The Responsa addressed by rabbinical authorities to
individuals or to communities who had submitted
difficult cases and questions to them for solution, consti-
tute a special genus of post-Biblical literature. Not to
mention their legislative value, how precious they are
as documents in proof of the fact that no distances were
too long, no obstacles too great to prevent the people
from obtaining the opinion of a scholar! They even
sent special messengers to him, when there were no
favoring circumstances, such as a fair at the rabbi's
place of residence, or a journey to be undertaken thither
for other reasons than the purpose of the consultation.
Thus lively relations were established among the Jews
of the most widely separated countries; and an active
correspondence went on between scholars of Babylon,
Northern Africa, Spain, France, Germany, and Italy.

The circle of Rashi's connections, however, was limited
to France and Lorraine. His chief correspondents were
his teachers and their disciples. ¹²⁴ It was only after
Rashi's day, when communication between the Christian
and the Moslem worlds became more frequent, that
rabbinical authorities were appealed to from all the
corners of Europe and Africa.

Though his correspondents were not so widely
scattered, the subjects touched upon by Rashi in his
Responsa are very varied in character. He was con-
sulted on the meaning of a Biblical or a Talmudic
passage, on the text of the liturgy, on rules of grammar,
on Biblical chronology, and, especially, on new cases
arising in the practice of religion. These Responsa,
inspired, so to speak, by actualities, by the come and go
of daily affairs, introduce the reader to the material and

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