<HTML>There seems to be a lull in the conversation.
Yesterday I accessed the Jerusalem Report cite and found that they are
coming out with a millennium edition that will list the 100 most
influential Jews of the last millennium. They invite readers to list their
top 10 and perhaps the reasons for the choices. I thought it would be fun
to share my own choices with the list.
Please feel free to comment, ignore, criticize my choices, or modify my
list by exchanging your choices in the order of importance that you feel
is appropriate. I think it would be interesting to hear from individual
members about their choices, and the reasons thereof.
=20
Here is my list:
1. The Rambam
2. Rashi
3. R. Yosef Caro
4. R. Moses Isserles
5. The Vilna Gaon
6. The Baal Shem Tov
7. R. Chaim Volozhiner
8. R. Chaim Soloveichik
9. R. Aharon Kotler
10. R. Joseph B. Soloveitchik
It took me about 3 minutes to come up with this list.=20
After thinking about it awhile I came up with several
more names which may qualify but I stuck with my
original choices because ultimately I believe my first
thoughts were correct.=20
Some of the names that came to mind were The Ramban,
R. Shraga Fievel Medelowitz, The Chofetz Chaim, R.
Shnayer Zalman, The Mezritcher Magid, R. AY Kook, R.
SR Hirsch and R. Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
Here are the reasons for my choices.
The Rambam because of his Magnum Opus, the Yad
HaChazaka, extracting all Halacha from the Talmud and
organizing it by subject matter, a feat which has
never been duplicated. Additionally, his treatise on
Jewish Philosophy: the Moreh Nevuchim, His mastery of
Medicine, and his general level of genius.
Rashi because he opened up the Talmud for all of
subsequent generations. Without Rashi's commentary,
the Talmud would be a closed book.
R. Yosef Caro who codified In his Shulchan Aruch for
all subsequent generations all practical Halacha in a
simple straight forward manner.
R. Moses Isserles whose glosses to the Shulchan Aruch
is binding law to all Jews of Ashkenazic origin.
The Vilna Gaon, because of his great piety and genius
which is acknowledged by all segments of Jewry, and
because of innovative elimination of excessive pilpul
in learning Talmud, and because of his meticulous and
courageous corrections of Shas.
The Baal Shem Tov whose creation of Chasidus has had
one of the most profound impacts on Judaism since the
Churban Beis HaMikdash. Chasidus can be credited with
the salvation of Judaism during the turmoil created by
the combined effects of: enlightenment, the opening
of general society to the Jews, and the subsequent
threat of Haskalah to a population ill equipped to
handle the onslaught.
R. Chaim Volozhiner, who created the Yeshiva as we
know it today. Without the Yeshiva, knowledge of the
Torah would have been even more severely limited than
it was. It was through the yeshiva that the elite
minds of the day were able to get an education and
spread Torah to the masses, and ultimately the Yeshiva
system itself has spread to the masses so that all of
Jewry, regardless of any considerations would have the
opportunity for Torah knowledge.
R. Chaim Soloveitchik because of his revolutionary
approach (of clarity and definition) to learning
Talmud and commentaries (especially the Rambam), which
has been adopted as the standard form of learning in
virtually all Yeshivos today.
R. Aharon Kotler, whose transplantation of the
classic yeshiva of Europe (i.e. the Volozhinist model)
to American soil and subsequently established almost
singlehandedly the wide system of Yeshiva Chinuch, in
all of it's facets: elementary, high school, post
high school Beis Hamedrah, and Kollelim we have in the
US today. Even though Yeshiva Education existed prior
to this time in all facets it was meager and in danger
of becoming extinct.
R. Joseph B. Soloveitchik because of his immense
intellect, and knowledge of Torah. His knowledge and
intellect is not disputed even by his biggest
detractors. His influence on thousands of Talmidim
that he personally taught is probably greater than any
other single individual, and those students are
influencing thousands more. His profound influence on
society was felt far beyond the borders of YU and
impacted not only the MO but even the RW. His
Philosophic thought transcends even the Yeshiva world
into the domain of the secular in that he is studied
in universities and was considered the only living
Orthodox Jewish philosopher of the twentieth century.=20
His 2 great works, "Halachic Man" and " Lonely Man of
Faith" are studied in JTS and HUC. I personally
believe that his approach as expressed in the above
mentioned books is the quintessential essence of
Judaism and requires that Man not only know all of
Torah that he can but also all of Mada that he can.
If you stuck through it, thanks for reading this
lengthy post. For those so inclined I'd love to hear
your input. If there is none, that is fine too. I
won't feel too bad if I'm ignored. It won't be the
first time.
HM</HTML>
