Gaon (Hebrew)

Gaon (gā'ōn) (Hebrew גאון) (plural geonim — gĕ'ōnīm) may have originated as a shortened version of "rosh yeshivat ge'on Ya'akov", although there are other proposed explanations. It referred in Ancient Hebrew to arrogance and haughty pride (Amos 6:8). Later became known as pride in general: whether good or bad ('Pride [of]'; Late medieval and modern Hebrew for 'genius'). Today it may refer to:

• One of the Geonim, that is to say the heads of the two major academies, at Pumbedita and Sura, and later in Baghdad, during the period 589-1040. Prominent Geonim include:
  • Sar Shalom
  • Natronai II, Gaon of Sura (Gaon to 857)
  • Amram Gaon, Gaon of Sura (Gaon 857-875)
  • Hai Gaon
  • Saadia Gaon
  • Sherira Gaon
  • Yehudai Gaon
  • Samuel ben Hofni
• An honorific title given to a few leading rabbis of other countries in the same period, such as:
  • Nissim Gaon (990-1062)
• Specific rabbis of later periods, called "gaon":
  • The Vilna Gaon
  • The Rogatchover Gaon
  • The Steipler Gaon

Many great Rabbis (e.g., Rabbi Yosef Kapach), although not formally referred to as the "Gaon of ...", are nonetheless sometimes lauded with this honorific as a mark of respect, and as a means to indicate greatness.

See also

• Genius (disambiguation)