Meir of Rothenburg - Works

Works

Rabbi Meir wrote no single major work, but many notes, commentaries, expositions, and poems - as well as 1,500 responsa. His disciple the Rosh (Rabbi Asher ben Jehiel) codified much of his teaching.

• His responsa are of great importance to advanced students of the Talmud, as well as to students of Jewish life and customs of those days, especially for the picture which they give of the condition of the German Jews, and of their sufferings from the caprice of princes and from heavy taxation. These responsa also contain rulings of other older and contemporary Ashkenazi poskim; see History of Responsa: Thirteenth century.

• Rabbi Meir is well known as a Tosafist and in particular, authored the Tosafot commentary of the Talmudic tractate Yoma; he is quoted in the Tosafot on various other tractates. He also authored commentaries on the Tohorot and Zeraim orders of the Mishnah.

• Rabbi Meir wrote a number of liturgical poems ("piyyutim").

• His writings on specific areas of Halakha (Jewish Law) include:
  • Piske Eruvin on the laws of the Eruv;
  • Halachoth Pesukoth a collection of decisions on controversial points of Jewish law;
  • Hilchoth Berachot on the blessings;
  • Hilchoth Avelut on the laws of mourning;
  • Hilchoth Shechitah on the ritual slaughtering of animals for Kosher meat.