Joseph ben Ephraim Karo, also spelled Yosef Caro, or Qaro (Hebrew: יוסף קארו; 1488 – March 24, 1575, 13 Nisan 5335 A.M.), was the author of the last great codification of Jewish law, the Beit Yosef, and its popular analogue, the Shulhan Arukh. To this end he is often referred to as HaMechaber or "The Author" (Hebrew: הַמְחַבֵּר) and as Maran or "Our Master" (Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: מָרַן). Source: Wikipedia (en)