The Battles of the Polish Rabbis Regarding the Methods of Codification

Rabbi Mintz on Jewish History - Glimpses into the religious Lives of Early Modern European Jewry

This lecture will explore the process by which the Rema's commentary on the Shulhan Arukh was accepted throughout Poland. We will examine the alternative codes of Rabbi Solomon Luria and Rabbi Mordechai Jaffe and explain why these codes were not considered authoritative. Then, we will analyze the battle between the authors of the Shach and the Taz and evaluate how their battle for supremacy served to solidify the position of the Rema in Poland.