Zerachiah HaLevi of Gerona

Rabbi Zerachiah HaLevi, known as the Ba’al HaMaor, was a 12th-century Spanish rabbi who also lived in Provence. His best-known work, Sefer HaMaor, is a critical commentary on the Halakhot of the Rif that he began writing at the age of 19. He was criticized in turn for his audacity by scholars such as Ramban and Ra’avad, each of whom wrote defenses of the Rif, though they also expressed respect for the Ba’al HaMaor. Other disputes with Ra’avad include a critique of Ra’avad’s Ba’alei HaNefesh and an exchange of letters entitled Divrei Rivot ("Words of Dispute"). He also composed many poems, a number of which are included in Sephardic liturgy.