Halacha:

Agunah,  Hilkhot Seudah,  Responsa 

History:

10 - 15th Centuries CE 

Collections: R' Fischer Responsa Class

Description

Two very early responsa, one of which has become so embedded in Jewish identity that it is hard to imagine Judaism without it. The other has been all but neglected. The first is Rashi's famous application of "Yisrael af al pi she-chata" - and in this instance he asserts that a Jew always remains a Jew - even if he converts to Christianity, and even if it means his wife will remain an agunah. R. Hai Gaon takes a commonsense approach to talmudic food volumes - kezayit, kebeitza, etc. This approach has barely survived today.