Meir ben Samuel
Encyclopedia
Meïr ben Samuel, also known by the Hebrew acronym RaM for Rabbi Meir, was a French rabbi
and tosafist, who was born in about 1060 in Ramerupt
, and died after 1135. His father was an eminent scholar. Meïr received his education in the Talmudical schools of Lorraine
, his principal teachers being Isaac ben Asher ha-Levi and Eleazar ben Isaac of Mainz, with whom he later carried on a correspondence.
Meïr married Rashi
's second daughter, Jochebed, by whom he had three sons, Samuel ben Meïr (RaSHBaM), Isaac ben Meïr (RIBaM), and Jacob ben Meïr (Rabbenu Tam), all of them well-known scholars. According to Gross, Meïr had also a fourth son, Solomon. Simhah ben Samuel of Vitry
's son Samuel, father of the tosafist Isaac the Elder, was Meïr's son-in-law. Meïr's son Isaac, the often-quoted tosafist, died in the prime of life, leaving seven children. This loss distressed the father to such an extent that he felt indisposed to answer a halakic question addressed to him by his friend Eleazar ben Nathan of Mainz.
Meïr attained a very great age, and is sometimes designated as "the old" (ha-yashish). From the fact that his grandson, Isaac ben Samuel
, born about 1120, speaks of religious customs which he found conspicuous in his grandfather's house, and from other indications, it has been concluded that Meïr was still alive in 1135.
Meïr was one of the founders of the school of tosafists in northern France. Not only his son and pupil Rabbenu Tam, but also the tosafot quote his ritual decisions. It was Meïr ben Samuel who changed the text of the Kol Nidre
formula. A running commentary on a whole passage of the Gemara
, written by him and his son Samuel in the manner of Rashi's commentary, is printed at the end of the first chapter of Menachot. Meïr composed also a seliḥah beginning "Abo lefaneka," which has been translated into German by Zunz, but which has no considerable poetic value.
, Shem ha-Gedolim, ed. Wilna, i. 118, No. 11; Heinrich Grätz, Gesch. vi. 68-144; Henri Gross, Gallia Judaica, pp. 304, 542, 635; D. Rosin, Samuel ben Meïr als Schrifterklärer, in Jahresbericht des Jüdisch-Theologischen Seminars, pp. 3 et seq., Breslau, 1880; Isaac Hirsch Weiss
, Dor, iv. 336; Isaac Hirsch Weiss, Sefer Toledot Gedole Yisrael (Toledot R. Ya'aḳob ben Meïr), p. 4, Vienna, 1883; Leopold Zunz
, Z. G. p. 31;
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and tosafist, who was born in about 1060 in Ramerupt
Ramerupt
Ramerupt is a commune in the Aube department in north-central France.-Population:-Personalities:*Rashbam, medieval rabbi and scriptural commentator*Rabbeinu Tam, medieval rabbi...
, and died after 1135. His father was an eminent scholar. Meïr received his education in the Talmudical schools of Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
, his principal teachers being Isaac ben Asher ha-Levi and Eleazar ben Isaac of Mainz, with whom he later carried on a correspondence.
Meïr married Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
's second daughter, Jochebed, by whom he had three sons, Samuel ben Meïr (RaSHBaM), Isaac ben Meïr (RIBaM), and Jacob ben Meïr (Rabbenu Tam), all of them well-known scholars. According to Gross, Meïr had also a fourth son, Solomon. Simhah ben Samuel of Vitry
Simhah ben Samuel of Vitry
Simhah ben Samuel of Vitry, , was a French Talmudist of the 11th and 12th centuries, pupil of Rashi, and the compiler of the Vitry Machzor.- The Vitry Machzor:...
's son Samuel, father of the tosafist Isaac the Elder, was Meïr's son-in-law. Meïr's son Isaac, the often-quoted tosafist, died in the prime of life, leaving seven children. This loss distressed the father to such an extent that he felt indisposed to answer a halakic question addressed to him by his friend Eleazar ben Nathan of Mainz.
Meïr attained a very great age, and is sometimes designated as "the old" (ha-yashish). From the fact that his grandson, Isaac ben Samuel
Isaac ben Samuel
Isaac ben Samuel the Elder, also known as the Ri ha-Zaken, was a French tosafist and Biblical commentator. He flourished at Ramerupt and Dampierre, France in the twelfth century.- Biography :On his father's side Isaac was a grandson of R...
, born about 1120, speaks of religious customs which he found conspicuous in his grandfather's house, and from other indications, it has been concluded that Meïr was still alive in 1135.
Meïr was one of the founders of the school of tosafists in northern France. Not only his son and pupil Rabbenu Tam, but also the tosafot quote his ritual decisions. It was Meïr ben Samuel who changed the text of the Kol Nidre
Kol Nidre
Kol Nidre is an Aramaic declaration recited in the synagogue before the beginning of the evening service on every Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement...
formula. A running commentary on a whole passage of the Gemara
Gemara
The Gemara is the component of the Talmud comprising rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah. After the Mishnah was published by Rabbi Judah the Prince The Gemara (also transliterated Gemora or, less commonly, Gemorra; from Aramaic גמרא gamar; literally, "[to] study" or "learning by...
, written by him and his son Samuel in the manner of Rashi's commentary, is printed at the end of the first chapter of Menachot. Meïr composed also a seliḥah beginning "Abo lefaneka," which has been translated into German by Zunz, but which has no considerable poetic value.
Sources
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography: Chaim AzulaiChaim Joseph David Azulai
Chaim Joseph David Azulai ben Isaac Zerachia , commonly known as the Chida , was a Jerusalem born rabbinical scholar, a noted bibliophile, and a pioneer in the publication of Jewish religious writings.- Biography :Azulai was born in Jerusalem, where he received his education...
, Shem ha-Gedolim, ed. Wilna, i. 118, No. 11; Heinrich Grätz, Gesch. vi. 68-144; Henri Gross, Gallia Judaica, pp. 304, 542, 635; D. Rosin, Samuel ben Meïr als Schrifterklärer, in Jahresbericht des Jüdisch-Theologischen Seminars, pp. 3 et seq., Breslau, 1880; Isaac Hirsch Weiss
Isaac Hirsch Weiss
Isaac Hirsch Weiss, also Eisik Hirsch Weiss was an Austrian Talmudist and historian of literature born at Velké Meziříčí, Moravia....
, Dor, iv. 336; Isaac Hirsch Weiss, Sefer Toledot Gedole Yisrael (Toledot R. Ya'aḳob ben Meïr), p. 4, Vienna, 1883; Leopold Zunz
Leopold Zunz
Leopold Zunz was a German Reform rabbi and writer, the founder of what has been termed "Jewish Studies" or "Judaic Studies" , the critical investigation of Jewish literature, hymnology and ritual...
, Z. G. p. 31;