The basic question I hope to address is why the Gaonim and Rabbeinu Saadya (who was not yet a Gaon) crushed Ben Meir and didn’t address the issue of his specific change to the calendar.
My answer is that this event fits into a period of dysfunctional schism within Jewish history, coming after “Isla-Jewish” sects who hybridized Judaism and Islam, and the Karaites. His claim also smacked of Karaism, as he challenged rabbinic adjustment of the calendar and contested a basic masorah. Therefore, aside from the whole issue of Babylonian/Israeli authority, the Gaonim and Rabbeinu Saadya were compelled to oppose Ben Meir flat.
My answer is that this event fits into a period of dysfunctional schism within Jewish history, coming after “Isla-Jewish” sects who hybridized Judaism and Islam, and the Karaites. His claim also smacked of Karaism, as he challenged rabbinic adjustment of the calendar and contested a basic masorah. Therefore, aside from the whole issue of Babylonian/Israeli authority, the Gaonim and Rabbeinu Saadya were compelled to oppose Ben Meir flat.
For some interesting theories on why Ben Meir picked the calendar change that he did, see Henry Malter as well as an article by R’ Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer and R’ Ari Z. Zivotofsky.
Isla-Jews, Gaonim, Karaites and Ben Meir
Introduction
Ben Meir, in a nutshell
Major questions
Why does Ben Meir never present anything to justify his 942 chalakim?
Why is the response to Ben Meir so harsh?
My central thesis
Israel vs. Babylon?
Isla-Jew/Karaite aftershocks
The schisms of the 7th-9th centuries
Economic unrest (taxation)
Stratified population
Intellectual commotion from clashes of empires
Religious unrest from charismatic leaders
The Gaonic/Exilarch system
Influence of Islam
Growth of Islam
Jews undergo change in status
Isla-Jewish sects, such as Isunians and Yudganites
The Gaonic/Exilarch system
Exilarch
Gaon
Political tension between the two
A new Gaonate in Israel?
Origins – two views
Karaite Differences
Islamic influence
- Biblical interpretation
Human role in determining law
Jewish practices with Muslim parallels, like washing and bowing
Reincarnation and mysticism
- Chanukah and Purim
Calendar
Oral traditions
The Great Calendar Rift of the 920s
History of the Calendar
Observation
Israeli courts
The fixing of the calendar
The rise of Aharon ben Meir
The decline of Sura and Pumbedita
The rise of Aharon ben Meir
Ben Meir takes on the calendar
Summer of 921 – rumors begin
Rav Saadia Gaon’s letters
The official Ben Meir proclamation
What was Ben Meir’s issue?
Basic calendar rules
- Rosh HaShanah – לא אד"ו ראש, לא בד"ו פסח
If Molad is after midday, Rosh Chodesh must be postponed
The halachic hour contains 1080 chalakim
The year 923
- Anticipating Rosh HaShanah in 923; 642 chalakim
Why 642?
- Noon in Bavel is 56 minutes earlier than in Yerushalayim?
Reducing the number of postponements
A masorah
Israel vs Bavel
The resulting conflict
Official letters to Ben Meir and the Jewish community
Ben Meir counters aggressively
Pesach 923
More warning letters
The fights spread
The end
Rosh HaShanah 923/4683
Going to the government?
Sefer haZikkaron
Rav Saadia Gaon’s book puts an end to it
Summary
Many sources of strife
Historical context
Calendar manipulation
The masorah of the gemara
The authority of the Gaonim
Ben Meir is crushed
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