Responsa literature (in Hebrew She'elot U'Tshuvot — SHOOT for short) refers to the vast body of legal literature which is composed of questions asked of religious leaders about disputed or unknown points of Jewish law or procedure, and the answers received. [more about response literature]

Responsa first emerged in the early Middle Ages when far-flung Jewish communities throughout the Islamic world sent their questions to the Geonim, heads of the Babylonian rabbinic academies and the undisputed spiritual authority of world Jewry. When new centers of Jewish scholarship emerged in Europe and North Africa towards the end of the tenth century, communities in these regions began to turn to local religious authorities with their questions. This tradition continues in Jewish communities even today.

We at JHOM.com can not take on the role of legal arbiter or spiritual advisors. However, to continue the tradition of She'elot U'Tshuvot and to further the goals of this magazine, we draw upon the resources available to us to provide answers to general questions regarding Jewish history, customs, and culture.