Sar Shalom ben Boaz
Rav Sar Shalom ben Boaz (Hebrew: רב שר שלום בן בועז; d. 859 or 864) also known as Sar Shalom Gaon was the Gaon of Sura from 838 to 848. He was one of the most prolific writers of his time, having more than one hundred responsa attributed to him. He is known for his unusually lenient and tolerant attitude towards Halakha which defined his tenure as Gaon, as well as left an impact on the complexion of Babylonian Jewry.
Biography
Rav Sar Shalom was elected to the Gaonate in 838, succeeding Kohen Tzedek ben Abimai. In 853, he was succeeded as Gaon of Sura by Natronai ben Hilai. He shortly died thereafter, passing away in either 859 or 864 in Sura.[1]
Teachings
During his time as Gaon, Rav Sar Shalom established a close and extensive relationships with other Jewish communities, such as those in Rome, Spain and especially Kairouan to which many of his responsa where addressed. In many of said responsa, he warned the people not to establish halakhic institutions which they would not be able to observe, and if he heard that a community had restricted itself by a vow which it later felt unable to comply with, he would use the authority of his office to rescind it.[2]
In almost all of his responsa to neighbouring communities, Rav Sar Shalom writes in a friendly and non condescending tone despite his esteemed position. In halakhic cases, he often points out the differences between Sura and Pumbedita, letting each community choose which academy's view suits them best. Furthermore, he would go on to explain in great detail his halakhic reasoning, so that each community could learn the processes of paskening (halakic decision making).
His responsa also clearly show that Rav Sar Shalom was very tolerant toward non-Jews; he explicitly prohibited taking advantage of, or in any way infringing upon the rights of, gentiles, even when there was no Chillul Hashem.[3] Despite his mild and tolerant disposition, he was adamantly against money lenders,[4] and encouraged the severe punishment of those men who treat their wives poorly or those women who are rebellious toward their husbands.[5]
He often interpreted the Bible symbolically. In one particular case, he explained that the thirty cubits length of the upper curtains of the Temple represented the thirty generations from Isaac to King Zedekiah, who witnessed the destruction of Solomon's Temple. Similarly, he also states that the Temple menorah consisting of twenty-five parts symbolizes the twenty-five generations from Adam to Moses.[6][7]
References
- ^ "Sar Shalom ben Boaz". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- ^ Toratan shel Rishonim i. 47
- ^ "Sha'are Ẓedeḳ," (Salonica, 1792) Part iv, Gate 1, No. 7
- ^ "Sha'are Ẓedeḳ," (Salonica, 1792) Part iv, Gate 2, No. 3-4
- ^ "Sha'are Ẓedeḳ," (Salonica, 1792) Part i, Gate 6, No. 3-5
- ^ "SAR SHALOM BEN BOAZ - JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- ^ Rustow, Marina (2010-10-01). "Sar Shalom ben Boaz". Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World.
