Description:
Sa'adyah Gaon was an outstanding tenth-century Jewish thinker who was a pioneer in the fields in which he toiled and an inspiration for later Jewish writers. This study brings out the revolutionary aspects of his writing and its characteristic features while setting it in the context of his times, with each aspect of his work being considered in turn. An Epilogue sums up his importance in medieval Jewish culture.
Brief description: Robert Brody is Professor of Talmud at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and has taught at Yale and Harvard universities. He is also the author of 'The Responsa of Natronai bar Hilai Gaon' (1994, second edition 2011), which was awarded the Jerusalem Prize for Rabbinic Literature, and 'The Geonim of Babylonia and the Shaping of Medieval Jewish Culture' (1998), which received a National Jewish Book Award.
Review Quotes:
'Brody's contributions to our knowledge of Jewish biblical exegesis and intellectual history are commendable, offering rich material for both students and scholars alike.' Deborah Kaye, Religious Studies Review