Geonic Responsa: Literature of the Geonic Period

Catalog description

This course explores the rich body of responsa literature produced by the Geonim, the heads of the rabbinic academies in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age (8th-11th centuries). Responsa (sheâ'elot u-teshuvot) is a genre of Jewish legal literature comprising questions submitted by individuals and communities, and the authoritative responses given by the heads of the Yeshivot. Under the Islamic caliphate, the majority of the Jewish world fell under a single political regime, facilitating centralized rabbinic authority through the yeshivot (academies) of Baghdad. Focusing on the correspondence between Jewish communities across the Diaspora and the Geonic leadership, this course will examine how Geonic Responsa provides insight into Jewish law, theology, language, and culture in medieval Islamic societies. Students will analyze selected responsa, considering their physical features, transmission, and broader historical contexts. In doing so, the course aims to highlight the vital role of this literature in shaping Jewish intellectual and social life in the medieval world.