הלכה, כלכלה ואידאולוגיה בבית מדרשו של הרא"ש בטולדו

R. Asher b. Jehiel, known by the acronym Rosh, emigrated from Germany to Castile in Spain in 1304—1305. In Toledo, the capital of Castile, he flourished both as a teacher of Torah and as a rabbinic leader, and he was recognized as the foremost halakhic authority of the region. Among the Rosh's primary goals as a leader was to improve the level of Torah study in Castile and raise its profile among Jews. The emphasis he placed on the study of Torah as a religious ideal stemmed from the centrality of Torah le-Shma, 'study for its own sake' as found in Ashkenazi society. This ideal was not stressed to the same degree in the various Judeo-Arabic societies; Jewish society in the region of Toledo, with its strong ties to Andalusian tradition, can be viewed as reflecting this attitude. This article explores a number of the strategies employed by the Rosh in his attempt to bring about change in the attitude of Spanish Jews towards Torah study and their policy concerning the support of Torah scholars. There is evidence that the Toldeo elite resisted the Rosh's efforts.