SIMḤAH B. SAMUEL OF SPEYER:

By: Isidore Singer, Jacob Zallel Lauterbach

German tosafist of the thirteenth century. Neither the year of his birth nor that of his death is known. He took part in the rabbinical synod held at Mayence in Tammuz (July), 1223, being one of the signers of the decrees and regulations issued by that body (comp. Moses Minz, Responsa, No. 202). He was a nephew of the director ("parnas") Kalonymus, a pupil of R. Eliezer of Metz, and a colleague of Eliezer b. Joel ha-Levi.

Simḥah was the author of the following works: (1) commentary on the treatise Horayot, quoted in Tos. Hor. 4b, s.v. "Ḳeri"; (2) tosafot and novellæ on the Talmud; (3) "Seder 'Olam," a work divided into paragraphs and containing decisions, comments on Talmudic passages, and regulations for religious practise; quoted in "Haggahot Maimoniyyot," on Ishut, vi. 14 and Tefillah, ix. (all the responsa and decisions which the earlier authors quote in the name of R. Simḥah were probably taken from this work); (4) "Tiḳḳun Sheṭarot," on agreements and documents; quoted in "Haggahot Maimoniyyot," on Gerushin, iv. 12; (5) sections ("she'arim") on the regulations referring to the benedictions; quoted in the same work, on Berakot, viii. Aside from these works decisions and responsa by Simḥah are mentioned in the responsa collection of R. Meïr of Rothenburg (Nos. 573, 927, 931, 932) and in the works of several older authors.

S. J. Z. L.