halachic texts

The Mishneh Torah sparked the creation of extensive and voluminous commentary.

Maimonides' two main critics, Rabad and Asheri, argued that multiplicity of opinions is a positive and vital force in Jewish law.

In order to make his code categorical and prescriptive, Maimonides deliberately omitted sources and did not reference his predecessors.

As Jewish communities grew throughout the Muslim world, they developed their own rabbinical schools and scholars.

Jewish communities in the West gain independence of the geonim, and inherit a rich tapestry of legal texts.

Major books of halakhot from the geonic period.

The first halakhic code.

During this time Babylonia was the spiritual and political center of Diaspora Jewry, and Jewish communities looked to the Geonim for authoritative teachings on halachic matters.