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<infobox class="Parshan">
 
<infobox class="Parshan">
 
<title>R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon</title>
 
<title>R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon</title>
−
 
 
<row>
 
<row>
 
<label>Name</label>
 
<label>Name</label>
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<li><b>Name</b> – R. Samuel b. Ḥofni Gaon
 
<li><b>Name</b> – R. Samuel b. Ḥofni Gaon
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
−
<li><b>Hebrew name</b> –&#160;ר' שמואל בן חפני גאון (הכהן), רשבח"ג</li>
+
<li><b>Hebrew name</b> –&#160;ר' שמואל בן חפני גאון</li>
−
<li><b>_ name</b> –&#160;</li>
 
−
</ul>
 
−
</li>
 
−
<li><b>Dates</b> – 9??-1013</li>
 
−
<li><b>Location</b> –&#160;Pumbedita</li>
 
−
<li><b>Education</b> – Unknown</li>
 
−
<li><b>Occupation</b> –&#160;Av Beit Din and Gaon of Sura Yeshivah</li>
 
−
<li><b>Family</b> – R' Hofni had one son and two daughters (one daughter was wife of Hai Gaon and the other the mother of Abu Sa’ad)</li>
 
−
<li><b>Teachers</b> –&#160;Unknown</li>
 
−
<li><b>Contemporaries</b> –&#160;Sherira ben Hananiah</li>
 
−
<li><b>Students</b> – Unknown</li>
 
−
<li><b>Time period</b> –&#160;Gaonic period
 
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>–</li>
 
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</li>
 
</li>
−
<li><b>World outlook</b> – Mutazili</li>
+
<li><b>Dates</b> – 930/940s<fn>See Skalre, <i>Samuel ben Hofni Gaon: His Life and Works</i>. Brill: 1996, pp. 3-5</fn> - 1013<fn>Mann, J. "The Last Geonim of Sura." <i>Jewish Quarterly Review,</i>&#160;Vol. 11, 1920, pp. 409-422.</fn></li>
 +
<li><b>Location</b> –&#160;Baghdad<fn>Although head of the Yeshiva of&#160;Sura was originally located elsewhere,&#160;by the time of R. Saadia Gaon's tenure the yeshiva had moved to Baghdad. See for example, the letter written by R. Saadia writing "as the head of the Yeshiva of Mehasia located in Baghdad," in&#160;Lewin, <i>Ginzey Qedem</i>, 2:33–35. Regarding the locations of the Geonic yeshivas, see Brody,&#160;<i>The geonim of Babylonia and the shaping of medieval Jewish culture.</i> Yale University Press, 1998, pp. 35-38</fn></li>
 +
<li><b>Education</b> – He was educated in the yeshiva of Sura which he would later head.<fn>See the letter published in Lewin's edition of <i>Iggeret Rav Sherira Gaon</i>, pp. 133-134, where the young Shemuel is mentioned as a young member of the Sura Academy.</fn></li>
 +
<li><b>Occupation</b> –&#160;Av Beit Din and Gaon of Yeshivat Sura</li>
 +
<li><b>Family</b> –&#160;Hofni, Shmuel's father, was the Av Beit Din of the Yeshiva of Sura, which was headed by the Gaon, Shemuel's uncle, Nehemiah. Shmuel had (at least) one son named Israel and two daughters,<fn>Sklare, pp. 7-11</fn> one of whom was married to&#160;<a href="R. Hayyei Gaon" data-aht="parshan">R. Hai Gaon</a>, son of R. Sherira Gaon.<fn>See the letter published in&#160;Mann, <i>Texts and Studies&#160;Vol. 1, </i>Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1931, p. 158, where R. Shmuel ben Hofni refers to the peace made between himself and R. Sherira through the marriage of their children: נעשה שלום בינינו וביניו גם עם גאון חתננו יאמצהו מגננו והיינו שלשתנו כאחד ונתחנו בנו בנו ונשא בתנו. This is also attested to in many other sources, such as R. Avraham b. Daud's&#160;<i>Sefer ha-Kabbalah</i></fn></li>
 +
<li><b>Contemporaries</b> – R. Sherira ben Hananiah</li>
 +
<li><b>Time period</b> – Some sources indicate that R. Shemuel was among the last Geonim (head of the Yeshiva) of Sura. However, it is known that after his death, the Yeshiva was headed by Dosa son of&#160;<a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">R. Saadia Gaon</a>, and after that, by R. Shmuel ben Hofni's son Israel.<fn>Mann, J. "The Last Geonim of Sura." <i>Jewish Quarterly Review,</i> Vol. 11, 1920, pp. 409-422.</fn></li>
 +
<li><b>World outlook</b> – R. Shemuel ben Hofni was likely the most prolific author&#160;of the Geonim, having written at least 60 books, and he was also among&#160;their&#160;most intellectually daring.&#160;In several passages, he&#160;demonstrates that he is aware of&#160;this individualistic worldview and willingness to deviate from the accepted opinions of his predecessors, although he is also willing to admit when he makes a mistake.<fn>Skalre, pp. 38-42</fn></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
 
<subcategory>Works
 
<subcategory>Works
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
−
<li><b>Biblical commentaries</b> –&#160;Genesis (second half), Numbers (entire book), Deuteronomy (first half), and possibly entire Pentateuch&#160;</li>
+
<li><b>Biblical commentaries</b> – Bereshit (2nd half), Bemidbar, Devarim</li>
−
<li><b>Rabbinics</b> –&#160;
+
<li><b>Rabbinics</b>: <br/>
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
−
<li><b>Talmudic novellae</b> –&#160;Commentaries on Tractates Yevamot, Ketubbot (first part), and Shabbat (part of first chapter), and Introduction to the Study of Mishnah and Talmud</li>
+
<li><b>Talmudic novellae</b> –&#160;Commentaries on Bavli Shabbat, Yevamot, Ketubot, and Introduction to the Study of Mishnah and Talmud</li>
−
<li><b>Halakhic codes</b> – Treatises (Kitabot) on Oaths; Possessions; Payment of Debts; Sales; Attainment of Legal Majority and Puberty; Gifts; Proxy; Laws of Marriage; Bills of Exchange; Divorce; Laws of Levirate Marriage; Laws of Leasing Rivers,Irrigation Canals and Wells; Obligations of Judges; Laws of Neighbors; Laws of Dowries; Support Payments; Surety and Guarantees; Laws of Acquisition; Division; Pawning; Testimony; Abutter’s Rights; Laws of Conditions; Partnerships and Limited Partnerships; Laws of Ritual Fringes; Period of Waiting to Remarry after a Woman is Widowed or Divorced; Laws of Found Objects; Bails; Use of Force (?); Concerning the Prayer Leader; Illegal Seizure; Allegations and Evidence; Deposits; Wills; Legal Guardianship; Punishments; Impure Things; Inheritances; Loans; Defects (?); Missing Persons; Wounds (?): and Obligation (?). Chapters on Slaughtering and Examination and Chapters on Forbidden Foods; Chapters on Blessings; Chapters on Testimony.</li>
+
<li><b>Halakhic codes</b> – many treatises on various subjects</li>
−
<li><b>Responses to the works of others</b> – None</li>
+
<li><b>Responsa</b> – several found in collections of Geonic responsa</li>
−
<li><b>Responsa</b> –&#160;can be found in Sha’arey Zedeq, Sha’arey Teshuvah, Halakhot Pesuqot la-Geonim, Responsen (Muller), Responsa (Harkavy), Ginzei Schechter, and elsewhere</li>
 
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</li>
 
</li>
−
<li><b>Jewish thought</b> – None</li>
 
−
<li><b>Misattributed works</b> – None</li>
 
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
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<subcategory>Characteristics
 
<subcategory>Characteristics
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
−
<li><b>Verse by verse / Topical</b> –&#160;Ben Hofni’s commentary does not comment on every pasuk in the Torah. Although it is organized in order of the pasuk being commented on, the commentary is very selective in the issues it addresses</li>
+
<li><b>Verse by verse / Topical</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Genre</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Genre</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Structure</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Structure</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Language</b> – Hebrew</li>
 
<li><b>Language</b> – Hebrew</li>
−
<li><b>Peshat and derash</b> – Peshat</li>
+
<li><b>Peshat and derash</b> –&#160;</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
 
<subcategory>Methods
 
<subcategory>Methods
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
−
<li>–&#160;The verses are examined for any textual anomalies, and these anomalies are explained from a rational point of view in keeping with the simple meaning of the text</li>
+
<li>The verses are examined for any textual anomalies, and these anomalies are explained from a rationalist point of view in keeping with the simple meaning of the text.</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
 
<subcategory>Themes
 
<subcategory>Themes
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>– There seems to be a focus on grammatical issues in the text, as well as putting the words in grammatical context (commentary on Genesis Ch. 37).</li>
 
−
</ul>
 
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
 
<subcategory>Textual Issues
 
<subcategory>Textual Issues
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
−
<li><b>Manuscripts</b> –&#160;Ben Hofni’s commentary on the Torah is not currently extant in its entirety. At this time, we have his commentary on the second half of Bereshit, all of Bemidbar, and the first half of Devarim.</li>
+
<li><b>Manuscripts</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Printings</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Printings</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Textual layers</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Textual layers</b> –&#160;</li>
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<subcategory>Significant Influences
 
<subcategory>Significant Influences
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
−
<li><b>Earlier Sources</b> –&#160;Like many Gaonim, Ben Hofni was heavily influenced by Arabic culture. Thus, he displays an individualist intellectual personality, a rationalist theology and epistemology, a pronounced antipathy towards aggadah, and an intellectual openness to being wrong. He even acknowledges his own originality and innovation in a letter dated 985. At the same time, he took pains to respond to and criticize the hyper-textualism of the Karaites and to justify the authority of Hazal to determine halakha</li>
+
<li><b>Earlier Sources</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Teachers</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Teachers</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Foils</b> –&#160;</li>
 
<li><b>Foils</b> –&#160;</li>
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<subcategory>Later exegetes
 
<subcategory>Later exegetes
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
−
<li>– The verses are examined for any textual anomalies, and these anomalies are explained from a rational point of view in keeping with the simple meaning of the text</li>
+
<li>R. Yonah in Janah</li>
−
</ul>
+
<li>Ibn Ezra</li>
−
</subcategory>
 
−
<subcategory>Supercommentaries
 
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>– Unknown</li>
 
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>

Latest revision as of 19:01, 9 November 2024

R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon – Intellectual Profile

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R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon
Name
R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon
ר' שמואל בן חפני גאון (הכהן), רשבח"ג
Dates9??-1013
LocationBaghdad
WorksCommentary and translation on Torah, Halakhic works
Exegetical CharacteristicsRationalist
Influenced byR. Saadia
Impacted on

Background

Life

  • Name – R. Samuel b. Ḥofni Gaon
    • Hebrew name – ר' שמואל בן חפני גאון
  • Dates – 930/940s1 - 10132
  • Location – Baghdad3
  • Education – He was educated in the yeshiva of Sura which he would later head.4
  • Occupation – Av Beit Din and Gaon of Yeshivat Sura
  • Family – Hofni, Shmuel's father, was the Av Beit Din of the Yeshiva of Sura, which was headed by the Gaon, Shemuel's uncle, Nehemiah. Shmuel had (at least) one son named Israel and two daughters,5 one of whom was married to R. Hai Gaon, son of R. Sherira Gaon.6
  • Contemporaries – R. Sherira ben Hananiah
  • Time period – Some sources indicate that R. Shemuel was among the last Geonim (head of the Yeshiva) of Sura. However, it is known that after his death, the Yeshiva was headed by Dosa son of R. Saadia Gaon, and after that, by R. Shmuel ben Hofni's son Israel.7
  • World outlook – R. Shemuel ben Hofni was likely the most prolific author of the Geonim, having written at least 60 books, and he was also among their most intellectually daring. In several passages, he demonstrates that he is aware of this individualistic worldview and willingness to deviate from the accepted opinions of his predecessors, although he is also willing to admit when he makes a mistake.8

Works

  • Biblical commentaries – Bereshit (2nd half), Bemidbar, Devarim
  • Rabbinics:
    • Talmudic novellae – Commentaries on Bavli Shabbat, Yevamot, Ketubot, and Introduction to the Study of Mishnah and Talmud
    • Halakhic codes – many treatises on various subjects
    • Responsa – several found in collections of Geonic responsa

Torah Commentary

Characteristics

  • Verse by verse / Topical – 
  • Genre – 
  • Structure – 
  • Language – Hebrew
  • Peshat and derash – 

Methods

  • The verses are examined for any textual anomalies, and these anomalies are explained from a rationalist point of view in keeping with the simple meaning of the text.

Themes

Textual Issues

  • Manuscripts – 
  • Printings – 
  • Textual layers – 

Sources

Significant Influences

  • Earlier Sources – 
  • Teachers – 
  • Foils – 

Occasional Usage

  • –

Possible Relationship

  • –

Impact

Later exegetes

  • R. Yonah in Janah
  • Ibn Ezra
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