Research Catalog

Title

The Geonim of Babylonia and the shaping of medieval Jewish culture : with a new preface and an updated bibliography / Robert Brody.

Author

Brody, Robert, 1955-

Publication

New Haven [Conn.] ; London : Yale University Press, c2013.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

xxvii, 388 p. : maps; 24 cm.

Subjects

• History
• Jews > Iraq > Babylonia > History
• Judaism > History > Medieval and early modern period, 425-1789
• Geonim

Genre/Form

History

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 377-382) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Machine generated contents note: pt. I Historical Setting -- 1. Defining the Geonic Period -- Savora'im and Geonim -- End of the Geonic Era -- 2. Primary Sources -- Epistle of Sherira Gaon -- Account of Rabbi Nathan the Babylonian -- Importance of the Genizah -- 3. Geonic Academies: Continuity and Change -- Related Institutions -- Operation of the Academies -- Positions and Power in the Academy -- 4. Multifaceted Role of the Gaon -- Head of the Academy -- Judge -- Administrator -- Author of Responsa -- Legal Innovator -- Additional Roles -- 5. Exilarchate -- Sources of Authority -- Rights and Responsibilities -- Exilarchs and Geonira -- Decline of the Exilarchate -- 6. Struggle against Heresy -- Anan and the Origins of Karaism -- Issues of Contention between Karaites and Rabbanites -- Rabbanite Reactions -- 7. Competition with the Palestinian Center -- Palestinian Center and Its Academy -- Intellectual and Spiritual Life -- Legal Tradition and Literature -- Babylonian Offensive -- Palestinian Riposte -- 8. Ties with the Diaspora -- Sphere of Babylonian Hegemony -- Palestine and Egypt -- Maghreb -- Europe -- pt. II Classical Geonic Period -- 9. Intellectual World of the Geonim -- Knowledge of Languages -- Areas of Interest -- Supernatural -- Attitudes towards Authority -- 10. Talmudic Sources -- Oral versus Written Talmud -- Interpretation and Application of the Talmud -- Other Sources -- 11. Extra-Talmudic Oral Traditions -- Formulaic Traditions -- Other Halakhic Traditions -- Aggadic and Historical Traditions -- 12. Responsa Literature -- Technical and Stylistic Aspects -- Fate of the Responsa -- Problems of Identification and Attribution -- 13. She'iltot -- Genre: Form and Structure -- She'iltot of R. Ahai -- Sources of the She'iltot -- Influence of the She'iltot -- 14. Earliest Legal Codes -- Halakhot Pesuqot -- Halakhot Gedolot -- Impact of the Codes -- pt. III Se'adyah Gaon and After -- 15. Se'adyah Gaon, Revolutionary Champion of Tradition -- Se'adyah's Career -- Se'adyah as Revolutionary -- Se'adyah as the Champion of Tradition -- 16. Halakhic Monographs -- General Characteristics of the Monographs -- Monographic Writings of Se'adyah Gaon -- Monographs of Later Geonim -- 17. Talmudic Exegesis and Methodology -- Commentaries on the Mishnah -- Commentaries on the Talmud -- Early Works on Talmudic Methodology -- Sherira, Hayya, and Samuel b. Hofni -- 18. Theology -- Background to Geonic Theology -- Se'adyah Gaon as Theologian -- Samuel b. Hofni and Other Geonim -- 19. Biblical Exegesis -- Scope of Geonic Exegesis -- Exegetical Principles -- Theological and Polemical Dimensions -- Relationship between Talmudic and Geonic Exegesis -- 20. Linguistics and Poetry -- Se'adyah Gaon as Linguist -- Se'adyah as Poet -- Hayya Gaon as Linguist and Poet.

ISBN

• 9780300189322
• 030018932X

LCCN

^^^97002879^

OCLC

• 847835077
• SCSB-11875140

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library