חיים פלטיאל

Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel, called also Paltiel of Falaise and known in English sources as Hayyim Paltiel or Hayyim of Falaise, was a French commentator on the Torah of the thirteenth century. He was a grandson of Rabbeinu Shmuel of Falaise — Sir Morel — one of the great baalei haTosafot and one of the representatives of the Jews at the Disputation of Paris. Rabbeinu Shmuel had learned from Rav Yehuda Sirleon, from Rav Baruch baal HaTerumah and from Rav Shlomo of Troyes, called HaKadosh, and among his own talmidim were Rav Peretz of Corbeil and the Maharam of Rothenburg.

Chaim Paltiel’s commentary on the Torah is quoted throughout an anonymous commentary whose author calls him his rebbe, and again by his relative Rav Yitzchak ben Yehuda HaLevi — himself a grandson of Rav Shmuel of Falaise — in his Paaneach Raza, where the commentary is called Peri Etz Chaim and its author is given the title Paltiel Gaon. The commentary works in pshat woven together with aggadah, close to the manner of Rashi: fine distinctions in the words and the pesukim, explained from the aggadah and the midrashim and at times by way of remez and kabbalah, with a broad command of the Talmud standing behind it. In it he brings the chachamim of France who preceded him — Rashi, the Rashbam, Rav Yosef Bechor Shor, Rav Yaakov of Orleans, Rav Moshe of Coucy the baal HaSemag, and Rav Yosef Kara — as well as Rav Yehuda HaChasid and the Rokeach of Germany.

A book of dinim and minhagim for the whole year circulates under the name Minhagei ChaPaT, after the signature repeated through it, Chaim Paltiel tolaat; Rav Avraham Klausner later wrote glosses on it so extensive that it came to be called after him, Minhagei Maharak, and there are those who ascribe the original work as well to Chaim Paltiel the commentator on the Torah. His commentary on the Torah was printed from manuscript in 5741/1981 by Yitzchak Shimshon Lange, editor of the works of the rishonim, who held that it had been arranged by the author’s son.