Preceded by | Gaon of the Sura Academy 843-853 | Succeeded by |
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- Hanan of Iskiya
- Mari ben R. Dimi
- Rav Hana (Huna)
- Rav Rabbah (Rava, Ravah)
- Rav Bosai (Bostanai)
- Huna Mari ben Mar Joseph
- Hiyya of Meshan
- Rav Rabya (Moronai)
- Natronai ben Nehemiah
- Judah Gaon
- Joseph Gaon
- Samuel ben Mar Mari
- Natroi Kahana b. Emuna
- Abraham Kahana
- Dodai ben Nahman (Rav Dorai)
- Hananya ben Mesharsheya
- Malka ben Aha
- Rabba ben Dodai
- Rav Shinwai
- Haninai Kahana ben Abraham
- Haninai Kahana ben Abraham
- Huna ben ha-Levi ben Isaac
- Manasseh ben Joseph
- Isaiah ha-Levi ben Abba
- Joseph ben Shila
- Kahana ben Haninai Gaon
- Abumai Kahana ben Abraham
- Joseph ben Abba
- Abraham ben Sherira
- Joseph ben Mar Hiyya
- Isaac ben Hananiah
- Joseph ben Abba
- Paltoi ben Abaye
- Aha Kahana ben Mar Rav
- Menahem ben Joseph ben Hiyya
- Mattithiah ha-Kohen b. Ravrevay b. Hanina
- Abba ben Ammi
- Zemah ben Paltoi
- Hai ben David
- Kimoi ben Ahhai
- Mebasser Kahana ben Kimoi
- Kohen Tzedek Kahana ben Joseph
- Zemah ben Kafnai
- Hananiah ben Yehudai
- Aaron ibn Sargado
- Nehemiah ben Kohen Tzedek
- Sherira Gaon
- Hai Gaon
- Hezekiah Gaon
- Mar ben Huna
- Hanina (Hinenai)
- Rav Hunai (Huna)
- Rav Sheshna (Mesharsheya b. Tahlifa)
- Hanina of Nehar Pekkod (Hinenai)
- Hillai of Naresh
- Jacob of Nehar Pekod
- Rav Samuel
- Mari ha-Kohen of Nehar Pekod
- Achai Gaon
- Yehudai Gaon
- Ahhunai Kahana ben Papa
- Haninai Kahana ben Huna
- Mari ha-Levi ben Mesharsheya
- Bebai ha-Levi ben Abba of Nehar Pekod
- Hilai ben Mari
- Jacob ha-Kohen ben Mordecai
- Rav Abimai
- Zadok ben Ashi (Issac ben Jesse)
- Hilai ben Hananiah
- Kimoi ben Ashi
- Mesharsheya Kahana ben Jacob
- Kohen Tzedek ben Abimai
- Sar Shalom ben Boaz
- Natronai ben Hilai
- Amram Gaon
- Nahshon ben Zadok
- Zemah ben Hayyim
- Rav Malka
- Hai ben Nahshon
- Hilai ben Natronai ben Hilai
- Shalom ben Mishael
- Jacob ben Natronai
- Yom-Tob Kahana ben Jacob
- Saadia ben Joseph (Saadia Gaon)
- Joseph ben Jacob
- Zemah Tzedek ben Paltoi ben Issac
- Samuel ben Hofni
- Dosa ben Saadia
- Israel ha-Kohen ben Samuel ben Hofni
- Azariah ha-Kohen ben Israel
- Isaac ben Moses ben Sukkari
- Eli ha-Levi
- Solomon (Gaon)
- Samuel ben Ali
- Zechariah ben Berakhel
- Eleazer ben Hillel ben Fahd
- Daniel ben Eleazer ben Hibat Allah
- Hibat Allah ben Abil Rabi
- Isaac ben al-Awani ha-Cohen
- Isaac ben Israel Ibn al-Shuwaykh
- Ali ben Zechariah
- Samuel ben Daniel ha-Cohen
- Pinhas ben Jacob ha-Cohen
- Jehoshaphat ben Josiah
- Semah ben Josiah
- Aaron ben Moses ben Meir
- Isaac (Gaon)
- Aaron ben Meir
- Abraham ben Aaron
- Aaron ha-Cohen (Gaon)
- Joseph ben Ezrun ha-Cohen
- Ezrun
- Samuel ben Joseph ha-Cohen
- Jose ben Samuel ha-Cohen
- Shemaya Gaon
- Josiah ben Aaron
- Solomon ben Joseph ha-Cohen
- Solomon ben Judah (Gaon)
- Daniel ben Azariah
- Elijah ben Solomon ha-Cohen
- Abiathar ben Elijah ha-Cohen
- Solomon ben Elijah ha-Cohen
- Masliah ben Solomon ha-Cohen
- Moses ben Netanel ha-Levi
- Abraham ben Mazhir
- Netanel ben Moses ha-Levi
- Sar Shalom ben Moses ha-Levi
- Ezra ben Abraham
- Sar Shalom ben Abraham
- Sadoq
- Mar Isaac of Firuz Shabur
- Achai Gaon
- Simeon Kayyara