Samson ben Abraham of Sens

Samson ben Abraham (c. 1150 – c. 1230), also known as the Rash of Sens (an acronym of his name) or "the Prince of Sens" or simply by the name (mainly by the Tosafists) "Rashba", was one of the leading French Tosafists in the second half of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th centuries. He was the most outstanding student and the spiritual heir of the Ri.

He was probably born in Falaise, Calvados, where his grandfather, the tosafist Samson ben Joseph, called "the Elder", lived. He studied under Rabbeinu Tam at Troyes and David ben Kalonymus of Münzenberg, and for ten years, together with his older brother R. Yitzhak (known as the "Ritzba"), attended the Yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac ben Samuel ha-Zaken (the Ri) of Dampierre, after whose death he took charge of the yeshiva of Sens. The Rosh said of him that only Rabbeinu Tam and Rabbi Isaac ben Samuel exercised greater influence upon Talmudical studies in France and in Germany during the 13th century.

The Rash sided with the opponents of the Rambam in their disputes. He kept up a lively correspondence with Rabbi Meïr Abulafia, and like him, condemned Rambams' rationalistic views on bodily resurrection and Talmudic haggadah. He also sided with Rabbi Abulafia in his objection to some of Rambam's halachic views, and reproached Rambam for not having indicated the Talmudic sources in his Mishneh Torah. However, he did express his great admiration for the Rambam saying, "I have heard that the gates of wisdom have been revealed to him". Later on he quarreled with Rabbi Abulafia because Abulafia was offended by some of his remarks.

Due to persecution of the Jews by Pope Innocent III, the Rash joined 300 English and French rabbis in emigrating to Palestine about 1211. For some years he lived in Jerusalem, hence he is designated "the Jerusalemite" or "Rabbi Samson of the Land of Israel". He died in Acre around 1230 and he was buried at the foot of Mount Carmel.

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