Saadi

See Sadi. Saadia Gaon (sä-äd'yä gä-ōn'). Born at Fayum, Egypt, 892: died 942. A celebrated Jewish exegete, religious philosopher, and apologist. He became gaon (i. e, head of the Talmudic academy) at Sora. He may be considered as the founder of scientific Judaism, and the creator of religious philosophy in the middle ages, He defended Judaism against Karaism, Christianity, and Islam. Besides his polemical works, he wrote many treatises on the Talmud, composed a Hebrew lexicon ("Iggaron "), and translated the Old Testament into Arabic. But his principal work is on the philosophy of religion, written in Arabic "Kitab al-Amanat wal Itiqa in Hebrew, "Emunoth we-Deoth" ("Faiths and Opinions"), in which he attempts to bring the doctrines of Judaism into a system, and to reconcile them with the philosophy of his time. In his various controversies Saadia displayed not only great learning and clearne of thinking, but also mildne and tolerance. Saalach. See Saale , Salzburger . Saale (zä'le), Franc on i an. A river in Lower Franc on i a, Bavaria: the chief right-hand tributary of the Main, which it joins at Gemünden, 21 miles northwest of Würzburg. Length, 69 miles. Saale, Salzburger (zälts'börg-er), or Saalach (zä läch). A river in Salzburg and Bavaria which joins the Salzach 4 miles northwest of Salzburg. Length, about 70 miles. Saale, Saxon or Thüringian. One of the chief tributaries of the Elbe. It rises in the Fichtelge birge Bavaria, traverses Thuring Pru ian Saxony, and Anhalt, flowing generally north; and joins the Elbe 19 miles southeast of Magdeburg. Its tributaries are the Ilm, Unstrut, Wipper, Bode, and White Elster. Rudolstadt, Jena, Naumburg. Merseburg, and Halle are on its banks. Length, about 225 miles; navigable from Naumburg. Saalfeld (zäl'felt). A town in the duchy of Saxe-Me in in gen, Germany, situated on the