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List of rabbis

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List of prominent rabbis. Rabbis are Judaism's spiritual and religious leaders.

See also: List of Jews.

Two rabbis in discussion
Two rabbis in discussion

Rabbis: Pre-Mishnaic

See Mishnah

Rabbis: Mishnaic (Tannaim)

See Mishnah

  • Rabbi Akiva, 1st century Judea, central scholar in Mishnah
  • Hillel the Elder, 1st century BCE, in Judea, considered the greatest sage of the Second Temple period.
  • Judah haNasi, 2nd century, Judah the Prince, in Judea, redactor (editor) of the Mishnah
  • Shammai, 1st century BCE, in Judea, key scholar in Mishnah
  • Simeon bar Yohai, 1st century mystic, reputed author of the Zohar
  • Yohanan ben Zakkai, 1st century sage in Judea, key to the development of the Mishnah

Rabbis: Talmudic (Amoraim)

See Talmud

  • Abbahu, 4th century Talmudist
  • Abaye, 3rd century Talmudist
  • Abba Arika, known as Rav, last Tanna, first Amora. Moved from Israel to Babylon, 3rd century.
  • Rav Ashi, 5th century Babylonian Talmudic sage - primary redactor of the Babylonian Talmud
  • Eleazar Kalir, early Talmudic liturgist and poet
  • Rabbi Yochanan, primary author of the Jerusalem Talmud
  • Shmuel (Talmud), rabbi of Nehardea, physician
  • Rabbah
  • Rav Yosef
  • Rava, important Amora
  • Ravina, primary aide to Rav Ashi in the redaction of the Babylonian Talmud
  • Hillel, son of Gamaliel III, 3rd century, in Judea, grandson of Judah ha-Nasi, and younger brother of Judah Nesiah
  • Hillel II, 4th century creator of the Hebrew calendar, in Judea, son of Judah Nesiah, grandson of Gamaliel IV
  • Judah II, 3rd century sage, sometimes called Judah Nesi'ah and Rebbi like his grandfather
  • Judah III, 4th century scholar, son of Gamaliel IV, and grandson of Judah II

Rabbis: Middle Ages (Geonim and Rishonim)

  • Abba Mari, (Minhat Kenaot), 13th century French Talmudist
  • Don Isaac Abravanel, (Abarbanel), 15th century philosopher and Torah commentator
  • Abraham ibn Daud, (Sefer HaKabbalah), 12th century Spanish philosopher
  • Abraham ibn Ezra, (Even Ezra), 12th century Spanish-North African Biblical commentator
  • Amram Gaon, 9th century organizer of the siddur
  • Asher ben Jehiel, (Rosh), 13th century German-Spanish Talmudist
  • Bahya ibn Paquda, (Hovot ha-Levavot), 11th century Spanish philosopher and moralist
  • Chananel Ben Chushiel (Rabbeinu Chananel), 10th century Tunisian Talmudist
  • Hasdai Crescas, (Or Hashem), 14th century Talmudist and philosopher
  • Dunash ben Labrat, 10th century grammarian and poet
  • Rabbenu Gershom, 11th century German Talmudist and legalist
  • Gersonides, Levi ben Gershom, (Ralbag), 14th century French Talmudist and philosopher
  • Eliezer ben Nathan, 12th century poet and pietist
  • Hillel ben Eliakim, (Rabbeinu Hillel), 12the century Talmudist and disciple of Rashi
  • Ibn Tibbon, a family of 12th and 13th century Spanish and French scholars, tranlators, and leaders
  • Jacob ben Asher, (Baal ha-Turim ; Arbaah Turim), 14th century German-Spanish Halakhist
  • Joseph Albo, (Sefer Ikkarim), 15th century Spain
  • Maimonides, Moshe Ben Maimon, (Rambam), 13th century Spanish-North African Talmudist, philosopher, and law codifier
  • Nahmanides, Moshe ben Nahman, (Ramban), 13th century Spanish and Holy Land mystic and Talmudist
  • Nissim Ben Jacob (Rav Nissim Gaon) 10th century Tunisian Talmudist
  • Nissim of Gerona, (RaN), 14th century Halakhist and Talmudist
  • Rashi, (Solomon ben Yitzchak), 11th century Talmudist, the primary commentator of Talmud
  • Elazar Rokeach, (Sefer HaRokeach) 12th century German rabbinic scholar
  • Saadia Gaon, (Emunoth ve-Deoth ; Siddur) 10th century Exilarch and leader of Babylonian Jewry
  • Samuel ben Judah ibn Tibbon, 12th-13th century French Maimonidean philosopher and translator
  • Tosafists, (Tosfot) 11th, 12th and 13th century Talmudic scholars in France and Germany
  • Yehuda Halevi, (Kuzari), 12th century Spanish philosopher and poet devoted to Zion

