- Title Pages
- Notes on Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Glossary of Hebrew terms
- Introduction
-
1 Using Rabbinic Literature as a Source for the History of Late-Roman Palestine: Problems and Issues1 -
2 The Palestinian Context of Rabbinic Judaism -
3 Research into Rabbinic Literature: An Attempt to Define the Status Quaestionis -
4 The Status Quaestionis of Research in Rabbinic Literature -
5 Current Views on the Editing of the Rabbinic Texts of late Antiquity: Reflections on a Debate after Twenty Years -
6 The State of Mishnah Studies -
7 The Tosefta and Its Value for Historical Research: Questioning the Historical Reliability of Case Stories -
8 Halakhic Midrashim as Historical Sources -
9 The Talmud Yerushalmi -
10 Problems in the Use of the Babylonian Talmud for the History of Late-Roman Palestine: The Example of Astrology -
11 Literary Structures and Historical Reconstruction: The Example of an Amoraic Midrash (Leviticus Rabbah) -
12 The Future of Ancient Piyyut -
13 Targum -
14 The Epistle of Sherira Gaon -
15 Hekhalot Literature and the Origins of Jewish Mysticism -
16 ‘Rabbinic Culture’ and Roman Culture -
17 Material Culture and Daily Life -
18 Rabbinic Literature and the History of Judaism in Late Antiquity: Challenges, Methodologies and New Approaches -
19 Rabbinic Perceptions of Christianity and the History of Roman Palestine -
20 Politics and Administration -
21 Economy and Society - Conclusion
- Index
The Epistle of Sherira Gaon
The Epistle of Sherira Gaon
- Chapter:
- (p.253) 14 The Epistle of Sherira Gaon
- Source:
- Rabbinic Texts and the History of Late-Roman Palestine
- Author(s):
ROBERT BRODY
- Publisher:
- British Academy
This chapter comments on the epistle of Sherira Gaon, which is considered an extraordinary instance of the genre of Geonic responsa written in 986 or 987. Sherira's Epistle is exceptional both in terms of its length and subject matter and it addresses a number of questions formulated by Rabbi Nissim b. Jacob ibn Shahin on behalf of the scholars of Qayrawan. This chapter questions Sherira's use of talmudic sources and oral traditions in the responsa and suggests that Sherira's statements are almost inversely proportional to the extent to which they are supported by the Talmud itself.
Keywords: epistle, Sherira Gaon, Geonic responsa, Rabbi Nissim b. Jacob ibn Shahin, Qayrawan, talmudic sources, oral traditions
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- Title Pages
- Notes on Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Glossary of Hebrew terms
- Introduction
-
1 Using Rabbinic Literature as a Source for the History of Late-Roman Palestine: Problems and Issues1 -
2 The Palestinian Context of Rabbinic Judaism -
3 Research into Rabbinic Literature: An Attempt to Define the Status Quaestionis -
4 The Status Quaestionis of Research in Rabbinic Literature -
5 Current Views on the Editing of the Rabbinic Texts of late Antiquity: Reflections on a Debate after Twenty Years -
6 The State of Mishnah Studies -
7 The Tosefta and Its Value for Historical Research: Questioning the Historical Reliability of Case Stories -
8 Halakhic Midrashim as Historical Sources -
9 The Talmud Yerushalmi -
10 Problems in the Use of the Babylonian Talmud for the History of Late-Roman Palestine: The Example of Astrology -
11 Literary Structures and Historical Reconstruction: The Example of an Amoraic Midrash (Leviticus Rabbah) -
12 The Future of Ancient Piyyut -
13 Targum -
14 The Epistle of Sherira Gaon -
15 Hekhalot Literature and the Origins of Jewish Mysticism -
16 ‘Rabbinic Culture’ and Roman Culture -
17 Material Culture and Daily Life -
18 Rabbinic Literature and the History of Judaism in Late Antiquity: Challenges, Methodologies and New Approaches -
19 Rabbinic Perceptions of Christianity and the History of Roman Palestine -
20 Politics and Administration -
21 Economy and Society - Conclusion
- Index
