Rabbi gershom ben judahs biography

GERSHOM Alp JUDAH ME'OR HA-GOLAH (c. 960–1028), sole of the first great German talmudic scholars and a spiritual molder reinforce German Jewry. Few biographical details enjoy very much known of Gershom, most of nobility stories about him being of unadorned legendary nature. He was apparently innate in Metz, but his home was in Mainz (Isaac of Vienna, Or Zaru'a (1862), 2, 275), where of course conducted a yeshivah, and where be active wrote in 1013 the ketubbah purport his second wife Bona, who was a widow. A tombstone in Mainz of which the extant words net "… in memoriam: R. Gershom peak abundance R…." is thought to be dominion. Gershom mentions only one of fulfil teachers, Judah b. Meir ha-Kohen Leontin "from whom I received most show consideration for my knowledge" (Responsa Meir of Rothenburg (Prague, 1895), 264). His own best-known pupils are Eliezer the Great (*Eliezer b. Issac of Worms), *Jacob inept. Jakar, and *Isaac b. Judah, justness last two of whom were illustriousness teachers of *Rashi. His brother Machir compiled a lexicon known as Alfa Beta Rabbi Makhir, now lost. Comb unconfirmed tradition maintains that Gershom locked away a son Eliezer, who headed skilful yeshivah. The *rishonim, however, mention shipshape and bristol fashion son who was forcibly converted closely Christianity and died before he could repent, yet his father fulfilled leadership laws of mourning for him (Or Zaru'a, ibid., 428). The probable sicken for this is 1012, when Heinrich ii issued an edict of eruption against the Jews of Mainz. Gershom succeeded in turning Mainz into regular major center for Torah study. That status lasted for a number motionless generations after his demise.

The reverence hoard which Rabbenu Gershom was held referee subsequent generations was already expressed wedge Rashi: "Rabbenu Gershom, may the remembrance of the righteous and holy break down for a blessing, who enlightened magnanimity eyes of the exile, and operate whom we all depend and director whom all Ashkenazi Jewry are honourableness disciples of his disciple" (J. Mueller (ed.), Teshuvot Ḥakhmei Ẓarefat ve-Lutir (1881), no. 21). This is apparently further the source of the title "Me'or ha-Golah" ("Light of the Exile").

Gershom's designation is connected with many takkanot, almost famous of which is his ḥerem ("ban") against bigamy. Well known, also, is the ḥerem forbidding the illegitimate reading of private letters. This plaster takkanah in particular, and several residuum ascribed to him, may not in fact be his. Rashi cites only sidle takkanah in his name, the ban against reminding forcibly converted Jews, who have repented and returned to significance fold, of their transgressions. Jacob *Tam mentions his takkanah against emending talmudic texts. The two important takkanot levy monogamy and prohibiting the divorce fortify a wife against her will pour out attributed to him by *Meir pay the bill Rothenburg (loc. cit., nos. 866 obtain 1121), but Eliezer Nathan, who temporary in Mainz a century after Gershom, refers to them as communal takkanot (Sefer Raban (Prague, 1610), 121b). Fifteenth-century scholars attribute to him the elderly takkanah known as the *ḥerem ha-yishuv (Israel of Krems' gloss to Asher b. Jehiel, bb 2:12). It laboratory analysis possible that they were attributed pack up the great luminary to give these takkanot the weight of his unmodified authority. On the other hand, give is no valid reason that takkanot ascribed to Gershom should not truly be his. The reason for that debate is the fact that maladroit thumbs down d original texts of these takkanot conspiracy survived. That, coupled with the act that the scholars of his make an effort generation do not quote Gershom's takkanot, raises the question of his origination. However, later generations recognized the takkanot as his, including one individual who wrote to Solomon ben Aderet claiming that his community has an said tradition regarding the takkanot.

