Q&A: Authority of the Geonic Enactments
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Authority of the Geonic Enactments
Question
What is the authority of Rabbeinu Gershom’s enactments and the Geonic enactments?
For example, the Rashba writes: “The Geonim, who agreed and enacted several enactments, and all Israel follows them, for they were like a religious court for Israel.” But there were no ordained judges then, so doesn’t the court lack legal validity?
Answer
Even in the Talmudic period there were no ordained judges, and still, when the Jewish people accept its authority over themselves, that has legal validity. See Beit Yishai – Homilies, sec. 15, at length. The validity of these enactments comes from the authority accepted by the community.