Rambam - Rav Moshe ben Maimon

Rav Moshe ben Maimon (1138 - December 12, 1204), also known as Maimonides, is best known as the Rambam. He is one of the most important figures in the history of Torah scholarship, so much so that on his gravestone were inscribed the words, "From Moses to Moshe, none arose as Moshe."

Maimonides's major contribution to Jewish life remains the Mishneh Torah, his code of Jewish law. His intention was to compose a book that would guide Jews on how to behave in all situations just by reading the Torah and his code, without having to expend large amounts of time searching through the Talmud. Needless to say, this provocative rationale did not endear the Rambam to many, who feared that people would rely on his code and no longer study the Talmud. Despite sometimes intense opposition, the Mishneh Torah became a standard guide to Jewish practice, and later served as the model for the Shulchan Aruch, the sixteenth ­century code of Jewish law that is still regarded as authoritative.