Sefer HaRokeach by Rabbi Eleazar of Worms: halakhah, ethics and gematria
The Sefer HaRokeach (ספר הרוקח) is a halakhic work by Rabbi Eleazar ben Judah ben Kalonymus of Worms (c. 1176–1238), also called the Rokeach, in the Tosafist tradition. It gathers legal rulings, customs and their reasons.
Quick facts
| Title | Sefer HaRokeach |
| Author | Rabbi Eleazar of Worms (the Rokeach), c. 1176–1238 |
| Composition | No exact date; the author focused on composing it after the 1196 attack on his home |
| First edition | Fano, 1505 |
| Structure | 497 paragraphs of halakhah and ethics |
Content
According to Wikipedia it includes Talmudic argumentation (pilpul), halakhic conclusions, ethical insights and many gematriot. It contains a section on repentance, the Hilkhot Teshuvah, which includes the Moreh Chata’im.
The author
He was probably born in Mainz and later served as rabbi and judge in Worms, where he is buried in the Old Cemetery. His date of death is uncertain (estimates range from 1232 to 1242).
Editions
After the Fano edition (1505) there was an edition in 1557 that misnamed the author (“Eliezer of Germiza”), and others in Lviv (1859), Warsaw (1880) and modern printings.
Frequently asked questions
How many paragraphs does it have?
497, of halakhah and ethics.
When was it first printed?
In Fano, in 1505.
Sources
- Eleazar of Worms, reference article (English Wikipedia), section on the Sefer HaRokeach