THE RELIGIOUS HIERARCHY AND SPIRITUAL LIFE OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES FROM THE EIGHTEENTH TO THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURIES
Abstract
The Jews have come a long way in the historical process. It had an impact on all aspects of social and material culture related to daily life. Most of the Central Asian Jews reached high peaks and played a significant role in trade. Studies show that the Jewish community in Bukhara was well developed in the middle of the 19th century and had its orderly organizational structure. At the head of the administration was a man named Kalantar, and the chief rabbi, nicknamed Mullai Kalan, served as a representative for religious affairs. It also observed that from time to time, one person performed these two functions. Secular and religious administrations were closely intertwined but operated autonomously. The article analyzes the socio-religious structure of Bukharian Jews in the region, the tasks and activities of Kalantar, Mullai Kalan, Aksakal, Kaywani, and their role in the life of Jews. The article also contains information about the education system of Bukharian Jews, types of education, and the specialists who taught there. The article also includes the analysis of the written and oral literature of the Jews of Bukhara, individually written works, translations of religious texts and, the works of scientists who have made a great contribution to improving the literacy of the Jews of Bukhara.