  jacob ben meir, (1100, ramerupt â 9 june 1171 (4 tammuz), troyes), best known as rabbeinu tam, was one of the most renowned ashkenazi jewish rabbis and leading french tosafists, a leading halakhic authority in his generation, and a grandson of rashi. known as "rabbeinu" (our teacher), he acquired the hebrew suffix "tam" meaning straightforward; it was originally used in the book of genesis to describe his biblical namesake, jacob. == biography == jacob ben meir was born in the french country village of ramerupt, in the aube dÃ©partement of northern-central france, to meir ben shmuel and yocheved, daughter of rashi. his primary teachers were his father and his brother, shmuel ben meir, known as rashbam. his other brothers were isaac, known as the rivam, and solomon the grammarian. he married miriam, the sister of r. shimshon ben yosef of falaise, calvados, although she may have been his second wife. his reputation as a legal scholar spread far beyond france. avraham ibn daud, the spanish chronicler of the sages, mentioned rabbeinu tam in his sefer hakabbalah, but not rashi. rabbeinu tam's work is also cited by rabbi zerachya halevi, a provenÃ§al critic. he also received questions from students throughout france and from the italian communities of bari and otranto. rabbeinu tam gave his beth din the title of "the generation's [most] significant court", and indeed, he is known for communal enactments improving jewish family life, education, and women's status. at times, he criticised halakhic opponents, notably in his controversies with meshullam of melun and efraim of regensburg. == halakhic dis
1100_births 1170s_deaths 12th-century_French_people 12th-century_rabbis French_Tosafists Jewish_law Medieval_French_Jews Rishonim