Orchot Tzaddikim
Orchot Tzaddikim (Hebrew: ארחות צדיקים) is a book on Jewish ethics written in Germany in the 15th century, entitled "Sefer ha-Middot" by the author, but called "Orḥot Ẓaddiḳim" by a later copyist. Under this title a Yiddish translation, from which the last chapter and some other passages were omitted, was printed at Isny in 1542, although the Hebrew original did not appear until some years later (Prague, 1581). Subsequently, however, the book was frequently printed in both languages. The author of the work is unknown, although Güdemann ("Gesch." iii. 223) advances the very plausible hypothesis that he  was Lipmann Mühlhausen. The book. Most of the book is not original writing; it is following the order of "The Improvement of the Moral Qualities" by Solomon ibn Gabirol, adding paragraphs from many of Maimonides' works, and ideas from the famous ethical writings "Shaarei Tshuva" (by Rabbenu Yona of Gerona) and "Chovot HaLevavot". The "Orḥot Ẓaddiḳim," which was designed to be a very popular code of ethics, contains the following maxims among others: In ch. xxvii. the author bitterly attacks the pilpul method of study, reproves his countrymen who engage in this method of Talmud study, and reproaches those who  neglect the study of the Bible and of all sciences. Authorship. According to Rabbi Gil Student, "Orechos Tzadikim is an anonymous mussar sefer that has enjoyed a lasting impact on Judaism. It is surprising that the sefer was never attributed to anyone...we can state with certainty is that the author lived in or after the early 14th century. Despite being influenced by the German Chasidim, he was a follower of the French Ba’alei Ha-Tosafos. We can suggest that the author lived in the late 14th century in France or among French exiles, but not in Germany or Spain . There is speculation that the book was authored by a female, owing to the author's heavy reliance on biblical passages as sources, as opposed to Talmudic passages, and choosing to publish anonymously. However, publishing anonymously may merely indicate the author's very example of character development. Additionally, notwithstanding the author's frequent usage of biblical sources, the author was clearly well versed in Talmudic passages and at one point sharply criticizes the pilpul method of Talmud study, recommending a more traditional approach. There is, however, internal evidence that the author may have been thinking within the world of women  at the time, such as the use of cooking metaphors.