AḤA BAR HUNA – A Babylonian amora of the fourth generation, disciple of Rabbah b. Naḥmani and of Sheshet. Ḥisda, another teacher of Aḥa, employed him for his halakic correspondence with Raba ben Joseph, who recognized in him a great and wise...
AḤA B. IḳA – A Babylonian amora of the fourth century, junior contemporary of Raba, and nephew of Aḥa b. Jacob. He is frequently quoted in halakic discussions by his contemporaries and successors, and received the title of Bar be-Rab (Fellow...
AḤA OF IRAK – A Babylonian, who is alleged to have invented the Assyrian or Babylonian (superlinear) system of vowel-points and accents ( ). He is known only from Karaite sources, which are somewhat unreliable. Pinsker ("LiḲḲuṭe ḳadmoniyot")...
AḤA B. ISAAC – A Palestinian amora of the third generation (fourth century), junior contemporary of Zeira I., Ami I., and Abba (Ba) b. Mamel (Yer. Shab. iii. 6a, vi. 8a). Speaking of the gloriesof Solomon's Temple, he relates that when King...
AḤA B. JACOB – A Babylonian amora, senior contemporary of Abaye and Raba (B. ḳ. 40a), and a disciple of Huna, head of the academy at Sura. So incessant was his application to study that it undermined his health, and brought on a serious...
AḤA B. JOSEPH – A Babylonian amora who flourished in the fourth and fifth centuries. His life was an unusually long one; for in his youth he attended Ḥisda's lectures (306), and in his old age discussed halakic matters with Ashi II. (died 427)....
AḤA (AḤAI) B. MINYOMI – A Babylonian amora of the fourth generation (fourth century), disciple of Naḥman b. Jacob, and contemporary of Abaye. Aḥa b. Minyomi was probably a brother of Adda b. Minyomi (Yeb. 94a; ḳid. 66a; B. ḳ. 106a; B. B. 148b, 159b;...
AḤA (AḤAI) B. PAPA – A Palestinian amora of the third generation (fourth century). He was the contemporary of Abbahu ("Die Ag. der Pal. Amor." iii. 546), Zeira I., and Abba II. He was surnamed Arika, an appellation of disputed meaning (compare...
AḤA B. RAB – A Babylonian amora of the third and fourth generations (fourth century). He was a contemporary of Rabina I. and the senior of Aḥa b. Jacob. His opinions were supported by his grandson, Mesharsheya (Sanh. 76b, 77a; Ḥul. 33a).S....
AḤA (AḤAI) B. RABA – A Babylonian amora, son of Raba b. Joseph, and a contemporary of Amemar II. and of Ashi; died in 419. During the last five years of his life he filled the rectorate of the academy at Pumbedita (Shab. 93b; Yeb. 46a; B. B. 124b;...
AḤA SAR HA-BIRAH – A Palestinian amora of the third generation (fourth century), contemporary of Tanḥum b. Ḥiyya of Ke-far Acco. No original decisions or doctrines are recorded under his name in the Talmud; but in behalf of others he reported...
AḤA (AḤAI) OF SHABḤA – A prominent Babylonian Talmudist of the eighth century. He enjoys the distinction of being the first rabbinical author known to history after the close of the Talmud.The gaon of Pumbedita having died, Aḥa was universally...
AḤA B. SHILA OF KEFAR TAMRATA – A haggadist of the second amoraic generation (third century). Commenting on Esth. ii. 23, "And it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king," he is reported to have pointed out therein a lesson of encouragement...
AḤA B. TAḤLIFA – Babylonian amora of the fourth and fifth centuries; disciple of Raba, friend of Aḥa b. Ika, and senior colleague of Rabina II. (Sanh. 24a, 'Er. 63a, Giṭ. 73a). S. M.
AḤA B. 'ULLA – Babylonian amora, who flourished in the fourth century; disciple of Ḥisda (Shab. 54b, 66a). He emigrated to Palestine, where R. Jonah gave him tithes, saying, "Not because Aḥa is of priestly descent, but because he is assiduous...
AḤA B. ZEIRA – See Ahabah (Ahawah) b. Zeira.
AHAB – Biblical Data: King of northern Israel, 875-853 B.C. He was the son and successor of Omri, the founder of Samaria, and the first king of the Ten Tribes who was able to maintain a strong and stable government. Ahab inherited his...
AHAB, SON OF KOLAIAH – Biblical Data: One of the first captives deported by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylonia. As a false prophet he incurred the displeasure of Jeremiah, who wrote to the exiles denouncing him. He was to be "roasted in the fire" (Jer. xxix....
AHABAH RABBAH – The initial words, and hence the names, of the two benedictions that precede the Shema'; the former used in the morning service of the German ritual, the latter in the evening service of both rituals and in the morning service...
AHABAH (AHAWAH, AḤA, AḤWA) B. ZEIRA (ZERA) – Palestinian amora of the fourth century, who taught at Cæsarea (Yer. Ḥal. i. 57a; Yer. Pes. ii. 29b), son of R. Zeira (Zera) I. His fame as a halakist spread beyond his native land, even reaching Babylonia, and sages consulted...
AḤADBOI – Babylonian amora of the sixth and seventh generations. He was president of the academy of Sura in its declining days, but filled the office for only six months. His death was then caused by an earthquake on the Day of Atonement...
AḤADBOI B. AMMI – Babylonian amora of the fourth generation (fourth and fifth centuries), a disciple of Rab Ḥisda and Rab Sheshet (Pes. 75a; B. M. 91a; Sanh. 55a; Bek. 39a; Niddah, 37b). While the latter was discussing some intricate point of...
AḤADBOI B. MATNAH – Babylonian amora of the fourth generation, and contemporary of Raba b. Joseph (Shab. 24a, 60b). His sister, being ill, willed her belongings to a brother, Rab Tobi, it being customary to give a learned heir the preference over...
AḤAI – An appellation given to several rabbis who ordinarily bear the prænomen Aḥa, under which name they are grouped; while others better known by the name of (or ) are as follows: 1. A Palestinian amora of the third century,...
AḤAI B. JOSIAH – Tanna of the fourth and fifth generations (second century). His father, Josiah, was probably the well-known tanna R. Josiah, a pupil of R. Ishmael. The following legend, intended to demonstrate the consciousness of the dead, and...