Asher ben Yehiel  (c. 1250-1328)  Asher ben Yechiel (also called
the Rosh) was born c. 1250 in Western Germany and died c. 1328
in Toledo, Spain. His father was his first teacher, a follower
of Judah b. Samuel HeChasid. His major teacher, however, was
Meir ben Baruch of Rothenberg with whom he studied in Worms.
When Meir ben Baruch was imprisoned, Asher became the leading
rabbi in Germany. He worked diligently to get Meir released. He
survived the Rindfleisch massacres of 1298 and decided to leave
Germany in 1303. He was welcomed by Solomon b. Abraham Adret and
was immediately pulled into the Maimonidean Controversy. Like
Adret, he feared that philosophy would turn students away from
Torah study. However, he too feared a schism and supported
Adret's compromise. In 1305 he became the rabbi of Toledo.  He
was rigidly honest and defended the authority of his position.
When a rabbi refused to accept his position, he threatened the
man with execution. He wrote a code of ethical sayings covering
all aspects of dai