Rabbis: Later Middle Ages (Acharonim)

Orthodox rabbis

See Orthodox Judaism

Orthodox rabbis: 18th Century

  • Dovber of Mezeritch, (Maggid), 18th century Eastern European mystic, primary disciple of the Baal Shem Tov
  • Elijah ben Solomon, (Gra), 18th century Talmudist and mystic, Lithuanian leader of the Mitnagdim, opponent of Hasidim
  • Elimelech of Lezhinsk, (Noam Elimelech) 18th century Polish mystic and Hasid
  • Jacob Emden, 18th century German Talmudist and mystic
  • Israel ben Eliezer, (Baal Shem Tov), 18th century mystic, founder of Hasidic Judaism
  • Moses Chaim Luzzato, (Ramchal), 18th century Italian philosopher, mystic, and moralist
  • Shneur Zalman of Liadi, (Alter Rebbe), 18th century mystic and Talmudist, founder of Lubavitch Hasidism and first Lubavitcher Rebbe

Orthodox rabbis: 19th Century

Orthodox rabbis: 20th Century

Orthodox rabbis: Contemporary

  • Ger Rebbes, (Gerrer), Polish Hasidic dynasty now in Israel, followers also in the US and UK
  • Israel Kirzner, economist and authority on writings of Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner
  • Norman Lamm, 21st century American modern Othodox thinker, head of Yeshiva University
  • Aharon Lichtenstein, American-born head of an Israeli yeshiva
  • Adin Steinsaltz, 21st century Israeli Talmud scholar and philosopher
  • Yosef Mendelevitch former Soviet "Refusenik" and Zionist activist
  • Vizhnitz Rebbes, (Vizhnitzer), Polish dynasty of Hasidic rebbes in Israel and the US
  • Ovadia Yosef, 21st century Iraqi-Israeli former Israel Sephardic Chief Rabbi, legal scholar
  • Dov Zakheim, non-practicing modern Orthodox rabbi, economic and political leader in US government

Orthodox rabbinical organizations

Conservative rabbis

See Conservative Judaism

Conservative rabbis: 19th Century

  • Zecharias Frankel, 19th century critical historian, founder of the Positive historical school, the progenitor to Judaism Conservative.
  • Nachman Krochmal, 19th century Austrian philosopher and historian

Conservative rabbis: 20th Century

  • Louis Finkelstein, 20th century Conservative Talmud scholar
  • Louis Ginzberg, 20th century American Conservative Talmud scholar
  • Robert Gordis, 20th century leader in Conservative Judaism
  • Jules Harlow, 20th century Conservative Judaism liturgist
  • Abraham Joshua Heschel, 20th century Conservative Judaism philosopher and scholar of Hasidism
  • Isaac Klein, 20th century American Conservative rabbi and scholar
  • Saul Lieberman, 20th century Lithuanian-American Conservative-Orthodox Talmud scholar
  • Marshall Meyer, 20th century American Conservative rabbi and human rights activist, founded a Rabbinical school and synagogue in Argentina
  • Solomon Schechter, 20th century scholar and a founder of Conservative Judaism

Conservative rabbis: Contemporary

  • Elliot N. Dorff, 20th century Conservative rabbi and bioethicist
  • Neil Gillman, 21st century American Conservative philosopher
  • Louis Jacobs - Founder of the Masorti movement in the United Kingdom.
  • Harold Kushner, 20th century American Conservative rabbi and popular writer
  • Jacob Neusner, Conservative trained scholar and prolific writer
  • Joel Roth, 20th century Conservative scholar and rabbi
  • Ismar Schorsch, 21st century American Conservative educator and leader
  • David Weiss Halivni, 21st century Hungarian-American Talmudist of Union for Traditional Judaism (UTJ)

Conservative rabbinical organizations

Reform rabbis

See Reform Judaism

Reform rabbis: 19th Century

  • Emil Hirsch, 19th century American Reform rabbi and scholar
  • Samuel Hirsch, 19th century German-American philosopher of the Reform Movement
  • Samuel Holdheim, 19th century German rabbi and founder of classic German Reform Judaism
  • Leopold Zunz, 19th century German scholar, founded Science of Judaism school

Reform rabbis: 20th Century

Reform rabbinical organizations

Reconstructionist rabbis

See Reconstructionist Judaism

Reconstructionist rabbis: 20th Century

  • Mordecai Kaplan, 20th century founder of the Reconstructionist movement in America

Reconstructionist rabbis: Contemporary

Other rabbis

See Jewish Renewal ; Humanistic Judaism

Orthodox

Conservative