Replies to post #3433 on Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[traderjml]

Rabbinic Ban on Palygamy

Rabbenu Gershom Me'or Hagolah a"h
born approx. 960 - died 1040
A noted leader of Ashkenazic Jewry during its formative years, Rabbenu Gershom ben Yehuda Me'or Hagolah was probably born in Metz, in the Rhineland, but spent most of his life in nearby Mainz. He studied under R' Yehuda Leontin and, some say, in Babylon, under R' Hai Gaon

R' Gershom's yeshivah in Mainz was the major center of Torah study in its day, and the students of this academy produced many important commentaries on the Talmud. The most famous of these was written by Rashi, who studied under two of R' Gershom's disciples, R' Yaakov ben Yakar and R' Yitzchak ben Yehuda. R' Gershom was greatly revered throughout the generations, as evidenced by his title "Me'or Hagolah"/"The Light of the Exile."

R' Gershom corrected the text of the Talmud from reliable manuscripts, thereby clarifying many obscure passages. (Rashi had access to a Talmud written in R' Gershom's own hand.) R' Gershom also wrote a Talmud commentary and it is printed in some volumes of the standard Vilna edition of the Talmud.

R' Gershom is best known for the enactments which were enacted by rabbinic synods at his behest. These include a prohibition on polygamy and a prohibition on divorcing one's wife against her will. These decrees are accepted by Ashkenazic Jews throughout the world. R' Gershom's responsa, too, were considered authoritative by Ashkenazic Jewry. He also composed liturgical poetry which was noted for its depth, power, and simplicity. One of these is Zechor Brit Avraham, which is recited during Ne'ilah of Yom Kippur

[Zeev Hed]

There is a whole period between 200 BCE to 500 CE when the great work of reducing the "Oral Torah" tradition (Torah shebeal pe) to written documents, took place. From 200 to 20 BCE, what is called the "Pre Tannaim", a semi organized effort to accumulate and write down the oral tradition and the oral interpretation of the Torah took place. It is characterized by "pairs" (zugot) of sages arguing various pro and con for each interpretation and their students writing and copying these arguments down. Then came the period of the "Tannaim", and they are classified as six generations of Tannaim, from 20 BCE to 200 BCE, ending with the final redaction of the Mishna by Yehuda HaNasi in 200 CE. There is a short transition of about 20 years (200-220 CE) before the eight generations of the Amoraic period (the True "Talmudic period") from 200 to 500 CE finishes the work of interpreting the Mishna in the form of Gemara (in essence putting an end to arguments about various open issues). The Amorai where divided into two main centers of study, the Babylonian (Babylonian Talmud) and the Israeli center. (Jerusalem Talmud, though most of the Jerusalem Amorais really lived in the Gallilee).

Note how unique is the history of that Jewish nation, they mark periods in their nation's history by the development of their codex of law, not wars and conquests, nor the subjugation of others, but the extent of the development of their holy essence, their moral code, the Torah.

The Torah is the essence of the "law", the Mishna, is organized in six major orders is a series of very short, almost terse statements requiring interpretation, the Amorais added such interpretations in the "Gemara" and the Talmud is in essence a compilation of the Mshan and the Gemara text organized in about sixty six tractates. In essence it is a collection of both legal precedences (many of the discussions are actually related to property dispute, agricultural law, wedding law, tithes, fixing the times for festivals etc.).

Zeev