,
Shevet HaLevi, concerning the status of translated works of Torah, in response to a question from Rabbi
Shlomo Sztencl In
rabbinic literature, the
responsa are known as ''She'elot u-Teshuvot'' ( "questions and answers"), and comprise the body of written decisions and rulings given by
poskim ("deciders of Jewish law"). A modern term, used mainly for questions on the
internet, is "
Ask the rabbi". Judaism's responsa constitute a special class of
rabbinic literature, to be distinguished from the
commentaries (
meforshim)—devoted to the
exegesis of the
Hebrew Bible, the
Mishnah, the
Talmud—and from
the codes of law which delineate the rules for ordinary incidents of life. The responsa literature covers a period of 1,700 years—the mode, style, and subject matter have changed as a function of the travels of the Jewish people and of the development of other halakhic literature, particularly the codes. Responsa play a particularly important role in
Jewish law. The questions forwarded are usually practical, and often concerned with new contingencies for which no provision has been made in the
codes of law, and the responsa thus supplement the codes. They, therefore, function as a source of law, in a manner similar to
legal precedent, in that they are consulted by later decisors (
poskim) in their rulings; they are also, in turn, incorporated into subsequent
codes. In addition to requests for halakhic rulings, many of the questions addressed were theoretical in character, particularly among the earlier responsa. The responsa thus contain rulings on
ethics,
business ethics, the
philosophy of religion,
astronomy,
mathematics,
history,
geography, as well as interpretations of passages in the
Bible, the Mishnah, the Talmud, and the
Midrash. Thus, while early
Jewish literature has few historical works, many notes on the
history of Judaism have been introduced into the responsa. Responsa thus contain valuable information about the
culture of the Jews and the people among whom they lived. Information may also be gleaned about the moral and social relations of the times, occupations, the household,
customs, expressions of joy and of sorrow, and recreations, and even games. Older responsa are also important for readings and emendations of the Mishnah and the Talmud. ==In Islam==