Jews Under Islamic Rule Cultural Developments November 13 2012 I Cairo Geniza Disovered in the 1800s a b Attributed to Lewis and Gibson two sisters who brought it to thte attention of Solomon Schechter in 1896 but documents were becoming available in the mid 1800s c 200K documents d Range from 9th to 14th century but mostly from 5th to 7th II Schisms and Divisions a Karaites i Associated with followers of Anan ben David wrote a book of laws that rejected Rabbinic interpretations and called for each Jew determining for himself based on scripture Karaite movement as a coherent movement with traditions and principles is later and looked back to Anan as its founder rejected an existing religious and dominant point of view Seems that a self conscious movement emerged later and came to identify itself with Anan as founder what Jews might debate over analyzing Hebrew grammar and poetry differ over certain rituals Kosher Sabbath mournful pietism Some of the leading figures of Jewish intellectual history wrote in response to the Karaites Larger communities two synagogues two different sets of practices in liturgy some areas of ritual law 1 Cairo Genizah is from the Palestinian synagogue land of Israel community retain identity as Palestinian but they come to study the Babylonian Talmud predominantly and Babylonian tradition comes to dominate e g all communities give up triennial cycle to become annual cycle study Babylonian Talmud sub umbrellas b Iraqis vs those of Eretz Yisrael III Genoim and Exilarchs a Genoim heads of the rabbinic academies of Sura and Pumbeditha relocated to Baghdad after 750 Exilarchs actual role is unclear but clearly a significant dignitary Developed a systemof divided regions for requests for funding courts Genoim in decline by early XI C exilarchs by a century later b Genoic literature Response dealing with legal and non legal matters Systematizations of law and practice Halakhot kind of legal code ii iii i ii i ii iii i ii IV Rational Theology and Philosophy a Note the broad definition of elite education b Sa adya Gaon innovator in many areas translation and commentary of Bible liturgy etc Corresponds to the Islamic category of kalam rational theology revealed scripture is true anc canot be irrational Primary work Beliefs and Opinions begins with the question of what doubts are and how they can be removed c Maimonides 1135 1204 legalist and philosopher Corresponds to falsafa philosophy especially in M s case Aristotle ii Willing to entertain the possibility that philosophy is correct and the na ve interpretation of scripture is not d Others Ibn Gabirol a Platonist Judah ha Levi rejected philosophy V Other literary and cultural output a Poetry b Sciences c Talmudic commentary and codes i ii i i ii