ABBA COHEN OF BARDELA:
By: S. Mendelsohn
A scholar of the last tannaitic generation (about the beginning of the third century). The few Halakot emanating from him refer to the rabbinical civil law. In Biblical homiletics several of his expositions have been preserved (Sifre, Deut. 2; Gen. R. 23, 76, 93). The last-mentioned passage runs as follows: "Wo to mankind, because of the day of judgment; wo, because of the day of trial! Balaam, the wisest among the Gentiles, was confounded at the reproof of his ass (Num. xxii. 30). Joseph, one of the youngest of Jacob's sons, silenced his elder brethren (Gen. xlv. 3). How will man be able to endure the judgment of the omniscient Lord?" (B. M. 10a; Yer. Giṭ. viii. 49c; Yer. B. M. i. 7d; Yer. B. B. viii. 16b).
