Genizah

A Geniza [ geni ː za], usually written in German Genisa (Hebrew גניזה gənīzā, pl: Genizoth, with the meaning. Warehouse, depot, storage ), is a sometimes bricked cavity for storage of spent Jewish liturgical writings. Here were no longer readable Torah scrolls or other texts that are no longer used, stored closed. Texts that contain the Tetragrammaton (YHWH ) or other names of God, must not be thrown away. So important documents of the Jewish liturgy and Jewish history have survived. In addition, numerous profane writings came mostly in Judeo - Arabic.

Geniza of the Ben- Ezra Synagogue in Cairo

The most famous Geniza was located in Cairo and was founded in 1890 with a renovation of the Ben- Ezra Synagogue discovered that after its destruction under the Fatimid caliph Al- Haakim bi- amri ʾ had been rebuilt llāh († February 13, 1021 ) in 1025. In a separate cavity under the roof, which could be reached only by a ladder, were found during the last renovation around 200,000 documents from the year 800, such as The Book of Wisdom (Old Testament) in Hebrew or the famous Damascus Document whose parts were later also found in Qumran, a Yiddish manuscript with the fragment of a German heroic saga ( Dukus Horant ), marriage certificates and other mundane letters about the siege of Jerusalem ( Crusades ) enter from the perspective of the former Jewish population information. The room that was only accessible through a hatch, has been apparently never emptied from the 11th to the 19th centuries, while the stored collections from other synagogues have been solemnly from time to time " buried ". At the cemetery, in the so-called Basatin (gardens ), near the Ben- Ezra Synagogue, more stocks have been discovered.

The knowledge of the existence of the Cairo Geniza began to spread in the West since the second half of the 18th century. 1752 visited Simon of funds, a great-uncle of Heinrich Heine, Egypt and noted in his diary that he was in the synagogue and Elias have searched the local Geniza. On his second Middle East Expedition ( 1863-65 ) of the Karaite travelers and manuscript collector, Abraham Firkowitsch ( 1787-1874 ) from Russia visited in 1864 under the supervision of the Chief Rabbi Elias Israel Shirizly the Ben- Ezra Synagogue. He searched the local Geniza and brought many valuable manuscripts to his home Cufut Qale in the Crimea, from where they were in 1876, sold two years after his death, the Russian National Library in St. Petersburg and there to this day, with over 10,000 copies of the world's form the largest and most important collection of Judeo - Arabic manuscripts. Around the same time, in the late summer of 1864, the scholar Jacob Saphir from Jerusalem has spent two days in the synagogue and the parlous state of the Geniza room briefly described. Its roof had collapsed, the written materials covered with dust and stones. However, the content of the materials could not be examined in detail. The important for scientific research discovery is connected with the name of Solomon Schechter. He arrived in December 1896 in Cairo; after his acquaintance with the Cairo Chief Rabbi Raphael Aaron Ben Shim ʿ on (1848-1928), the Schechter asked to transfer the materials inventory for preservation to Cambridge, he had unrestricted access to the collection of the synagogue and was allowed from there take any amount. One of the most significant discoveries was then the identification of numerous fragments from the book by Simeon ben Jeshua ben Eleazar, who should employ research for decades.

The originals of the Cairo Genizah now scattered; for example ( only about 110,000 ) in the Taylor - Schechter Collection of the University Library Cambridge, Princeton University, where Prof. Mark R. Cohen (Near Eastern Studies Department) responsible research on the topic, in the Bodleian Library in Oxford and in Saint Petersburg. David Kaufmann († 1899) acquired approximately 700 pieces from the Cairo stock, which came into the possession of the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences after his death, by gift of the family. The American semitist and Professor of Rabbinic Literature Richard Gottheil described by William H. Worrell in the Freer Collection ( Washington DC) obtained Genizah fragments.

Fragments from the portfolio acquired in 1899 the German Orientalist Eugene Wednesday. With the exception of the liturgical texts and poems of some of the documents are in the Cairo Geniza in Arabic, but written with Hebrew letters. One of these fragments is acquired by E. Wednesday on four sides on the inadmissibility of employment with science. The discussion arose after the creation period of Maimonides, on the and his father the anonymous author makes some remarks.

