a nation in flux #11

the 11th century

In Bavel

• Sura is open for it's second century
• Rav Hai Gaon reins after his father in Pumbedisa.
• Rav Shmuel Bar Hafni dies and Dosa (not his son) takes over.
• Sura is in decline

Pumbedisa

• Rav Hai Gaon reins after his father in Pumbedisa.
• Proficeient in multuiple langugaes
• Students from around the world - Rabbeinu Nissim and Rabbeinu Chananel
• Dies in 1038 - the end of the Gaonim.
• The yeshiva existed for another century.

Spain

• Retrospectively, the Golden Age of Spain
• Jews were offered respect and autonomy
• Spanned the gamut of professions, and were involved in politics.
• Rav Chanoch became the Rov and Rosh Yeshiva in 1000.
• 1025: died on Simchat Torah

Rav Shmuel HaNagid

• Born in Cordoba in 933, studied under Rav Chanoch and Ibn Hayyut
• 1012: Abbasid dynasty was overthrown, fled to Grenada.
• Was hired anonymously as a calligrapher and advisor to Habud, the vizier.
• Worked as a shopkeeper.

Rav Shmuel Hanagid

• When the vizier died, he confided in the king that Rav Shmuel was the source of his good council.
• The King appointed Rav Shmuel to vizier of Grenada
• Headed the Yeshiva and build a library.
• Gave a daily shiur, then visited troops as general, then advised the palace.

RAV SHMUEL HANAGID

• Wrote an intro to Talmud, correspondence with Rav Hai. Supported the poor of Bavel and Spain
• Was not without detractors.
• When king Habus died, Rav Shmuel supported Badis, who gave full control to Rav Shmuel.

Rav Yosef HaNagid

• Was less tactful than his father.
• When an invasion of Grenada failed, the Muslims turned against him.
• 1067: Stormed his house one shabbat, murdered him and his family and burned the great library.
• His wife and infant son escaped.

Jews of Spain

• Rabbeinu Bahya ibn Paquda - Chovos HaLevavvos: The noblest gift that God has given many is the intellect.
• 1021 - 1058. Rav Shlomo ibn Gabirol. Wrote Tikkun Midot HaNefesh and Mekor Chaim (Fons Vitae by Avicebron)
• The proximity to North Africa influenced those communities.

the Rif

• Rav Yitzchak Alfassi
• Abridged version of the Talmud summarizing arguments and including rulings of the Gaonim.
• Flees to Lucena in Spain and succeeds Rav Yitzchak ibn Giaz
• Becomes the teacher of the Ri Migash, teacher of the Rambam.

Lucena

• The Rif served as Rosh Yeshiva for 13 years.
• Only focussed on relevant parts of Talmud.
• First codifier of Talmudic Law

The Ashkenazim

• 960: Rabbeinu Gershom Me'Or HaGola
• Drew students from Pumpedsida. Ensured correct versions of the Talmud.
• The teacher of Rashi's teachers.

Takkanos Rabbeinu Gershom

• Ban on Polygamy - only accepted by Ashkenazim - punishable by Cherem
• Originally only for 200 years, or perhaps 1000 years.
• A husband could not divorce his wife without her consent.
• This was done for the protection of women, as Jews became traders and travelers.

Takkanos

• Heter Meah Rabbanim from 3 lands, from 3 communities.
• Reading other people's mail.
• Prohibiting shaming Jews who were converted to Christianity

Rabbeinu Gershom's son

• 1012: A priest converted to Judaism. Catholics burned him at the stake, and demanded the Jews of Mainz to convert.
• Rabbeinu Gershom's son was captured and baptized, sat shiva for 14 days.
• Wrote many piyyutim

Students of Rabbeinu Gershom

• Rav Yosef Tuv Elem - author of Chasal Siddur Pesach
• Rav Meir ben Yitzchak Sha"tz - Akdamos Milim
• Rav Yakov ben Yakar
• Rav Yitzchak Halevi
• Died in 1040, the year Rashi was born.

Rashi

• Born in Troyes
• Studied in Mainz and Worms. His Beit Medrash in worms existed until it was destoryed by the Nazis
• Returned to Troyes at the age of 25.
• Legend of Rashi's father's jewel.
• We are all students of Rashi.

The Notebook

• Rashi began writing his commentary as a student and these notebooks were copied and disemenated around the Rhinelands.
• Had no sons, but his daughters married his students.
• Grandchilden: Rashbam and Rabbeinu Tam.

Versions of the Text

• Rashi Died in 1104
• Wrote many copies of the commentary, edited by his students
• (Rashi script is an invention of printers)

The first crusade

• 1096: Wave of religious fervor. Big fights in the 1070 (Henry IV and the Pope leading to wars)
• 1080: Reconqista of Europe from Muslims by Christians.
• Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont in 1095: "God wills it"
• Soldiers were absolved as sins an given indulgences.

1096

• Thousands of Christians sold their property, marched from France to Germany.
• 800 Jewish communities were destroyed.
• Trier, 1st day of Pesach; Convert or flee
• Mocking the Cross

ShU"M

• May 3 - Speyer (12)
• May 18 - Worms (100s)
• May 27 - Maintz (1000s)
• 1000s of Jews are murdered
• Av HaRachamim was composed to remember these episodes

1099

• Godfrey of Bouillon conquered Yerushalayim
• Referenced the Crucifixion as the reason for killing the Jews.
• Sent shockwaves around the Jewish world.
• Awakened Anti-Semitism whose climax was the Holocaust.