יעקב מאורליינש

Rav Yaakov of Orléans (niftar 19 Elul 4949/3 September 1189), called also Rabbeinu Tam of Orléans and Rabbeinu Yaakov HaKadosh, was one of the Baalei HaTosafot and a talmid of Rabbeinu Tam. He lived first in Orléans in France, remaining there until at least 1171, and moved at some later point to London, most likely in order to teach. Dozens of his chiddushim appear in the printed Tosafot on the Gemara and in the halachic sefarim of the rishonim, and there are those who hold that he wrote the Tosafot on Rashi’s commentary on the Torah, which are signed with his rebbe’s name.

Among his rulings in halacha: in bitter cold one may ask a non-Jew to light the oven on Shabbat, since even a healthy man may fall ill from the cold; from the second day of Sukkot onward the lulav may be taken even when part of the four minim is missing; and one may accept a loan that carries a penalty for late payment without falling into the prohibition of ribbit. The first of these was accepted in practice by the later poskim; the other two were not, and as to the ribbit there were those who would not believe that he had permitted it. Some attribute to him the authorship of Sefer HaYashar on matters of mussar.

He was among the victims of the riots against the Jews of London on the day of the coronation of King Richard I. The Hebrew account in Divrei HaYamim l’Yerachmeel records that some thirty were killed there, that a number took their own lives and the lives of their children rather than submit to forced conversion, and that the outstanding rav, Rav Yaakov of Orléans, was killed there al kiddush Hashem. Richard was not aware of what was taking place at the time, and afterward put to death the one held responsible for the riots.