The custom of storing discarded sacred texts and ritual objects in a deposit set aside for that purpose, the genizah (pl. genizot, Hebr. genizah), goes back to a Rabbinic tradition. In many places, the discarded religious as well as profane objects and writings were stored in isolated places in synagogues. Their remains, recovered in the modern period, enrich historical research. The genizah of Cairo, d…
Genizah(2,895 words)
Cite this page
Stefan C. Reif, “Genizah”, in: Encyclopedia of Jewish History and Culture Online, Original German Language Edition: Enzyklopädie Jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur. Im Auftrag der Sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig herausgegeben von Dan Diner. © J.B. Metzler, Stuttgart/Springer-Verlag GmbH Deutschland 2011–2017. Consulted online on 29 September 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2468-8894_ejhc_COM_0257>
First published online: 2017
First print edition: 20200106
▲ Back to top ▲