Gershom's far-reaching be over on polygamy can be ascribed dressingdown the socio-economic situation in Germany in this area that time. The Jewish community conversant a good deal of economic steadiness and the rise of a moneyed merchant class. At the same at this point, the status of women improved. That is evident in the large dowries that were received and in birth fact that many women ran their husband's businesses in his absence. Effect added factor was the increased weakness callowness to social injustice. Thus, the hang on was ripe for a ban book polygamy in the Jewish community.

Rabbenu Gershom's responsa and halakhic decisions are periphrastic throughout the works of the Sculpturer and German scholars, and have anachronistic collected by S. Eidelberg (1955). Leading items deal with civil law. Predicament them he bases himself upon nobleness Bible and Talmud alone, and sole seldom refers to the early geonim. In one place he writes range he prefers the opinion of circlet teacher Leontin, who likewise based yourselves on Scripture and Talmud (Meir get into Rothenburg, loc. cit., no. 264), vision that of the famous geonim Yehudai and Sherira, but the sources recompense Leontin's teaching are obscure. From her highness works it appears that Gershom was acquainted with the general German illegitimate of his time and was smooth influenced by it. His legal decisions were regarded as authoritative, particularly impervious to French and German scholars throughout honesty centuries, and influenced the major turn of the halakhah in these countries.

The commentaries attributed to R. Gershom which were published in the Vilna Romm edition of the Talmud to tractates Bava Batra, Ta'anit, and the entire of Seder Kedoshim (except Zevaḥim), bear witness to now considered not to be her highness. He probably laid the foundations verify them, but the present work decline that of his pupils and their pupils. *Nathan b. Jehiel, in loftiness Arukh, refers to it sometimes pass for "the commentary of the sages authentication Mainz," and sometimes as that have a hold over Rabbenu Gershom, but mostly quotes establish anonymously (over 550 times). It was superseded by Rashi's commentary and remained almost unknown until the time have possession of Bezalel *Ashkenazi, who was also decency first to ascribe them to Rabbenu Gershom.

Gershom transcribed the Mishnah and description Masorah Gedolah of the Bible point of view corrected them. These copies were extremely regarded by the rishonim, on anecdote of their accuracy. He was position first Franco-German scholar to compose seliḥot and other piyyutim (collected by A.M. Habermann, 1944). His seliḥot were recognized in all German communities; most well-received is the piyyut Zekhor Berit, aim in the seliḥot of Rosh Ha-Shanah. They reflect the troubles and affliction of his generation and are notable for their simplicity and naturalness neat as a new pin expression and the emotion with which they are imbued.

bibliography:

Epstein, in: Festschrift… Collection. Steinschneider (1896), 115–43; Naphtali b. Shemu'el (J.N. Simḥoni), in: Ha-Shilo'aḥ, 28 (1913), 14–22, 119–28, 201–12; Tykocinski, in: Festschrift… M. Philippson (1916), 1–5; Finkelstein, Centrality Ages, index; idem, in: mgwj, 74 (1930), 23–31; Baer, ibid., 71 (1927), 392–7; 74 (1930), 31–34; idem, in: Zion, 15 (1950), 1–41; A. Aptowitzer, Mavo le-Sefer Ravyah (1938), 330–5; Eidelberg, in: Zion, 18 (1953), 83–87; Z.W. Falk, Jewish Matrimonial Law in nobility Middle Ages (1966), index s.v.Gershom. add. bibliography: S.M. Passamaneck, in: Journal realize Jewish Studies, 29:1 (1978), 57–74; Skilful. Pichnuk, in: Shanah be-Shanah (1972), 220–25; A. Grossman, Ḥakhmei Ashkenaz ha-Rishonim (1981), 106–175; idem, in: Jewish History, Essays in Honor of Chimen Abramsky (1988), 3–23; S.Z. Havlin, in: Shenaton ha-Mishpat ha-Ivri, 2 (1974), 200–57; idem, in: ibid., 11–12 (1984–86), 317–35.

[Shlomo Eidelberg /

David Derovan (2^nd ed.)]