In 1538 Rabbi Jacob Berab of Safed, Land of Israel, attempted to restore the traditional form of "semikhah". His goal was to unify the scattered Jewish communities through the re-establishment of the Sanhedrin. At his prompting, 25 rabbis from the land of Israel convened; they ordained Jacob Berab as their "chief rabbi". Berab then conferred "semikhah" through a laying on of hands to four rabbis, including Joseph Karo, who was later to become the author of the "Shulchan Aruch", widely viewed as the most important code of Jewish law from the 17th century onwards.