shown not only through prayers, but through the human act of zedakah. Human efforts were not discounted, but the transitory nature of life was stressed.
zedakahprovided a way through which human beings could perfect the world and bring about the Messianic Age. Here was a practical path open to everyone, not dependent upon learning or mysticism. It brought that grand vision within reach.
Helping the poor also changed people’s attitude toward other human beings and enabled them to be seen as equal creatures of God . By looking after the dignity of the poor person, the dignity of all human beings became clearer.
The Codes of Jewish law and responsa continued this pattern of refinement and adjustment. The Gaonic period(650- 1100 CE.) brought a further expansion of the poor laws now in the form of responsa but more important for us was the development of codes and lists that made the vast material of the Babylonian Talmud accessible to those who had to make decisions, beginning with Simeon Kayyara (early 9th century). Most of their authors, as this one, limited themselves to the practical material of the Talmud Babli. Simeon Kayyara based his work primarily on two earlier efforts, the Sheeltot of R. Aha of Shaha and the Halakot Pesukot of Yehudai Gaon . Some codes followed the sequence of the Talmud , others organized themselves as Torah commentaries, and still others followed various organizational plans, many quite original, but not necessarily useful. The codes were interested in making the vast material of the two talmuds accessible through abbreviation and omission. They also made their own decisions, as the text of the Talmud often left questions undecided. Aside from the more detailed codes, several