Judah Loew ben Bezalel (Maharal of Prague)
? – 1609 Bohemian (Ashkenazi Jewish) Rabbi, talmudist, philosopher, mystic
Chief rabbi of Prague and thinker later tied by legend to the creation of the Golem.
- Religion
- Judaism (Rabbinic, with mystical thought)
- Affiliations
- Prague; chief rabbi
The Maharal was a leading rabbi of Central Europe who wrote deeply on Jewish thought, ethics and education. Centuries after his death, folklore credited him with fashioning the Golem, a clay figure brought to life to defend the Prague ghetto, though this legend has no basis in his own writings. His birth year is uncertain, with estimates ranging over two decades.