The Cambridge Genizah Collections: Their Contents and Significance (Cambridge University Library Genizah Series) [Hardcover]

Stefan C. Reif (Editor), Shulamit Reif (Assistant)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521813611 | ISBN-13: 978-0521813617 | Publication Date: June 10, 2002

This collection of original contributions by an international group of experts summarizes recent developments in Genizah research. It begins with an overview of a century of work on the famous Taylor-Schechter Collection of Hebrew manuscripts at Cambridge University Library. The essays are an introduction to important intellectual, religious and social developments in the Jewish communities of the medieval Islamic world. They appeal to scholars with interests in Hebrew and Jewish studies, semitics, religious studies and aspects of medieval history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This volume is an admirable work on several levels...The contributors have clearly been chosen for their specific levels of expertise, and each original paper reflects a correspondingly high quality of scholarship...This is an excellent resource for any scholar or educated layperson with an interest in Genizah. Moreover, it encourages inquiry into several larger subjects, which are illuminated in the Genizah materials." John D. Brolley

Book Description

This collection of original contributions by an international group of experts summarizes recent developments in Genizah research. It begins with an overview of a century of work on the famous Taylor-Schechter Collection of Hebrew manuscripts at Cambridge University Library. The essays provide an introduction to important intellectual, religious and social developments in the Jewish communities of the medieval Islamic world. There are extensive indexes as well as 22 plates. It will appeal to those with interests in Hebrew and Jewish studies, Semitics, religious studies and aspects of medieval history.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (June 10, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521813611
• ISBN-13: 978-0521813617
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,519,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A useful volume of Genizah Studies, June 8, 2010

By 

Darrell Sutton - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cambridge Genizah Collections: Their Contents and Significance (Cambridge University Library Genizah Series) (Hardcover)

The Cambridge collections of Genizah materials may be the most overlooked items in the study of ancient fragments and scrolls. Why this is will remain a mystery for now. To be sure, the whole medieval world opens up as one pores over these texts, and the digital images available through the Cambridge Taylor-Schecter website are nice supplements to this volume of essays. The opening treatise surveys the significance of the genizah documents and situates them accordingly. Each of the following papers offers a specialized look into specific areas where further study is encouraged. The late M. Klein's article on "Targumic studies and the Cairo Genizah" sheds light-from the middle ages-on the Cain and Abel narrative (Genesis 4:8). H. Ben-Shammai wrote up the nice paper, "Medieval History and Religious Thought". In this he pays tribute to S.D. Goitein, the true doyen of Genizan-Mediterranean studies of years past. Be-Shammai proves that it is impossible to write a history of the Jews in Islamic lands during the middle ages unless one engages the genizah texts. This is a welcome edition for all scholars. All the papers are well written with many useful footnotes. Still, although these papers were presented in conference, the papers do retain the oral flavor of the scholarly participants. The final paper even contains a salute to ladies' voices from the past. In the article, "Women speak for themselves," J. Kraemer details the interesting relations women maintained, even literacy was advocated and encouraged in varying degrees among certain families. One importance of this particular paper is that a student is able to contrast Jewish legal issues with some of the predominant Islamic jurisprudence of the day.

This volume, I acquired and read many years ago. It seemed stranged that no one had offered a few words on this, though it is rich and full of material. Hopefully all who read through these printed lectures will be baited towards further Genizah studies and will become suitably acquainted with "their contents and significance." Stefan C. Reif is to be congratulated on this excellent gift for the educated citizen and scholar alike. The volume is beautifully bound in black hardcover. It has a red print-stamp upon which the title in gold type is embossed.