Rav Hai Ben Sherira gaon (939–1038), gaon of Pumbedita, was a molder of halakhah and the most prominent figure of his time. From 986 he was the av bet din in the academy of Pumbedita, acting as the deputy to his father Sherira gaon; in this role he left his mark upon the mode of studies and general orientation of the academy. According to some, Rav Hai Gaon had a share in composing the Iggeret Rav Sherira. Rav Hai Gaon was a descendant of King David and last of the influential Geonim. Over one-third of the existing responsa (almost one thousand) in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic are from him. He ruled that in the case of conflict, the Babylonian Talmud took precedence over the Jerusalem Talmud.

R. Eleazar Loew (1758–1837), who prepared the glosses to Ha-Mikkah ve-ha-Mimkar served as rabbi in Poland and Hungary. He was, from the age of 17, dayyan in his birthplace, Wodzislav (Poland), at 20 was appointed rabbi of Pilica (Poland), and in 1800, on the recommendation of R. Mordecai Banet, became rabbi of Trest (Triesch). He subsequently served in several other important locations as rabbi and as rosh yeshivah. R. Loew played a vigorous part in the fight against religious reform. A prolific writer, he is best known for his numerous scholarly works among them Shemen Roke’ah, responsa, novellae, Torat Hesed, Sha’arei Hokhmah, and other homiletic and halakhic works.