The origin of Rav Yosef Caro’s Shulchan Aruch is one of the most dynamic episodes of Jewish history; it gave new life to the Jewish people after the traumas of Spain. But when this monumental work crossed the desk of the Rema of Cracow, he saw a way he could improve on it – by adding rulings for Ashkenazim. Thus began the unlikely union that created the Code of Jewish Law as we know it. And though the two great rabbis disagreed on a number of issues, they chose to be partners, not rivals, for the betterment of the Jewish people.

• world Jewry after the Inquisition and Expulsion
• Rav Yaakov Beirav’s attempted Sanhedrin
• Sephardim and Ashkenazim – what are the differences?
• the Rema’s gentle approach vs. the Bais Yosef’s “brass tax”