Gaon (Hebrew)

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Gaon ('Pride [of]'; Late medieval and modern Hebrew for 'genius') may refer to:

• One of the Geonim, that is to say the heads of the two major academies, at Pumbedita and Sura, and later in Baghdad, during the period 589-1040. Prominent Geonim are:
  • Amram Gaon
  • Hai Gaon
  • Saadia Gaon
  • Sherira Gaon
  • Yehudai Gaon
  • Samuel ben Hofni
• An honorific title given to a few leading rabbis of other countries in the same period, such as:
  • Nissim Gaon
• Specific rabbis of later periods, called "gaon" (wise):
  • The Vilna Gaon
  • The Rogatchover Gaon
  • The "Lisser Gaon", Rabbi Jacob of Lissa
  • The Steipler Gaon

Many great Rabbis, although not formally referred to as the "Gaon of ...", are nonetheless sometimes lauded with this honorific as a mark of respect, and as a means to indicate greatness.