Yair Chaim Bacharach

Yair Hayyim Bacharach was the great-grandson of the Maharal and major 17th century posek, who lived first in Koblenz and then remainder of his life in Worms and Metz. He wrote two major works חות יאיר (Villages of Yair); a collection of responsa by the title of which he is commonly referred. His other main work was מקור חיים (Source of Life); a commentary on the Shulhan Arukh. However, when he discovered that other commentaries, notably the Taz and the Magen Avraham had appeared, he withdrew his book and it was only published in 1982. Besides his Halakhic expertise he had complete mastery of all the sciences, music, history and poetry. He compiled a 46 volume encyclopaedia on many topics.