The Shulchan Aruch

In 1492, the mass expulsion of Jews in the Spanish Inquisition created waves of refugees throughout Europe and the Middle East. As Sephardic Jews from Spain intermingled with Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe, people became confused about which traditions and rules to follow. Two rabbis rose to settle the matter. Though these two men were from different traditions and never even met, their conflict and collaboration defined Judaism for half a millennium.