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Bostanai
Bostanai (Hebrew language, Hebrew: בוסתנאי), also transliterated as Bustenai or Bustnay, was the first Exilarch (leader of the Jewish community of Mesopotamia) under Arab rule. He lived in the early-to-middle of the 7th century, and died about 660 CE. The name is Aramaic language, Aramaized from the Persian language, Persian ''bustan'' or ''bostan'' (Persian : بوستان), meaning "Garden". Bostanai is the only Dark Age Babylonian Exilarch of whom anything more than a footnote is known. He is frequently made the subject of Jewish legends. According to the ''Maaseh Beth David'', Bostanai was confirmed in his office as exilarch by the Caliph Ali, no earlier then 656 CE. The Caliph granted him the authority to appoint civil judges, and heads of the rabbinical academies at Sura Academy, Sura, Pumbedita Academy, Pumbedita and Nehardea Academy, Nehardea. Family of Bostanai Bostanai was the posthumous son of a former exilarch, Haninai and his wife who is known as 'the daughter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Exilarch
The exilarch was the leader of the Jewish community in Persian Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) during the era of the Parthians, Sasanians and Abbasid Caliphate up until the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258, with intermittent gaps due to ongoing political developments. The exilarch was regarded by the Jewish community as the royal heir of the House of David and held a place of prominence as both a rabbinical authority and as a noble within the Persian court. Within the Sasanian Empire, the exilarch was the political equivalent of the ''Catholicos'' of the Christian Church of the East, and was thus responsible for community-specific organizational tasks such as running the rabbinical courts, collecting taxes from Jewish communities, supervising and providing financing for the Talmudic academies in Babylonia, and the charitable re-distribution and financial assistance to needy members of the exile community. The position of exilarch was hereditary, held in continuity by a family t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
