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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Geonim say that from the chasimas hatalmud by
R' Ashi until the Behag was 350 years.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Now, AFAIK, the Behag was the first post talmudic
sefer, he was probably from the early gaonim/late saboraim.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But what the saboraim doing in the intrerim - why
do we have zero seforim from them, when we have an unbroken chain both before
that, and afterwards?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It is known that some of what we call the Gemoro
was actually written after R' Ashi, by the saboraim (eg the entire first daf and
a half of Kidushin), but presumably this is the exception not the
rule.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have heard that all the connecting words, such as
"meisvei, toh shema, kasha" etc found in the gemoro are of savoraic origin;
originally the bavli looked like the yerushalmi - without the connecting words,
where the kashia ends and the teretz starts, etc. If so, then to say the Talmud
was closed by R' Ashi, just means the halochos, and not necessarily the
leshonos.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Is this theory accepted as true? Even if so, 350
years is an awfully long time for this - longer than the period from R' Akiva
until R' Ashi - spanning all Amoraim and much Tanoim too...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Any ideas?</FONT></DIV><hr/><div><a href='http://www.bluebottle.com/tag/1'>Get a free email address with REAL anti-spam protection.<br/>http://www.bluebottle.com/tag/1</a></div>
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