Simha of Speyer

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Simha ben Samuel of Speyer (13th century) was a German rabbi and tosafist. Neither the year of his birth nor that of his death is known. He took part in the rabbinical synod held at Mayence in Tammuz (July), 1223, being one of the signers of the decrees and regulations issued by that body (comp. Moses Minz, Responsa, No. 202). He was a nephew of the director ("parnas") Kalonymus, a pupil of R. Eliezer of Metz, and a colleague of Eliezer ben Joel ha-Levi.

Simḥah was the author of the following works: (1) commentary on the treatise Horayot, quoted in Tos. Hor. 4b, s.v. Ḳeri; (2) tosafot and novellæ on the Talmud; (3) Seder Olam, a work divided into paragraphs and containing decisions, comments on Talmudic passages, and regulations for religious practise; quoted in Haggahot Maimoniyyot, on Ishut, vi. 14 and Tefillah, ix. (all the responsa and decisions which the earlier authors quote in the name of R. Simḥah were probably taken from this work); (4) Tiḳḳun Sheṭarot, on agreements and documents; quoted in Haggahot Maimoniyyot, on Gerushin, iv. 12; (5) sections ("she'arim") on the regulations referring to the benedictions; quoted in the same work, on Berakot, viii. Aside from these works decisions and responsa by Simḥah are mentioned in the responsa collection of R. Meir of Rothenburg (Nos. 573, 927, 931, 932) and in the works of several older authors.

[edit] Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography

• Leopold Zunz, Literaturgesch. pp. 309-311;
• Heimann Joseph Michael, Or ha-Ḥayyim, Nos. 12, 15
• This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain.