ר' יהודה החסיד

Rav Yehuda ben Shmuel HeChasid of Regensburg (c. 4910/1150–4977/1217) was the central figure of the Chassidei Ashkenaz and the author of Sefer Chassidim. He was descended from the Kalonymus family, which had come from Italy to Germany, and was the son of Rav Shmuel HeChasid and grandson of Rav Kalonymus the Elder. He lived at first in Speyer and moved to Regensburg in 4955/1195, where he headed a yeshiva.

Among his talmidim were Rav Elazar of Worms, author of the Rokeach; Rav Yitzchak ben Moshe of Vienna, author of the Or Zarua; and Rav Baruch ben Shmuel of Mainz, author of the Sefer HaChochmah. His best-known work, Sefer Chassidim, gathers teachings of mussar, of piety, and of the mystical thought of the Chassidei Ashkenaz, together with the customs and practices of his circle; it is not the work of a single hand, and parts of it are ascribed also to his father and to his talmidim. He wrote as well a Sefer HaKavod, known now only through citations by others, a work on gematria, and a commentary on the Torah taken down by his talmidim.

His son Moshe Zaltman wrote a commentary on parts of the Tanach. A widely-known ethical will, the Tzava’at Rav Yehuda HeChasid, sets out directives on matters such as marriage, the building of a home, and various customs, and many are careful to observe its provisions. He was niftar on Shabbat Zachor and buried in Regensburg (Germany).