Rabbi Asher (the "Rosh") moved from medieval Germany to Spain. I know he describes some different halachic practices that were done in Spain (e.g. linen tzitzis); but does he describe the difference in culture? Did he manage the different foods? Language? Communication styles?
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What I find interesting about the Rosh is that he remained an Ashkenazi-centrist, even in his host country. He started a Yeshibha based on the Ashkenaz model, married his sons, exclusively, to members of his own extended family (although he did marry his daughters to Sephardim, probably students at his Yeshibha..). Another interesting thing to point out is that the Rosh brough the concept of self-martyrdom from Ashkenaz (of Crusader infamy) to Sefarad; during the anti-Jewish riots in Seville in 1391, his great-grandson Jacob ben Asher II took his own life and that of his family, rather than submit to the cross. That horrific act elicited both shock and admiration from various quarters of the Sephardic community. Another interesting thing to observe about the Rosh; you of course already mentioned his description of differences in custom. Yet never does the Rosh say a word about pronunciation. It seems, in fact, that the differences between Sephardic and Ashkenazic (Western European) pronunciation of Hebrew was a later development. How and why that came about is for a different discussion. | |||||
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