Twelfth Century, ed. Robert L. Benson and Giles Constable.
Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1991, pp. 387–417.
Meuthen, Erich. Kirche und Heilsgeschichte bei Gerhoh von
Reichersberg. Leiden: Brill, 1959.
Morrison, Karl F. “The Exercise of Thoughtful Minds: The
Apocalypse in Some German Historical Writings,” in The
Apocalypse in the Middle Ages, ed. Richard K. Emmerson
and Bernard McGinn. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press,
1992, pp. 352–373.
Michael FrassettoGERSHOM B. JUDAH (c. 960–1028)
Gershom b. Judah, better known as Rabbenu (“our
rabbi”) Gershom, Me’or ha-golah (“the light of the
exile”), is generally recognized as the founding father of
rabbinic studies in northern Europe. [In his responsum
dealing with the fi rst ordinance, “Rashi” made the state-
ment that Gershom “enlightened the eyes of the exile,
and all of us live by his words; and all the children of
the exile of Germany and Rome [Kiyttiym; cf. “Rashi”
on Isa. 23.1] are the students of his students” (Teshuvot
hokhmey. S.arfat ve-Lotir, Vienna, 1881; No. 21)—ed.].
He was born ca. 960, probably in Metz (Germany), but
spent most of his active life in Mainz, which was then
the most important Jewish community of the Rhineland.
His greatness was acknowledged at an early stage, and
many students, including the future teachers of “Rashi,”
gathered around him and spread his teachings. Thus,
Mainz soon became the center of Jewish learning. It
is not very clear where he himself had studied, but it
would seem that he was near scholars who originated
in Italy. There is very little information about his life.
He is reported to have died in 1028.
His activities were numerous. His teaching of the
Talmud resulted in talmudic commentary, inasmuch as
his students very probably summarized his teachings
in their notes. Some of these commentaries have been
published in modern times under his name, but it is very
doubtful that they originated from him in their present
form. Successive generations of students very probably
completed, amplifi ed, and occasionally summarized his
commentary, while applying their own additions, but it
can be admitted that this commentary, probably called
the Mainz commentary, ultimately was the pathfi nder of
European talmudic commentaries, later superseded by
that of “Rashi.” Gershom was also active as a liturgical
poet; ten of his seliyhot. (penitential poems) have been
preserved [legend has it that his son and possibly his wife
were forcibly baptized—ed.]. However, his reputation to-
day rests more on his public activities than his teachings.
His name is connected with a number of bans or
taqqanot (ordinances) that exerted enormous infl uence
on the evolution of European Jewry. Most important
are those dealing with family life. These include the
interdiction of polygamy, and against divorce without
consent of the wife. These decisions were intended to
bar other possibilities [without seeming to create new
law, not found in the Talmud]. It has been remarked that
during the following generations these decrees were not
attributed to him but were designated as community or-
dinances. Some have deduced from this that he was not
their author, but that his name was connected with them
later in order to enhance their authority. Such an explana-
tion does not seem necessary; the fact that such measures
required the decision of a community does not preclude
the fact that Gershom suggested the ordinances and was
active in having them accepted. There is therefore no
reason to deny him his part in their authorship. It should
nevertheless be kept in mind that these ordinances were
not accepted right away in all communities; the Spanish
communities, for example, did not recognize them. It
also took some time until they were generally enacted
in northern Europe. Their acceptance was facilitated
by the Christian doctrine on monogamy. It would also
seem that very soon the rather extreme nature of these
ordinances was recognized—that they did not take into
account some unusual situations that made divorce very
diffi cult, such as mental illness, or disappearance of the
wife—and therefore sometimes these ordinances were
deferred. Many other ordinances have been attributed
to Gershom. The only one that can be so attributed with
certainty—it is already quoted in his name by “Rashi”
—is the one that forbids reminding an apostate who has
made penance and returned to Judaism of his former
condition. The ordinance forbidding the reading of a
letter sent to someone else without his permission is
much later and cannot be attributed to Gershom.Further Reading
Ens. iqlopediah talmudit (Hebrew) (Jerusalem, 1987), Vol. 21,
378–454, 757–70.
Germania Judaica (Tübingen, 1963), Vol. 2, 189–91.
Grossman, Abraham. H okhmei. Ashkenaz ha-rishonim (Jerusa-
lem, 1981).
Simon SchwarzfuchsGERSON, JEAN
(Jean Charlier; 1363–1429)
Theologian, scholar, teacher, translator, poet, mystic,
and humanist, Gerson was one of the most illustrious
and prolifi c writers of the late Middle Ages. One of
twelve children, he grew up in a pious household in
Champagne, the son of an educated artisan. Three of his
brothers became monks and another a priest. Although
his sisters did not enter religious orders, they formed
among themselves an informal religious group devoted
to prayer and spiritual exercises. Gerson entered the
University of Paris in 1377 and received an arts degree
in 1381 from the Collège de Navarre. Subsequently, he
studied theology and obtained the doctorate in 1392.GERHOH OF REICHERSBERG