The Cairo Geniza has contributed substantially to the understanding of both the medieval Jewish history and the scientific development of the Judeo - Arabic and knowledge of the culture of the Mediterranean. It is the merit of the orientalist Shlomo Dov Goitein, to have made ​​available with his five -volume work A Mediterranean Society these important public materials.

Not only the language of the most profane Genizah texts is Arabic; also the style and structure of many petitions, the so-called " beggar Letters" have been borrowed from the relevant literature of the Fatimid Arab suitors: a ) Introduction b) basmala, in Aramaic: bi - shmakh Rahmana, c ) blessings for the ruler; Expression of submission: the servant / Your slave kisses the ground, d ) Introduction, e) Application / Please, f ) Note that the decision rests solely with the Lord / Lord, g) statements. There are also letters in which the Islamic basmala in Arabic letters, once in Hebrew letters appears. These documents go back to the first half of the 12th century.

Structure and composition of these petitions and petitions in favor of a accepted in the 12th and 13th century practice of the petitioners, to thereby appeal in their emergencies to the charity of individuals or communities can. They are not to be equated with the so-called " deadbeat letters " that have emerged in the mid-17th century in Central and Eastern Europe.

A dictionary of the materials in the Geniza in Arabic by Goiteins A Mediterranean Society, the German orientalist Werner Diem and Hans -Peter Radenberg published in 1994 (see references ). The state of research in 1964, captured by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem bibliographic Shaul Shaked.

Genizafunde in Germany

Genizafunde been salvaged from the former synagogue buildings - In recent years, especially in southern Germany - and particularly in Franconia. One of the most comprehensive Frankish Genizoth is located in the Jewish Cultural Museum Veitshoechheim. The Veitshöchheimer Geniza was located in the attic of the former synagogue of Veitshoechheim and was occupied about 1730-1900. Numerous books and manuscripts are older, suggesting a long use of the texts. The written component is composed of religious writings as Bibles, prayer books, individual prayers or rabbinic interpretations together but also from non-religious literature such as fairy tales, devotional literature or historical treatises.

The literature that was found in the Geniza Veitshöchheimer is written mainly in Hebrew, Yiddish or German language. About a third of the texts are written in Hebrew, another third in Yiddish. Some German texts are written in Hebrew letters.

In addition to the printing units, to which was Morse Code, textbooks of the Hebrew language, pocket and wall calendars to be expected, even texts in German language (newspapers ), there is also a large part of handwritten texts. The majority of them are letters, rabbinic opinions, receipts, invoices or private records such as journals.

Also textiles such as Torawimpel, Tefillinbeutel, prayer shawls, kippot and other headgear and clothing or shoes were found.

The Veitshöchheimer Geniza may well exemplify for other localities in southern Germany because of its size. The importance lies in its complex component which can be unambiguously assigned to a particular socio- cultural environment. Furthermore, a dating and chronology by building data of the respective locality is quite possible. The show also other Genizafunde from Franconia as those from Urspringen, West at Home Hammelburg, Altenschönbach, Memmelsdorf or Mönchsroth.

In 1998 furnished Genizaprojekt Veitshoechheim all the Genizafunde have been spotted from the Lower Franconian synagogues and inventoried. Completed inventory of Genizoth of Urspringen ( district of Main-Spessart ), Altenschönbach ( district Kitzingen ), Memmelsdorf ( district Hassberge ) Wiesenbronn ( district Kitzingen ), Small Steinach ( district Hassberge ) Goßmannsdorf am Main ( district Würzburg) and Gaukönigshofen ( district of Würzburg). Subsequently, the project was extended to Upper Franconia: Completed here are the salvage and the inventory of discovered in the synagogue Bayreuth only in November 2009 Geniza well as a compilation of the very extensive Geniza Reckendorf and the two smaller finds from Lichtenfels and Altenkunstadt.

One of the largest finds of recent years, the Genisa Niederzissen dar. in the district of Ahrweiler, in Rhineland -Palatinate

Hidden manuscript heritage in binding fragments

As " Genizat Germania " is called at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, are cataloged in the Hebrew binding fragments in German archives and libraries a recent research project under the direction of Prof. Dr. Andreas Lehnardt. Although this is not a Genizah in the strict sense, but leave the results to be expected conclusions " about the composition of the Libraries of Ashkenazi Jewry at the end of the Middle Ages" to. Similar projects exist in other European countries; noteworthy is the " Ghenizà italiana ", which is researched since the early eighties under the direction of Mauro Perani (University of Bologna).

