Shlomo ibn Adret (Rashba)

Shlomo ben Avraham ibn Adret (Rashba) was a Spanish rabbi, talmudic commentator, legal decisor, and community leader in the 13th century. He lived his entire life in Barcelona. He is considered the most outstanding student of Ramban and continued his teacher's approach in talmudic exposition, authoring chiddushim (talmudic novellas) on many tractates which remain mainstays of Torah study to this day. His yeshiva drew exceptional students from throughout the Jewish world, including many from Germany. He functioned as chief rabbi of Spain and wrote over one thousand responsa to individuals and communities throughout the Jewish world. He was involved in opposition to Rambam's philosophical writings and prohibited the study of philosophy under the age of 25. He also defended Judaism to Christian and Muslim polemicists and vigorously opposed the activity of Rabbi Abraham Abulafia. He vigorously defended his own work, Torat HaBayit, against Rabbi Aharon Halevy's often strident comments.