Sherira ben Hanina: Difference between revisions

'''Sherira bar Hanina''' ([[Hebrew]]: שרירא בר חנינא) more commonly known as '''Sherira Gaon''' ([[Hebrew]]: שרירא גאון; c. 906- – c. 1006) was the [[Gaon (Hebrew)|Gaongaon]] of the [[Academy of Pumbeditha]]. He was one of the most prominent [[Geonim]] of his period, and the father of [[Hai Gaon]], who succeeded him as Gaon. He wrote the ''[[Iggeret Rav Sherira Gaon]]'' ("[The] Epistle of Rav Sherira Gaon"), a comprehensive history of the composition of the [[Talmud]].<ref>Trans. Nosson Dovid Rabinowich, ''The Iggeres of Rav Sherira Gaon'' (Jerusalem: Moznaim, 1988) {{oclc|20044324}}, p. xx</ref><ref name="Daud">Abraham ibn Daud, "Sefer ha-Ḳabbalah," in [[Adolf Neubauer]], "''Medieval Jewish Chronicles"'' (Oxford, 1887) {{ISBN|1-145-09335-3}}, i. 66-67</ref>

In 997, he and his son were maliciously denounced by enemies to the [[caliph]] [[al-Qadir]], though the nature of the accusation is unknown. He and his son were imprisoned and deprived of their property, even of the necessaries of life. Though the incarceration was brief, Sherira was now in very bad health. Sherira resigned the gaonate in 998 C.E., appointing his son as his successor.<ref name=Daud /> Sherira died soon after, circa 1006 C.E.<ref>Abraham ibn Daud, "Sefer ha-Ḳabbalah," in [[Adolf Neubauer]], "Medieval Jewish Chronicles" (Oxford, 1887) {{ISBN|1-145-09335-3}}, i. 66-67, according to Weiss's emendation in "Dor," v. 174</ref> He was the alleged father in law of [[Elijah ben Menahem Ha-Zaken]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=ELIJAH BEN MENAHEM HA-ZAḲEN - JewishEncyclopedia.com|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5662-elijah-ben-menahem-ha-zaken|access-date=2020-09-12|website=www.jewishencyclopedia.com}}</ref>

==His Responsaresponsa==

As director of the academy he sought to reach pupils both near and far, and many of his [[responsa]] have been preserved in the geonic collections and in the works containing the earlier decisions. His responsa are similar to the geonic responsa in general, a majority of them dealing with questions of religious practisepractice, though some of them contain expositions and comments on passages of the Talmud and the Mishnah.

Sherira was noted for the nobility and seriousness of his character. As a judge he endeavoredendeavoured to arrive at the exact facts of a case and to render his decisions in strict conformity with the Law. In deciding practical questions he adopted the more rigorous view, following the letter of the Talmud with the purpose of upholding and emphasizingemphasising its authority against the attacks of the Karaites. He frequently formulates in his responsa rules which are highly important for the correct interpretation of the Talmud. For instance, he declares that the term "mitzvah" designates in some passages a command that may not be broken with impunity, but in other passages denotes merely an admonition with which it would be commendable to comply, but which may be disregarded without fear of punishment.<ref>"Teshubot Ge'one Mizraḥ u-Ma'arab," No. 141, in "Bet Talmud," iv. 351</ref> He was also a part of the Rabbinic constitution of EIBLC

Sherira wasis thought by some to have been a student of [[Kabbalah|kabbalistic mysticism]]; hebut believedwhen thatasked about the mystical works "[[Shi'ur Komah]]" and "Hekalot" and whether they represented ancient traditions, (originating with [[R. Ishmael]] and [[Rabbi Akiva|R. Akiva]].), Hehe saysreplied in a responsum<ref>"Sha'are Teshubah," No. 122</ref> that the passage in "Shi'ur Ḳomah" ascribing human organs to God embodies profound mysteries, but must not be taken literally. Sherira wrote a work on the Talmud, under the title "Megillat Setarim." In this work he seems to have discussed the importance of the [[aggadah]];<ref>Aboab, introduction to "Menorat ha-Ma'or"</ref> but the portion of the work containing his opinions on this subject has been lost.

Sherira's seminal work for which he is most renowned is his Epistle, or ''Iggeret'', written to Rabbi [[Jacob ben Nissim]] of [[Kairouan]], and where he addressed the question of how the [[Talmud]] was formulated, and brings down a chronological list of the ''[[geonim]]'' who officiated in Babylonia during the period of the [[Exilarchs]] (''Resh Galutha''). This ''Iggeret'' is considered by many to be one of the classics in Jewish historiography.<ref>{{cite book | last = Gaon |first = Sherira |author-link=Sherira Gaon |title=The Iggeres of Rav Sherira Gaon |translator=[[Nosson Dovid Rabinowich]] | publisher=Rabbi Jacob Joseph School Press - Ahavath Torah Institute Moznaim|date=1988 |location=Jerusalem|page=Preface |language=en|oclc=923562173 |ref=harv}}</ref>

{{reflist}}

* ''[httphttps://www.daat.ac.il/daat/vl/shrira/shrira01.pdf Iggeret Rav Sherira Gaon]'', Da'at Encyclopedia {{in lang|he}}

| years = 968-1006968–1006

{{S-end}}

{{Geonim}}