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Sefer Hamanhig Hilchos Shabbos, 69 refers to the Rabbi from Kiryath Yearim. It is clear he is not referring to the town near Jerusalem, as he does not quote any source in the Talmud or Midrash, and he did not have any communications with the Jewish communities in Israel, and almost everyone he quotes were from the communities around France. I assume this city was in Southern France where he grew up, but it might also be in Ashkenaz, Germany, or Spain.

Does anyone know which city this is?

DanielEvalUlay
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  • I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because questions about the Hebrew language or about history or news of the Jewish people, Jewish individuals, or the State of Israel, except as related to Judaism, are off-topic. This is happens to refer to a geographic location mentioned in a Jewish text, but that is no more on topic than proofs for Fermat's last theorem, if Fermat happened to be Jewish and scrawled the theorem in the margin of a Jewish book. – mevaqesh Oct 09 '16 at 18:42
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    @mevaqesh How is understanding a word written in a text about Judaism not on topic? That's basically the definition of 'Hebrew language in the context of Judaism' – Double AA Oct 10 '16 at 18:08
  • @DoubleAA I think not. (But I admit that there are grey areas). To repeat my previous example, if Rabbi Akiva Eiger would casually posit Fermat's last theorem in the last page of his novella (so that the parchment not be left blank), proofs for the theorem, would remain off topic. I understood examples of Hebrew language as it pertains to Judaism to be questions like [cont.] – mevaqesh Oct 10 '16 at 18:43
  • @DoubleAA http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/76772/whats-the-difference-between-%d7%a0%d7%9b%d7%94-and-%d7%94%d7%a8%d7%92, http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/44544/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-phrase-%d7%9c%d7%a6%d7%90%d7%aa-%d7%95%d7%9c%d7%91%d7%95%d7%90, http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/38093/what-does-baruch-atah-hashem-mean, http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/76336/what-is-pannag, http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/62298/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-term-%d7%99%d7%95%d7%9d-%d7%98%d7%95%d7%91-yom-tov, – mevaqesh Oct 10 '16 at 18:44
  • Were the question to be which rabbi is referred to, I would agree that it is on topic. However, the question appeared to me to be using the mention of a city as the whole basis for the question. – mevaqesh Oct 10 '16 at 18:46
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    @mevaqesh The Manhig didn't just write this on the same page for lack of space elsewhere. This is a word that is a part of his discourse on Judaism. Your examples of Fermat are totally irrelevant. Can you not ask about Levo Chamat (in a Pasuk!) because it's a place name?? – Double AA Oct 10 '16 at 18:46
  • Again that was just an example, if on the middle of hilkhot berakhot a Rishon would mention the berakha of shehakol made on water, such as the clear waters of רגעגכע. Where the geographic reference is mentioned derekh agav, then it seems to me to be a stretch to call the identity of רגעגכע a question about Judaism. This was my intent with the metaphor. Again, you are free to disagree. You are also free to propose rigorous definitions of things like "in the context of Judaism" to obviate these discussion. @DoubleAA – mevaqesh Oct 10 '16 at 18:50
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    @mevaqesh How is understanding the exact example of a Rishon not Judaism? You might have a harder time coming up with a Nafka Minah in the case of רגעגכע than eg. medical issues relating to Kerut Shofkha, but someone might be interested in comparing water examples in Rishonim with old data to find quantifiable measurements etc. The fact that you aren't particularly interested in the Nafka Mina doesn't make understanding the case of a Rishon not the epitome of studying Judaism. – Double AA Oct 10 '16 at 18:54
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    @DoubleAA We have reached the point where my reductio ad absurdum is your ein hakhi nami. In the absence of rigorous definitions to appeal to, I can only ask you to vote as seems reasonable, and for others to do the same. G'mar hatimah tovah. – mevaqesh Oct 10 '16 at 18:59

1 Answers1

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There are two places in France that were known as Kiryath Yearim.

The place called פושקרייא - פוסקרייה - פסאקורי (Posquières) in Provence was known as קרית יערים. Per Wikipedia this is known today as Vauvert.

Another place called נעמיש (Nîmes) was also called קרית יערים.

Thanks to HebrewBooks.org for giving me direction for this answer.

הראב"ד תקע אהלו בפושקרייא (רבים הסבו את שמה ללשון הקודש וכינוה קרית יערים) שבפרובנס ומשם זרחה שמש תורתו בכל קצוי הגולה. שם הקים ישיבה מפוארת וכלכל מכיסו תלמידים עניים, כך רשם הנוסע המפורסם ר' בנימין מטולדה בספר מסעותיו "ושם בפוסקרייה ישיבה גדולה על ידי הרב הגדול ר' אברהם ב"ר דוד רב פעלים, חכם גדול בתלמוד ובפסק ובאים אליו מארץ מרחק ללמוד תורה ומוצאים מנוחה בביתו והוא מלמדם, ומי שאין לו להוציא הוא מוציא להם משלו ומממונו לכל צרכיהם". הראב"ד זכה לתורה וגדולה במקום אחד והיה עשיר גדול, כותבי קורותיו מספרים שעושר זה היה לו לרועץ כי "האדון העריץ אלויאר מפאסקריירי נתן עינו בכספו, העליל עליו, וכלאוהו בבית האסורים והצילו הנסיך רוניר השני מקרסקונא". אז עזב הראב"ד את פסאקורי ועבר לגור בעיר נעמיש שנקראה ג"כ בשם קרית יערים.

Gershon Gold
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