List of rabbis

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

See also: List of Jews.

Two rabbis in discussion

Rabbis: Pre-Mishnaic

See Mishnah

Shimon ben Shetach
Ben Sira, 2nd century BCE, Egypt, ethics and wisdom teacher - Apocryphal
Shemaya
Avtalyon

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)

Isaac Abendana, 17th century Sephardic scholar in England
Jacob Abendana, 17th century Sephardic rabbi in England
Bezalel Ashkenazi, ( Shittah Mekubetzet), 16th century Talmudist
Yair Bacharach, (Havvot Yair), 17th century German Talmudist
Hillel ben Naphtali Zevi, (Bet Hillel), 17th century Lithuanian scholar
Moshe Isserles, (Rema), 16 century Polish legal scholar, author of Hamapah component of the Shulkhan Arukh.
Yosef Karo, (Mechaber), 16th century Spanish and Land of Israel legal codifier of the Shulkhan Arukh code of Torah Law
Isaac Luria, (Ari), 16th century Holy Land mystic, founder of Lurianic Kabbalah
Judah Low ben Bezalel, (Maharal), 16th century Prague mystic and Talmudist
Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno, (Sforno), 16th century Italian scholar and rationalist
Obadiah ben Abraham of Bertinoro, (Bartenura) 15th century commentator on the Mishnah
Sforno, 15th, 16th, and 17th century family of Italian Torah scholars and philosophers

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

Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, (Netziv ; Ha'emek Davar) 19th century head of Volozhin yeshiva in Lithuania
Dovber, 19th century Russian second Rebbe of Lubavitch
Yechiel Michel Epstein, (Aruch ha-Shulchan) 19th-20th century halakhist and posek (decisor)
Jacob Ettlinger, 19th century German scholar and opponent of Reform
Azriel Hildesheimer, 19th century German rabbi and philosopher
Samson Raphael Hirsch, 19th century German rabbi, founder of the Torah im Derech Eretz movement
Malbim, Meir Lob ben Jehiel Michael, (The Malbim), 19th century Russian preacher and scholar
Rabbi Menachem Mendel, (Tzemach Tzedek), 19th century Russian third Rebbe of Lubavitch
Nachman of Breslav, (Reb Nachman), 19th century Ukrainian Hasidic rebbe and mystic
Yisrael Lipkin Salanter, 19th century Lithuanian ethicist and moralist
Rabbi Shmuel, 19th century Russian fourth Rebbe of Lubavitch
Moses Sofer, (Chatam Sofer) 19th century Eastern European rabbi

Orthodox rabbis: 20th Century

Meir Berlin, (Bar Ilan) 20th century religious Zionist leader
Umberto Cassuto, 20th Century Bible scholar
Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler, (Michtav Me'Eliyahu) 20th century religious philosopher and ethicist
Baruch Epstein, (Torah Temimah), 20th century Lithuanian Torah commentator
Moshe Mordechai Epstein, ( Levush Mordechai), 20th sentury Talmudist and co-head of Slabodka Yehiva
Nosson Zvi Finkel, (Alter / Sabba), early 20th century founder of Slabodka Yeshiva, Lithuania. Disciples opened major yeshivas in US and Israel
Moshe Feinstein, (Igrot Moshe), 20th century Russian-American legal scholar and Talmudist
Yitzchok Hutner, (Pachad Yitzchok), 20th century European-born, American and Israeli Rosh Yeshiva
Immanuel Jakobovits, Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, medical ethicist
Yisrael Meir Kagan, (Chofetz Chaim), 20th century Polish legalist and moralist
Meir Kahane, (Never Again) 20th century founder of the American Jewish Defense League and the Israeli Kach party
Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane, Israeli leader of Kahane Chai party
Aryeh Kaplan, (Living Torah) 20th century writer and mystic
Abraham Isaac Kook, 20th century philosopher and mystic, first chief rabbi of Palestine
Aharon Kotler, 20th century Lithuanian scholor, founder of Lakewood Yeshiva in US
Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, (Ohr Sameiach ; Meshech Chochmah) Lithuanian-Latvian Talmudist and communal leader
Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz, (Mr. Mendlowitz) 20th century European-born head of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath in the US
Joseph Isaac Schneersohn, 20th century sixth Rebbe of Lubavitch
Menachem Mendel Schneerson, (Lubavitcher Rebbe), 20th century Hasidic mystic and scholar, seventh Chabad Rebbe
Sholom Dovber, 20th century Russian fifth Rebbe of Lubavitch
Joseph Soloveitchik, 20th century European-born Talmudist and philosopher
Joel Teitelbaum, (Satmar Rebbe), 20th century Hasidic Hungarian-American rebbe known for anti-Zionism
Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl, (Min HaMeitzar) 20th century European scholar involved in rescue efforts during the Holocaust

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

Leo Baeck, 20th century Reform rabbi
Sally Priesand, 20th century Reform rabbi, first female rabbi in the United States
Stephen S. Wise, 20th century Reform rabbi and Zionist activist