regarded by later rabbinic authorities. He was killed in the Erfurt massacre of 1349
during the Black Death
era massacres of hundreds of Jewish communities throughout Europe.
's Tur written at the same time in Spain
, reveals the deficiencies of the German Jews
of that day in matters of method and systematization. While Jacob b. Asher, despite his having partially discarded Maimonides
' order and method, exhibited in his Yad ha-Hazakah, presents a comparatively concise compendium of the dinim (laws) in use, the Aguddah shows a conglomeration of legal enactments and personal comments on the Talmud – in which much foreign matter is interspersed – so that it would have proved actually worthless for the practical purpose for which it was intended.
Among the German Jews, however, the Aguddah received a cordial welcome, while Sephardic Jews have almost absolutely ignored it. Such authorities of the beginning of the fifteenth century as Jacob Mölln (Maharil) and Jacob Weil
consider Suslin's judgments to be decisive. Its reputation is also shown by the fact that extracts from the same were made a hundred years later (Hanau, 1610), under the title of Ḥiddushe Aguddah (Novellæ from the Aguddah), comprising a selection from Suslin's own explanations in the Aguddah. Characteristic of the author, his work, and the period in which he lived is his decision – upon Ḥul. i. 32 – that the תלמיד חכם ("pupil of the wise") of the present day cannot claim the rights and privileges of the class thus named in the Talmud, because nowadays there is no longer any true talmid hakam. Suslin evidently acknowledged by this the decadence of Talmudical learning in his time and was conscious of his own inferiority.
Rishonim
"Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...
born in Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was one of the most important Talmudists of his time. He flourished in the first half of the fourteenth century. He was rabbi first in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
and Worms
Worms, Germany
Worms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
, and then moved to Frankfort-on-the-Main. He authored Sefer Agudah, a halakhic
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
work (structured by the order of the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
's tractates) which was highly regarded by later rabbinic authorities. He was killed in the Erfurt massacre of 1349
Erfurt massacre (1349)
The Erfurt massacre refers to the massacre of 100 Jews in Erfurt, Germany, on March 21, 1349. The massacre, like many others that occurred in Germany at the time, was in response to accusations that the Jews were responsible for the outbreak of the Black Death which had caused the death of millions...
during the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
era massacres of hundreds of Jewish communities throughout Europe.
Aguddah
Suslin authored the book Aguddah (Collection), the contents of which justify its title. In concise fashion it enumerates the most important legal decisions, based on Talmudic law, made by preceding rabbinical authorities. Its purpose is to render such decisions accessible for guidance in their practical application. A comparison of the Aguddah with Jacob ben AsherJacob ben Asher
Jacob ben Asher, also known as Ba'al ha-Turimas well as Rabbi Yaakov ben Raash , was likely born in Cologne, Germany c.1269 and likely died in Toledo, Spain c.1343....
's Tur written at the same time in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, reveals the deficiencies of the German Jews
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
of that day in matters of method and systematization. While Jacob b. Asher, despite his having partially discarded Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
' order and method, exhibited in his Yad ha-Hazakah, presents a comparatively concise compendium of the dinim (laws) in use, the Aguddah shows a conglomeration of legal enactments and personal comments on the Talmud – in which much foreign matter is interspersed – so that it would have proved actually worthless for the practical purpose for which it was intended.
Among the German Jews, however, the Aguddah received a cordial welcome, while Sephardic Jews have almost absolutely ignored it. Such authorities of the beginning of the fifteenth century as Jacob Mölln (Maharil) and Jacob Weil
Jacob Weil
Jacob Weil was a German rabbi and Talmudist who flourished during the first half of the fifteenth century. Of his life no details are known, but, according to Grätz, he died before 1456. He was one of the foremost pupils of Jacob Moelin , who ordained him in the rabbinate, and authorized him to...
consider Suslin's judgments to be decisive. Its reputation is also shown by the fact that extracts from the same were made a hundred years later (Hanau, 1610), under the title of Ḥiddushe Aguddah (Novellæ from the Aguddah), comprising a selection from Suslin's own explanations in the Aguddah. Characteristic of the author, his work, and the period in which he lived is his decision – upon Ḥul. i. 32 – that the תלמיד חכם ("pupil of the wise") of the present day cannot claim the rights and privileges of the class thus named in the Talmud, because nowadays there is no longer any true talmid hakam. Suslin evidently acknowledged by this the decadence of Talmudical learning in his time and was conscious of his own inferiority.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- M. Horovitz, Frankfurter Rabbinen, i. 9-11;
- Michael, Or ha-Ḥayyim, No. 476.