ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses exclusively on medieval Jewish civilization, from the fall of the Roman Empire to about 1492. It includes alphabetically organized entries, written by scholars from around the world, include biographies, countries, events, social history, and religious concepts. Medieval Jewish legislation and customs regarding marriage demonstrate various alterations and refinements of rabbinic practice. Norms regarding marriage in medieval Muslim and Christian societies also had a significant impact on Jews, and each milieu is discussed separately below, as are the topics of sexuality within marriage, and intermarriage. According to Cairo Genizah documents, the major source for Jewish life in the medieval Muslim milieu, marriage was regarded as the natural state for both men and women. A sermon, found in the genizah, explains that the wife is a wall around her husband, bringing atonement for his sins and peace to his home.
