MOSES (Mesharshia) KAHANA BEN JACOB

MOSES (Mesharshia) KAHANA BEN JACOB, gaon of Sura, 825–836. Moses, who succeeded Kimoi b. Rav Ashi, is identical with Mesharshia Kahana b. Mar Rav Jacob who is mentioned in the Spanish version of the "Letter of sherira gaon " (ed. by B.M. Lewin (1921), 115). He is apparently not identical with Moses, gaon of Sura in the ninth century, who was a brother of Ẓadok Gaon, the father of nahshon gaon . Many of his responsa have been preserved in the works of the geonim and the rishonim. Some touching on the liturgy are quoted in the seder of amram Gaon. In many responsa he is referred to simply as Moses Gaon. In one of his responsa Hai Gaon writes that Mesharshia occupied himself with amulets and charms, stating that faith in them was characteristic of the students of Sura (Oẓar ha-Ge'onim, B.M. Lewin, 4 (1931), Ḥagigah, 20). -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Rapoport, in: Bikkurei ha-Ittim, 10 (1829), 35 no. 25; J. Mueller, Mafte'aḥ li-Teshuvot ha-Ge'onim (1891), 75–79; Cowley, in: JQR, 18 (1905/06), 402; L. Ginzberg, Geonica, 2 (1909), index S.V. Moshe Gaon. (Abraham David)