The Ramban, renowned for his brilliant commentaries on the Talmud and the Chumash, was a man whose life was intertwined with the most fascinating issues of his day. Even as a young man, the Ramban's sharp insight and vast knowledge had already excited the world of Torah learning. The Ramban integrated the traditions of the Sephardim and Ashkenazim to forge an exciting path in Talmud scholarship. And because of his great stature, he was able to come to the forefront of the bitter battle over the Rambam's philosophical works. With great sensitivity and courage, the Ramban mediated between the two parties, searching for a compromise that would satisfy everyone. Thirty years later, the Ramban took part in one of the most remarkable events of that era, a public disputation on religion in the presence of the King of Aragon. As a result of the Ramban's outspokenness during this debate, the Church drove him to exile. The Ramban, now an elderly man, set out on a perilous journey to Eretz Yisrael, where he headed the great yeshivah of Akko until his death. "The Ramban", by the author of "The Rema", "The Chasam Sofer" and "The Maharal of Prague", provides an unusually vivid and realistic description of the life and times of one of the great scholars of the ages. From the pages of this exciting book emerges the image of an extraordinary man who left a lasting impact for all future generations.
by Yaakov Dovid Shulman