Gaon (Hebrew)

Gaon (Hebrew: גאון, gā'ōn, lit. 'pride', plural geonim, גְּאוֹנִים‎, gĕ'ōnīm) was originally a formal title for the Geonim, heads of Talmudic academies in the 6th-11th century. Since the rishonic period, many great rabbis,^[1] whether or not they head academies, are often lauded with this honorific as a mark of respect; for example, one may refer to Ovadia Yosef as "HaGaon Ovadia Yosef".^{[citation needed]} Modern Hebrew 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.^[2][3] In Ancient Hebrew, it referred to arrogance and haughty pride (Amos 6:8 – "I abhor the pride of Jacob 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 [of]".

Examples

One of the Geonim during the period 589–1040. Prominent Geonim include:

• Yehudai Gaon (Gaon 757–761)
• Sar Shalom Ben Boaz (Gaon 838–848)
• Natronai ben Hilai, Gaon of Sura (Gaon to 857)
• Amram Gaon, Gaon of Sura (Gaon 857–875)
• Saadia Gaon (882/892 – 942)
• Zemah ben Hayyim (Gaon 889–895)
• Sherira Gaon (906–1006)
• Samuel ben Hofni (died 1034)
• Hai Gaon (939–1038)

A honorific title given to a few leading rabbis of other countries in the same period, such as:

• Achai Gaon (?-753-?)
• Nissim Gaon (990–1062)

Specific rabbis of later periods, called "gaon," include:

• The Vilna Gaon (1720–1797)
• The Rogatchover Gaon (1858–1936)
• The Steipler Gaon (1899–1985)

See also

• Genius (disambiguation)

References

1. "ידיד נפשי המנוח הדגול, שייף עייל שייף נפיק, הגאון הגדול רבי יוסף קאפח זצ"ל." — Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in the Hebrew responsa book שו"ת הריב"ד קאפח, quoted in עלון אור ההליכות גליון חודש תמוז התשס"ט (page 3).
2. Jehoshua Brand , Simha Assaf and David Derovan (2007). "Gaon". In Berenbaum, Michael; Skolnik, Fred (eds.). Encyclopaedia Judaica. Vol. 7 (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference. p. 380. ISBN 978-0-02-866097-4.
3. Jewish Virtual Library — Gaon