Description of Center for Advanced Judaic Studies Library, Halper 121: Gaonic responsa in Judeo-Arabic Center for Advanced Judaic Studies Library These images and the content of Center for Advanced Judaic Studies Library, Halper 121: Gaonic responsa in Judeo-Arabic are free of known copyright restrictions and in the public domain. See the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark page for usage details, http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. Metadata is ©2017 University of Pennsylvania Books & Manuscripts and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License version 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. For a description of the terms of use see the Creative Commons Deed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Original quiring: fasc. 1, fols. 1-4 (4 fols. = 2 bifolia); fasc. 2, fols. 5-12 (8 fols. = 3 bifolia, 1/2 bifolium, 1/2 bifolium [both pasted to fasc. 3]); fasc. 3, fols. 13-22 (10 fols. = 5 bifolia); fasc. 4, fols. 23-32 (10 fols. = 5 bifolia); fasc. 5, fols. 33 -37 (original configuration indeterminable); Current quiring [after restoration]: fasc. 1, fols. 1-6 (6 fols. = 3 bifolia); fasc. 2, fols. 7-12 (6 fols. = 3 bifolia); fasc. 3, fols. 13-18 (6 fols. = 3 bifolia); fasc. 4, fols. 18-24 (6 fols. = 3 bifolia); fasc. 5, fols. 25 -30 (6 fols. = 3 bifolia); fasc. 6, fols. 31-37 (7 fols. = 3 bifolia, 1/2 bifolium); The fragment contains 6 responsa in Judeo-Arabic, with citations of Talmudic sources, the first and last are incomplete; 1. (fol. 1a) The end of a responsum about acceptance by proxy of a divorce bill. See Alfasi Gittin 29a in the name of R. Ḥai Gaʾon; 2. (fol. 1b) On the prohibition of betrothal celebrations in the intermediate days of Festivals. This responsum is cited in Hebrew in the name of R. Ḥai Gaon, in the halakhot of Isaac Ibn Ghiyyat (1038-1089): Shaʹare śimḥah / Yitsḥaḳ ibn Giyat. Fürth : s.n., 1861-1862, pt. II, p. 14, see also Lewin: Otsar ha-geʾonim / Benjamin Manasseh Lewin. Haifa, Jerusalem, 1928-1942, v. 4, p. 24 item no. 56; 3. (fol. 1b-2a) On the obligation to rescue a Jew sentenced to death in a non-Jewish court; 4 . (fol. 2b-4a) A lengthy responsum on the baking of matzah by a qualified non-jew, with digressions on the Talmudic conditions that prevent leavening, and the amount of dough that requires ḥalah; 5. (fol. 4b) On the obstruction of public prayer until the grievances of an individual are redressed; 6. (fol. 4b) The first two lines of a question on the custom to arrive before services on Sabbath and Festivals to recite Psalms. All of the responsa start: וסאלת; Fol.37 is blank except for the signature of one of the owners, Jacob ben Isaac ha-Levi, who presented it to his only son (37r). The verso was used as scrap paper for recording accounts, in Judeo-Arabic. Condition: consecutive, complete; restored; bifolia and fascicles erroneously reconstructed. United States Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania Center for Advanced Judaic Studies Library Cairo Genizah Collection Halper 121 https://franklin.library.upenn.edu/catalog/FRANKLIN_9940418103503681 Judeo-Arabic Gaonic responsa in Judeo-Arabic Ḥefeẓ ben Yaẓliʾaḥ, 10th cent. former owner Hai ben Sherira, 939-1038 האי בן שרירא, גאון, 939-1038 Gaon, Hay, 939-1038 Ḥay ben Šerira Gaʾon, 939-1038 Hai ben Sherira Gaon 0939-1038 Hai Ben Sherira Gaʾon 939-1038 Hai Gaon Gaon zu Pumbedita Sherira, Hai ben, 939-1038 Gaʻon, Hai, 939-1038

Paper

 17.6 X 13.5 cm Columns: 1; lines: 19. Material applied: black ink

11th century-12th century?

Orient Cairo Genizah Collection (University of Pennsylvania. Center for Advanced Judaic Studies. Library). Cairo Genizah Collection (Dropsie College. Library). Adler. Jacob ben Isaac ha-Levi. Responsa , 1040-1600