More on Ephraim ben Shemarya

Ephraim ben Shemarya was head of the Jerusalem congregation at Fustāt during the years 1000—c. 1055 and was among the leading persons of Fustāt during this period. Several studies on Ephraim ben Shemarya have already been published and a monograph discussing his personality and deeds is now in press...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion
Subtitles:עוד על אפרים בן שמריה
Main Author: Bareket, Elinoar (Author)
Format: Print Article
Language:Hebrew
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Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: College 1990
In: Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B History 1000-1055
RelBib Classification:BH Judaism
TG High Middle Ages
Further subjects:B ben Shemarya, Ephraim
Description
Summary:Ephraim ben Shemarya was head of the Jerusalem congregation at Fustāt during the years 1000—c. 1055 and was among the leading persons of Fustāt during this period. Several studies on Ephraim ben Shemarya have already been published and a monograph discussing his personality and deeds is now in press. A sheet of paper, found in Cambridge and hand-written on both sides by Ephraim ben Shemarya, contains three draft-copies of his letters. The first letter, written to the congregation at Sahrajt, discusses a halakhic mistake made by the ḥazzan who was the leader of the Sahrajt congregation. We learn about the administrative organization from this letter: the head of a local, small city community is subordinate to a leader in a large city, Fustāt, who in turn is subject to the Gaon of Eretz-Israel in Jerusalem. Ephraim wrote the second letter to Nathan ben Abraham, the rival of Gaon Shlomo ben Yehuda. This letter makes one wonder if the dispute had not already started in 1034 and not in 1038, as thought till now. It is possible to conclude that Ephraim supported Nathan ben Abraham's stand, and not, as is currently accepted, that Ephraim supported Gaon Shlomo ben Yehuda without hesitation and demur. Ephraim wrote the third letter to Samuel, who is perhaps "Samuel, ḥemdat ha-Yeshiva". From this letter one can deduce the occupation of the Eretz-Israel scholars, and perhaps that of Ephraim ben Shemarya with regard to the concealed and the mysterious.
ISSN:0360-9049
Contains:Enthalten in: Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion