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Adding local short description: "13th-century French rabbi", overriding Wikidata description "French rabbi." (Shortdesc helper)
 
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{{Short description|13th-century French rabbi}}
{{NoMore footnotes|date=December 2011}}
 
Rabbi '''Moses ben Jacob of Coucy''', also known as '''Moses Mikkotsi''' ({{lang-he-n|משה בן יעקב מקוצי}}; {{lang-la|Moses Kotsensis}}), was a [[French people|French]] [[tosafists|Tosafist]] and authority on [[Halakha]] (Jewish law). He is best known as the author of one of the earliest [[Halakha#Codes of Jewish law|codifications of Halakha]], the ''[[Sefer Mitzvot Gadol]]''.
 
== Biography ==
Moses of Coucy lived in the first half of the thirteenth century. His name suggests he was born or raised in [[Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique|Coucy]] in Northern France. He was a descendant of a family of distinguished scholars. He was the brother -in -law of Tosafist [[Shimshon of Sens]] and [[Shimshon of Coucy]] (HaSar MiCoucy).<ref>The Rishonim, The artscrollArtscroll history series, Pg. 138, 156</ref>
 
He studied under [[Judah of Paris]], and [[Yehudah HaChasid]]. Following in the latter's footsteps he traveled through Provence and Spain to strengthen religiosity among the Jews and teaching them the way to serve godGod.
 
In 1240 he was one of the four rabbis who were required to defend the [[Talmud]], in a public [[Disputation of Paris|disputation in Paris]], and it is likely that the need for a work like the ''Sefer Mitzvot Gadol'' was driven by the [[Talmud#External attacks on the Talmud|decrees against the Talmud]] which had been promulgated in France, and had led to the confiscation and burning of all Talmud manuscripts in 1242.
 
== Works ==
{{Main|Sefer Mitzvot Gadol}}
The "'''''Sefer Mitzvot Gadol'''''" ({{lang-he|ספר מצוות גדול;}}) (in [[hebrewEnglish language|HebrewEnglish]]: ''The Great Book of [[Mitzvah|Commandments]]''; abbreviated {{Script/Hebrew|סמ"ג}} "SeMaG" ), completed in 1247,<ref>{{Cite journal|jstor = 41310619|title = The Significance of Form: R. Moses of Coucy's Reading Audience and His Sefer ha-Miẓvot|journal = AJS Review|volume = 35|issue = 2|pages = 293–321|last1 = Galinsky|first1 = Judah D|year = 2011|doi = 10.1017/S0364009411000407|s2cid = 163080619}}</ref> deals with the 365 negative [[mitzvah|commandments]] and the 248 positive commandments, separately discussing each of them according to the [[Talmud]] and the [[posek|decisions]] of the Rabbis. "SeMaG" also contains much non-legal, moralistic teaching. References to the "SeMaG" are by section (positive or negative commandments) and a number for each commandment within its section.
 
Rabbi Moses' arrangement and presentation are heavily influenced by [[Maimonides]]' discussion of the commandments in the ''[[Sefer Hamitzvot]]'' and by his codification of the [[Halakha]] in the ''[[Mishneh Torah]]''. However, unlike Maimonides, Rabbi Moses presents lengthy discussions of the different interpretations and legal opinions. He also makes extensive use of other [[Halakha#Codes of Jewish law|codes]], and particularly of the commentaries of [[Rashi]] and the [[Tosafot]], usually favouring these [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenazi]] [[Oral Torah|traditions]] over Maimonides.
 
He was also the author of Old Tosafot ({{Script/Hebrew|תוספות ישנים}}) to Yoma and of some published in the collection "Sugyot HaShas" (Berlin, 1736).
Traditional commentaries on ''SeMaG'' include ''Tosefe SeMaG'' by [[Elijah Mizrachi]] (Re'em) and ''Ammude Shlomo'' by [[Solomon Luria]] (Maharshal). ''Mitzvot Gadol'' is a recent commentary by the 20th century rabbi [[Avraham Aharon Price]].
 
''[[Sefer Mitzvot Katan]]'' ("SeMaK") by [[Isaac ben Joseph of Corbeil]] is an abridgment of the ''SeMaG'', including additional [[aggadah|agaddic]] and ethical material.
 
== References ==
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* {{Jewish Encyclopedia |no-prescript=1 |title=Moses Ben Jacob of Coucy (SeMaG) |url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11100-moses-ben-jacob-of-coucy-semag }}
* [http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/TalmudMap/SeMaG.html Sefer Mitzvot Gadol], Prof. Eliezer Segal
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071008200930/http://bnainoachnews.com/tiki-index.php?page=Semag Semag], bnainoachnews.com
* [http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/03-Torah-Halacha/section-38.html faqs.org]
 
{{Rishonim}}
{{Authority control}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moses ben Jacob of Coucy}}
[[Category:13th-century deaths]]
[[Category:French Tosafists]]
[[Category:13th-century rabbisdeaths]]
[[Category:13th-century French peoplerabbis]]
[[Category:Jewish apologists]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Exponents of Jewish law]]
[[Category:Authors of books on Jewish law]]
 
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