Rabbi Yosef Karo
Rabbi Yosef Karo, also known as Joseph Caro, was born in 1488 in Toledo, Spain, and died in 1575 in Safed, Ottoman Empire (now Israel). He was a central figure in the codification of Jewish law and is best known for his works on Jewish law, particularly the Shulchan Aruch, which is a codification of Jewish law that is still widely used today. Rabbi Karo's contributions to Jewish scholarship and law have made him one of the most respected and influential Jewish scholars of his time.
During the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492, Karo's family moved to Portugal and later to the Ottoman Empire, settling in Nikopolis and then in Safed. In Safed, he became a prominent rabbinical figure and was involved in the development of the local Jewish community. His other major work, the Beit Yosef, is a comprehensive commentary on the Arba'ah Turim, and it laid the groundwork for his later work, the Shulchan Aruch.
Rabbi Yosef Karo was also known for his mystical interests and was a follower of the Kabbalistic tradition. His other lesser-known work, Maggid Mesharim, is a journal of sorts that records his mystical experiences and conversations with a heavenly maggid (angelic teacher). This work provides a unique insight into his spiritual life and thoughts, showing a different dimension of this multifaceted scholar.