Gershom ben Judah
Gershom ben Judah, (c. 960–1040) best known as Rabbeinu Gershom (Hebrew: רבנו גרשום, "Our teacher Gershom") and also commonly known to scholars of Rabbinic Judaism by the title Rabbeinu Gershom Me'Or Hagolah ("Our teacher Gershom the light of the exile"), was a famous Talmudist and Halakhist.
Less than a century after Gershom's death
He is most famous for the
Biography
Born in
Students came from all over Europe to enroll in his yeshiva, and later dispersed among various communities in Germany and beyond which helped spread Jewish learning. He had many pupils from different countries, like
Works
Questions of religious law were addressed to him from all countries, and measures which he authorized had legal force among all the Jews of Europe.
Gershom's literary activity was similarly fruitful. He is celebrated for his works in the field of
He is the author of
Synod and bans
He is famous for his religious bans within Judaism, which include:
- The prohibition of polygamy;
- The prohibition of divorcing a woman against her will;
- The modification of the rules concerning those who became apostates under compulsion;
- The prohibition of reading another person's private mail.[5]
The influence of his ban can be seen in mail from the Middle Ages. A letter would contain the seal "B'chadrag" which meant that it was forbidden to open except by the recipient under the ban of Rabbeinu Gershom.[6] His religious bans are still in force for Ashkenazi religious Jews and are used for establishment of law in modern Israel.[7]
See also
References
- ^ Responsa 70
- ^ Responsa 43:8
- responsum reported by R. Meir of Rothenburg, he owed most of his knowledge to his teacher, Yehuda HaKohen ben Meir(Sire Léontin), who was one of the greatest authorities of his time.
- ^ "Gershom". www.ou.org.
- ^ Shevet HaKehusi 1:315:1, quoted in Lebovits, Rabbi Moishe Dovid, "Reading Another Person's Mail", Hamodia Features, 6 January 2010, p. C3.
- ^ "Gershom". www.ou.org.
- ^ Radzyner, Amihai. "Halakhah, Law, and Worldview" (PDF). www.law.tau.ac.il.
Bibliography
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Schechter, Solomon; Bloch, Isaac (1901–1906). "Gershom ben Judah". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
With regard to the so-called Ordinances of Rabbi Gershom see especially
- Rosenthal, in Jubelschrift zum Siebzigsten Geburtstag des Dr. Israel Hildesheimer. Berlin, 1890; pp. 37 et seq.
External links
- Video Lecture on Rabenu Gershom by Dr. Henry Abramson
- Rashi by Maurice Liber Biography of Rashi who carried Rabbenu Gershom's teachings into the medieval world. Discusses influence.