Genizah similar literature in Islam

The careful not deposit more readable typefaces that are " out of use ", is also known in the Islamic culture. This affects especially old copies of the Koran, or portions thereof, but also legal writings, the respected texts, such as Hadith, Tafseer (Qur'anic exegesis ), in which the name of God, the prophets and angels are included. The Turkish scholar Muhammad ibn Hamza al - Kūzal - hisari, known as Güzelhisari († 1704), who wrote exclusively in Arabic, wrote in 1697 a fatwa with the intention, according to senior sources from the 13th and 15th centuries, the regulations to summarize islam legally correct deposit no longer usable books. Besides the Qur'an copies ( masahif ) he mentions in general and religious writings ( kutub ad - dīn - books of religion).

According to his summary, based on the Hanafi opinion, it is permissible not to burn usable fonts after it has repaid the divine name and the names of the angels and prophets. Preferably, however, the cleaning of the scriptures, is wrapped in flowing water and their deposit in pure linen, in a grave, the underground side still a niche ( lahd ) has. The burning of Quran copies will be tolerated by the practice handed down the third caliph ʿ Uthman ibn Affan ʿ in legal theory only. Probably already in the early 8th century represented Medinan authorities of Hadith and Fiqh view, no longer to burn copies of the Koran useful. Some news about Ibn Abī Dāwūd as- Sidschistānī († 929 ), the son of Abū Dāwūd as- Sidschistānī compiled al - masahif in the last chapter of his Kitaab. Was the content of the book, as the Torah or Injeel, unknown, the leaves could be used after the deletion of the text as palimpsest again.

The Egyptian scholar al- Suyuti († 1505) mentions in his al - Itqan fī ʿ ulūm al -Qur ʾ ān in this context that the Caliph burn copies of the Koran ( masahif ), the abrogated verses of the Koran and interpretations ( ayat wa - Qira ʾ AT mansūḫa ) contained. Again, it is not permissible ( laa yaǧūzu ), copies of the Koran, or tear sheets of it, because it Letters are separated from each other, what the contempt of the written word equivalent (ie, the Word of God ).

According to the teachings of the Hanafi and Hanbali burial of Quran copies that are no longer legible takes place, just as the burial of Muslims. This engages you in the tradition of literature on the ancient practice of a student of ʿ Abd Allāh ibn ʿ Abbās († 688 ), Abū ʾ l - Ǧauzā, back, is said to have buried a ruined by moisture Koran in his private mosque in Medina. He followed the traditional tradition, the caliph ʿ Uthman dernach already ibn ʿ Affan († 656) copies of the Koran between the Prophet 's grave and the minbar, is said to have buried at the sacred site of the Prophet's Mosque. Burying no longer usable copies of the Koran is also recommended by Ibn Taymiyah († 1328 ) in his collection of legal opinions, al - Fatawa al - Kubra.

The burial of no longer usable sacred books is known, moreover, in many Jewish communities to the present day.

Güzelhisārī prohibited in his fatwa, Koran sheets that can no longer be used to use as cover, or as a kind of protection for other codices. This suggests that such a practice in his time at the latest may not have been unknown. Already the Andalusian Koranexeget al - Qurtubi, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Abī Bakr († 1273 in Upper Egypt) refers in the introduction to his monumental al - Ǧāmi ʿ li - Ahkam al -Qur ʾ ān to this practice in a specially for holiness ( hurma ) of the Qur'an chapter devoted to:

"On the Holiness of the Qur'an also heard that one the worn and decayed leaf ( it ) is not used to protect books. Because this is a common crime; Rather, you can sweep the blade with water. "

In contrast, the use of worn sheets to protect other writings, including for the purpose of the cover, allowed by some scholars. However, it depends on the content of the material used and the book to be protected; Leaves with historical content and comments can to protect Korans, books of Koranic exegesis and of fiqh are used, but not leaves of the beautiful - profane - literature.