Rabbi Judah ben Bezalel Lowe (5285-5369), more commonly known as the Maharal of Prague, was probably born in what is now Poland. He served as the spiritual head of the Jewish community in Prague, which was then the main center of European Jewry. There he established the great Talmudic academy known as the Klaus.

The Maharal wrote many important works on rabbinic subjects, of which one of the most important is the "Gur Aryeh," a commentary on Rashi's commentary on the Chumash. Some of the other famous works of the Maharal include his commentary on Pirkei Avot, and the collection of his lectures including the "Nezach Israel" (The Eternity of Israel) and the "Netivot Olam" (Ways of the World).

In his teachings, the Maharal stressed an understanding of the simple literal meaning of the passages studied, avoiding the complicated form of study known as Pilpul.

The Maharal was also famous among non-Jews of his time due to his great secular knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, and other sciences.