Saadiah Gaon and the Transmission of his Tafsīr

Abstract

Saadiah Gaon (882–942 CE) is counted among the most influential scholars of Judaeo-Arabic culture. His translation of the Tora into Arabic, which was produced in the first third of the tenth century initially as part of a commentary, is known as the Tafsīr (Ar. literally commentary), is in the centre of this contribution. It examines what happened to the Tafsīr as it moved further from its context of origin. It is, thus, concerned with the transmission of the text, through Jewish, Samaritan, Christian, and Muslim branches, with further geographical and chronological sub-divisions. This contribution investigates the changes that occurred both in the physical appearance of manuscripts and also in the text and its contexts of use.