The Tur and thew Merging of the Franco-German and Spanish Traditions

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

When Rabbenu Asher, the leading rabbinic authority left Germany for Toledo in 1302, it brought an end to the creative rabbinic tradition in Germany. Rabbenu Asher was accepted in Spain. Yet, his outlook and much of his rabbinic work reflects his German heriatge. His son, Rabbi Jacob, integrated the Franco-German and Spanish traditions in his Code entitled Arba Turim. Although he chose a codification approach of compilation of various opinions rather than the rejection and ignoring of other opinions practiced by Rambam, Rabbi Jacob introduced a practical aspect to his Code. This was reflected in the exclusion of certain non-practical material and the organization philosophy of the work. The Tur was widely accepted within the Jewish community and was the second Jewish book printed. to halakhah? Why was the Shulhan Arukh with the notes of the Rama accepted as the authoritative code of Jewish law? Why didn't Jewish history and the Jewish people choose the Mishneh Torah of the Rambam or the Tur of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher?