Gaon (, ''gā'ōn'', , plural geonim, , ''gĕ'ōnīm'') was originally a formal title for the

Geonim ''Geonim'' (; ; also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated Gaonim, singular Gaon) were the presidents of the two great Talmudic Academies in Babylonia, Babylonian Talmudic Academies of Sura Academy , Sura and Pumbedita Academy , Pumbedita, in t ...

, heads of Talmudic academies in the 6th–11th century. Since the

rishonic period ''Rishonim'' (; ; sing. , ''Rishon'') were the leading rabbis and ''poskim'' who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the ''Shulchan Aruch'' (, "Set Table", a common printed code of Jewish law, ...

, many great rabbis, whether or not they head academies, are often lauded with this

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), h ...

as a mark of respect; for example, one may refer to

Ovadia Yosef Ovadia Yosef (, ; September 24, 1920 – October 7, 2013) also known as Maran (Hebrew language, Hebrew: מרן) "Our Master", was an History of the Jews in Iraq#Otoman rule, Iraqi-born Talmudic scholar, hakham, posek, and the Sephardi Jews, Sephar ...

as "HaGaon Ovadia Yosef".

Modern Hebrew Modern Hebrew (, or ), also known as Israeli Hebrew or simply Hebrew, is the Standard language, standard form of the Hebrew language spoken today. It is the only surviving Canaanite language, as well as one of the List of languages by first w ...

reuses the word as an equivalent for "genius" based on phonetic similarity.

Etymology

It may have originated as a shortened version of "Rosh Yeshivat Ge'on Ya'akov", although there are alternative explanations.Jewish Virtual Library — Gaon
/ref> In

Ancient Hebrew Ancient Hebrew (ISO 639-3 code ) is a blanket term for pre-modern varieties of the Hebrew language: * Paleo-Hebrew (such as the Siloam inscription), a variant of the Phoenician alphabet * Biblical Hebrew (including the use of Tiberian vocalization ...

, it referred to arrogance and haughty pride ( – "I abhor the pride of

Jacob Jacob, later known as Israel, is a Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions. He first appears in the Torah, where he is described in the Book of Genesis as a son of Isaac and Rebecca. Accordingly, alongside his older fraternal twin brother E ...

and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it.") and, according to another explanation, it later became known as a general term for pride, and the title was used as "Pride f.

Examples

One of the

during the period 589–1040. Prominent Geonim include: *

Yehudai Gaon Yehudai ben Nahman (or Yehudai Gaon; Hebrew: יהודאי גאון, sometimes: Yehudai b. Nahman) was the head of the yeshiva in Sura from 757 to 761, during the Geonic period of Judaism. He was originally a member of the academy of Pumbedita, b ...

(Gaon 757–761) * Sar Shalom Ben Boaz (Gaon 838–848) *

Natronai ben Hilai Natronai ben Hilai ( or Natronai the Gaon, ; Full name: Natronai ben Hilai ben Mari) was Gaon "head rabbi" of the Sura Academy of Rabbinic Judaism in Lower Mesopotamia from 857 until 865. He held this post for ten years. He is responsible for mo ...

, Gaon of Sura (Gaon to 857) *

Amram Gaon Amram bar Sheshna or Amram Gaon ( or ; died 875) was a gaon or head of the Academy of Sura in Lower Mesopotamia in the ninth century. He authored many responsa, but his chief work was liturgical. He was the first to arrange a complete liturg ...

, Gaon of Sura (Gaon 857–875) *

Saadia Gaon Saʿadia ben Yosef Gaon (892–942) was a prominent rabbi, Geonim, gaon, Jews, Jewish philosopher, and exegesis, exegete who was active in the Abbasid Caliphate. Saadia is the first important rabbinic figure to write extensively in Judeo-Arabic ...

(882/892 – 942) *

Zemah ben Hayyim Zemah ben Hayyim (), or sometimes Zemah b. Hayyim, was Gaon of Sura A ''surah'' (; ; ) is an Arabic word meaning 'chapter' in the Quran. There are 114 ''suwar'' in the Quran, each divided into verses (). The ''suwar'' are of unequal length; ...

(Gaon 889–895) *

Sherira Gaon Sherira bar Hanina (), more commonly known as Sherira Gaon (; ), was the gaon of the Pumbedita Academy in Lower Mesopotamia. He was one of the most prominent geonim of the period. His son Hai succeeded him as gaon. He wrote the '' Iggeret of ...

(906–1006) * Samuel ben Hofni (died 1034) *

Hai Gaon Hai ben Sherira (), better known as Hai Gaon (), was a medieval Jewish theologian, rabbi and scholar who served as Gaon of the Talmudic academy of Pumbedita during the early 11th century. He was born in 939 and died on March 28, 1038. He receiv ...

(939–1038) A honorific title given to a few leading rabbis of other countries in the same period, such as: *

Achai Gaon Achai Gaon (also known as Ahai of Shabḥa or Aha of Shabḥa, Hebrew: רב אחא �חאימשַׁבָּחָא) was a leading scholar during the period of the Geonim, an 8th-century Talmudist of high renown. He enjoys the distinction of being th ...

(?-753-?) *

Nissim Gaon Nissim ben Jacob (), also known as Nissim Gaon (; 990–1062), was a rabbi and Gaon best known today for his Talmudic commentary ha-Mafteach, by which title he is also known. Biography Rav Nissim studied at the Kairouan Yeshiva, initially un ...

(990–1062) Specific

rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

s of later periods, called "gaon", include: * The

Vilna Gaon Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, ( ''Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman''), also known as the Vilna Gaon ( ''Der Vilner Goen''; ; or Elijah of Vilna, or by his Hebrew acronym Gr"a ("Gaon Rabbenu Eliyahu": "Our great teacher Elijah"; Sialiec, April 23, 172 ...

(1720–1797) * The

Rogatchover Gaon Joseph Rosen (, ''Yosef Rosin''; 1858 – 5 March 1936) known as the Rogatchover Gaon (Genius of Rogachev) and Tzofnath Paneach (Decipherer of Secrets—the title of his main work), was an Ashkenazi rabbi and one of the most prominent talmud ...

(1858–1936) * The Steipler Gaon (1899–1985)

References

Hebrew language Orthodox rabbinic roles and titles {{Hebrew-lang-stub

Etymology

Examples

See also

References