Genizah
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A genizah (/ɡɛˈniːzə/; Hebrew: גניזה, lit. 'storage', also geniza; plural: genizot[h] or genizahs)[2] is a storage area in a Jewish synagogue or cemetery designated for the temporary storage of worn-out Hebrew-language books and papers on religious topics prior to proper cemetery burial.
Etymology
The word genizah comes from the Hebrew triconsonantal root g-n-z, which means "to hide" or "to put away", from Old Median *ganza- (“depository; treasure”).[3] The derived noun meant 'hiding' and later a place where one put things, and is perhaps best translated as "archive" or "repository".
Description
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Zeravshan_Okrug._Samarkand._A_Genizah_in_a_Synagogue_WDL11134.png/220px-Zeravshan_Okrug._Samarkand._A_Genizah_in_a_Synagogue_WDL11134.png)
Genizot are temporary repositories designated for the storage of worn-out
).Genizot are typically found in the attic or basement of a synagogue, but can also be in walls or buried underground. They may also be located in cemeteries.[3]
The contents of genizot are periodically gathered solemnly and then buried in the cemetery or bet ḥayyim. Synagogues in
) which has become pasul (unfit for use through illegibility or old age). The tradition of paper-interment is known to have been practiced in Morocco, Algiers, Turkey, Yemen and Egypt.History
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The
In medieval times, Hebrew scraps and papers that were relegated to the genizah were known as shemot "names," because their sanctity and consequent claim to preservation were held to depend on their containing the "names" of God. In addition to papers, articles connected with ritual, such as tzitzit, lulavim, and sprigs of myrtle, are similarly stored.
According to folklore, these scraps were used to hide the famed Golem of Prague, whose body is claimed to lie in the genizah of the Old New Synagogue in Prague.
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By far, the best-known genizah, which is famous for both its size and spectacular contents, is the Cairo Geniza. Recognized for its importance and introduced to the Western world in 1864 by Jacob Saphir, and chiefly studied by Solomon Schechter, Jacob Mann[4][5] and Shelomo Dov Goitein, the genizah had an accumulation of almost 280,000 Jewish manuscript fragments dating from 870 to the 19th century. These materials were important for reconstructing the religious, social and economic history of Jews, especially in the Middle Ages. For all practical purposes, the Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered between the years 1946 and 1956, belonged to a genizah.
In 1927, a manuscript containing
In Germanic lands genizot have been preserved in buildings dating back to the early modern period[7] and till today, dozens of Genizot have been saved. Researchers began to study the material, soon realizing that these findings could provide insight into the life of Jewish rural communities from the 17th to 19th century. The Genisaprojekt Veitshöchheim and other researchers are dealing with the inventory, the digitization and the publication of the finds.[8]
References
- ^ Chakraborty, Showli (1 September 2014). "Jewish Past, Digital Present". The Telegraph, Kolkata. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ^ Webster's Third New International Dictionary, 1961
- ^ a b Katzover, Yisrael. "The Genizah on the Nile". Hamodia Features, April 21, 2016, p. 14.
- ^ "Mann, Jacob". Jewish Virtual Library. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ Mann, Jacob (1920–1922). The Jews in Egypt and in Palestine under the Fāṭimid caliphs: a contribution to their political and communal history, based chiefly on Genizah material hitherto unpublished. London: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ "Ancient manuscripts indicate Jewish community once thrived in Afghanistan". CBS News. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ Singer-Brehm, Elisabeth. "Genizot of German Lands". Encyclopedia of Jewish Book Cultures. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ Singer-Brehm, Elisabeth. "Research on Modern Genisot in Germany". Aschkenas. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Genizah". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
External links
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