Editing Yeshiva (section)

===Geonic period===
[[File:Rabbi Ashi.jpg|thumb|right|A depiction of [[Sura Academy|Sura]] (from [[Beit Hatefutsot]])]]
The Geonic period takes its name from [[Gaon (Hebrew)|''Gaon'']], the title given to the heads of the three yeshivas which existed from the third to the thirteenth century. The Geonim acted as the principals of their individual yeshivot, and as spiritual leaders and high judges for the wider communities tied to them. The yeshiva conducted all official business in the name of its Gaon, and all correspondence to or from the yeshiva was addressed directly to the Gaon.

Throughout the Geonic Period there were three yeshivot, each named for the cities in which they were located: [[Jerusalem]], [[Sura (city)|Sura]], and [[Pumbedita]]; the yeshiva of Jerusalem would later relocate to [[Cairo]], and the yeshivot of Sura and Pumbedita to [[Baghdad]], but retain their original names. Each Jewish community would associate itself with one of the three yeshivot; Jews living around the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] typically followed the yeshiva in Jerusalem, while those living in the [[Arabian Peninsula]] and modern-day [[Iraq]] and [[Iran]] typically followed one of the two yeshivot in Baghdad. There was no requirement for this, and each community could choose to associate with any of the yeshivot.

The yeshiva served as the highest educational institution for the [[Rabbinic Judaism|Rabbis]] of this period. In addition to this, the yeshiva wielded great power as the principal body for interpreting [[Halakha|Jewish law]]. The community regarded the Gaon of a yeshiva as the highest judge on all matters of Jewish law. Each yeshiva ruled differently on matters of ritual and law; the other yeshivot accepted these divisions, and all three ranked as equally orthodox. The yeshiva also served as an administrative authority, in conjunction with local communities, by appointing members to serve as the head of local congregations. These heads of a congregation served as a link between the congregation and the larger yeshiva it was attached to. These leaders would also submit questions to the yeshiva to obtain final rulings on issues of dogma, ritual, or law. Each congregation was expected to follow only one yeshiva to prevent conflict with different rulings issued by different yeshivot.

The yeshivot were financially supported by a number of means, including fixed voluntary, annual contributions; these contributions being collected and handled by local leaders appointed by the yeshiva. Private gifts and donations from individuals were also common, especially during holidays, consisting of money or goods.

The yeshiva of Jerusalem was finally forced into exile in Cairo in 1127, and eventually dispersed entirely. Likewise, the yeshivot of Sura and Pumbedita were dispersed following the [[Mongols|Mongol]] invasions of the 13th century. After this education in Jewish religious studies became the responsibility of individual [[synagogues]]. No organization ever came to replace the three great yeshivot of Jerusalem, Sura and Pumbedita.<ref>{{cite book |title=A Mediterranean Society: An Abridgement in One Volume |last=Goitein |first=S.D. |editor-last=Lassner |editor-first=Jacob |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California Press |year=1999 |isbn=9780520240599 |url=https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520240599/a-mediterranean-society |access-date=2018-10-06}}</ref>