MAGID MESHARIM
Rabbi Joseph ben Ephraim Caro was born in Toledo, Spain in 1488, and died in Safed in 1575. He is also called Maran (“our master”) or Ha-Mechaber (“the author,” i.e. the halachic author par excellence). Caro left Spain in 1492 as a result of the Spanish expulsion of the Jews, and settled with his family in Turkey. In 1536, he emigrated to Israel and became the chief rabbi of Safed, an important center of Jewish learning and industry. His principal teacher in Safed was Rabbi Jacob Berab. Caro’s magnum opus is his Beit Yosef (“House of Joseph”), an encyclopedic commentary on Rabbi Jacob ben Asher’s Tur, a halachic code. Bet Yosef presents an extensive survey of relevant halachic literature, from the Talmud down to works of Caro’s contemporaries. Caro’s halachic decisions were codified in his Shulchan Aruch (which was actually a digest of Bet Yosef). This work quickly became accepted throughout the Jewish world as halachically authoritative. Likewise, Caro’s commentary on Maimonides’ code, the Kesef Mishneh, is one of the standard commentaries on Maimonides’ work. Caro was also a mystic. He left two responsa collections, Avkat Rochel and Bet Yosef. The Project now includes his Maggid Meisharim (Jerusalem: Orah, 1960), esoteric teachings on the Torah and practices given to R. Yoseph Caro by a Heavenly herald.
For those that read Hebrew, I have also provided 2 long articles on where we rely on the teachings of the Magid to determine Halacha. Press on the link to access these articles.
In addition in the article When Is It Permitted to Bow to Men and When Is It Forbidden Intermediary Worship , According to Rabbeinu Nissim, an important teaching of the Magid is brought at https://vilnagaon.org/1000/ which has a strong impact on how to view the house of worship of other religions.