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<DIV>
<DIV>In Avodah Digest, Vol 24, Issue 101 dated 12/20/2007 R' Michael Elzufon
<Michael@arnon.co.il><BR>writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>>>What is the source for the claim that Ashkenazi practice came
from Eretz<BR>Israel and Sephardi practice came from Bavel? My
impression has always<BR>been the opposite. <<</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>>>>>></DIV>
<DIV>I'm coming back to an issue that was raised a couple of months ago, because
I found something relevant in Berel Wein's book *Herald of Destiny: The Story of
the Jews in the Medieval Era 750-1650*</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>He writes: "The reason there emerged, in the early Middle Ages, two
distinct ethnic and cultural groupings, Sephardic and Ashkenazic, is a subject
of much scholarly conjecture and controversy." (pg. 78)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Then he has the following footnote, which I quote in full:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>==begin quote==</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>See, for example, H.J. Zimmels, /Ashkenazim and Sephardim/, (London, 1958),
pp.1-10, for a review of this question. Regarding the geographical
origins that provided the basis for the initial split of the people into two
groupings, there are also various theories. Several maintain that the
Sephardim were mainly Babylonian Jews who brought their customs to Europe, while
the Ashkenazim were descendants of Palestinian Jews. Other theories
reverse these antecedents, making the original Ashkenazim Babylonian and the
Sephardim Palestinian. Still others identify the Sephardim as descendants
of Jews from Jerusalem and southern Palestine, and the Ashkenazim as descendants
of Jews from northern Palestine. In short, we can say with certainty the
precise origins of the distinct groupings are uncertain.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>==end quote==</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I think that probably ends the whole subject here on Avodah, although if
any of our distinguished chaverim have further insights into this question I'd
be most interested to hear them.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><FONT lang=0
face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2 PTSIZE="10" FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR><B>--Toby
Katz<BR>=============</B></FONT></DIV></DIV></FONT></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Delicious ideas to please the pickiest eaters. <A title="http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598" href="http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598" target="_blank">Watch the video on AOL Living.</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>