Ra'avad

Klalim

Insert non-formatted text hereDisambiguation: It's important to be aware that there are three individuals known as the Ra'avad: R' Avraham ibn Daud of Spain, author of Sefer HaKabbalah; R' Avraham ben Yitzchak Av Beit Din of Narbonne, who wrote the Sefer HaEshkol; his son in law, and R' Avraham ben David of Posquières, author of the Hasagot on the Baal HaMaor and Rambam, Baalei HaNefesh, and quoted extensively by Rishonim. Here, we also refer to the third one.

1. In a dispute between the Rambam and Ra'avad, some argue the Halacha should be treated as a Safek, while others favor the Ra'avad when he is more stringent than the Rambam, and still others are willing to be lenient like the Ra'avad against the Rambam.
2. When the Ra'avad presents a dissenting opinion with the opening of "Yesh Mi SheOmer," the Tur seems to think he actually paskens that way, but the Beit Yosef does not.
3. In his inimitable style, the Ra'avad's critiques of the Rambam should not be seen as personal attacks to belittle the Rambam but rather as means of raising the red flag to warn people not to follow the rulings he felt the Rambam was mistaken in presenting.
4. Neither the Rambam's Perush HaMishnayot nor Moreh Nevuchim were present before the Ra'avad, as they had not yet been translated from Arabic to Hebrew.
5. "Gedolei HaMefarshim" and "Gedolei HaMagihim" refer to the Ra'avad.