Rav Kahana IV
Encyclopedia
Rav Kahana ' onMouseout='HidePop("13961")' href="/topics/Talmud">Talmud
merely as R. Kahana ) Was a Jewish Amora
sage of Babylon
, of the third and fourth generation of the Amora
sages, and headed the Yeshiva of Pum-Nahara
.
During his youth he studied under Judah ben Ezekiel
, and after his death, he served at Rabbah bar Nahmani
as well, and learned under him the tractate Sanhedrin
along with his great friend R. Safra. He made Aliyah
to the Land of Israel
along with fellow R. Safra, and studied under R. Zeira , and under R. Abbahu
. He also studied under Rabbi Hiyya b. Abba, who also prayed for his longevity, and indeed his blessing materialized.
After a while he returned to Babylonia, then had determined his residence at Pum-Nahara , where he studied with Rav Ashi, who became his disciple par excellence . The latter honored him much, however, Rav Ashi himself considered the Amemar
as his principal Rabbi as well, and would trun to the Amemar in an honorary language of 'Mar' ("Sir"), an attiude that was not adopted by him, when he was speaking to Rav Kahana III as well.
He was a colleague of Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak
, and together they rebuked the "haughty of spirit" (The rich, who intervene in appointees of the Dayans, religious Judges, and those of the community leaders), "Whom in their lifted up hearts and their great wealth shall forget their duties" .
He was a Kohen
("priest"), from Eli ha-Kohen's family.
Kahana's Yeshiva in Pum-Nahara was subordinated to the Yeshiva in Sura
, but from the times of Rava
's death and onward, the heads of the Yeshiva
in Nehardea
would frequently visit Rav Kahana III in Pum-Nahara, most likely for the purpose of reinforcing their Yeshiva's influence over the Yeshiva in Pum-Nahara. This reinforcement of ties, between Nehardea and Pum-Nahara, is attested by the fact that Kahana III gave his funeral oration to Rav Zevid of Nehardea at Pum-Nahara .
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
merely as R. Kahana ) Was a Jewish Amora
Amora
Amoraim , were renowned Jewish scholars who "said" or "told over" the teachings of the Oral law, from about 200 to 500 CE in Babylonia and the Land of Israel. Their legal discussions and debates were eventually codified in the Gemara...
sage of Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
, of the third and fourth generation of the Amora
Amora
Amoraim , were renowned Jewish scholars who "said" or "told over" the teachings of the Oral law, from about 200 to 500 CE in Babylonia and the Land of Israel. Their legal discussions and debates were eventually codified in the Gemara...
sages, and headed the Yeshiva of Pum-Nahara
Pum-Nahara Academy
Pum-Nahara Academy was a Jewish Yeshiva academy in Babylon, during the era of the Jewish Amora sages, in the town of Pum-Nahara, Babylonia, that was within the area of jurisdiction of Sura city, and was situated on the east bank of the "Sura" river, nearby the Sura river's estuary to the Tigris...
.
During his youth he studied under Judah ben Ezekiel
Judah ben Ezekiel
Judah ben Ezekiel , was a Babylonian amora of the 2nd generation. He was the most prominent disciple of Rav , in whose house he often stayed, and whose son Hiyya was his pupil...
, and after his death, he served at Rabbah bar Nahmani
Rabbah bar Nahmani
Rabbah bar Nachmani was a Jewish Talmudist known as an amora, who lived in Babylonia, known throughout the Talmud simply as Rabbah.Rabbah was born into a priestly family, and studied at both the academies in Sura and Pumbedita...
as well, and learned under him the tractate Sanhedrin
Sanhedrin (Talmud)
Sanhedrin is one of ten tractates of Seder Nezikin . It originally formed one tractate with Makkot, which also deals with criminal law...
along with his great friend R. Safra. He made Aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to the Land of Israel
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
along with fellow R. Safra, and studied under R. Zeira , and under R. Abbahu
Abbahu
Abbahu was a Jewish Talmudist, known as an amora, who lived in the Land of Israel, of the 3rd amoraic generation , sometimes cited as R. Abbahu of Caesarea . His rabbinic education was acquired mainly at Tiberias, in the academy presided over by R. Johanan, with whom his relations were almost...
. He also studied under Rabbi Hiyya b. Abba, who also prayed for his longevity, and indeed his blessing materialized.
After a while he returned to Babylonia, then had determined his residence at Pum-Nahara , where he studied with Rav Ashi, who became his disciple par excellence . The latter honored him much, however, Rav Ashi himself considered the Amemar
Amemar
Amemar was a Jewish Amora sage of Babylon, of the fifth and sixth generation of the Amora era. He is accounted as one of the most prominent sages of his generation and the Headman to his town's sages, Nehardea...
as his principal Rabbi as well, and would trun to the Amemar in an honorary language of 'Mar' ("Sir"), an attiude that was not adopted by him, when he was speaking to Rav Kahana III as well.
He was a colleague of Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak
Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak
Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak or Rabh Naħman bar Yişħaq in actual Talmudic and Classical Hebrew was an amora who lived in Babylonia. He was a disciple of Abaye and Rava and the dean of the yeshiva at Pumbedita....
, and together they rebuked the "haughty of spirit" (The rich, who intervene in appointees of the Dayans, religious Judges, and those of the community leaders), "Whom in their lifted up hearts and their great wealth shall forget their duties" .
He was a Kohen
Kohen
A Kohen is the Hebrew word for priest. Jewish Kohens are traditionally believed and halachically required to be of direct patrilineal descent from the Biblical Aaron....
("priest"), from Eli ha-Kohen's family.
Kahana's Yeshiva in Pum-Nahara was subordinated to the Yeshiva in Sura
Sura (city)
Sura was a city in the southern part of ancient Babylonia, located west of the Euphrates River. It was well-known for its agricultural produce, which included grapes, wheat, and barley...
, but from the times of Rava
Rava (amora)
For the third generation Amora sage of Babylon, with a similar name, see: Joseph b. Hama .Abba ben Joseph bar Ḥama, who is exclusively referred to in the Talmud by the name Rava , was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora, born in 270. He is one of the most often-cited Rabbis...
's death and onward, the heads of the Yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
in Nehardea
Nehardea
Nehardea or Nehardeah was a city of Babylonia, situated at or near the junction of the Euphrates with the Nahr Malka , one of the earliest centers of Babylonian Judaism. As the seat of the exilarch it traced its origin back to King Jehoiachin...
would frequently visit Rav Kahana III in Pum-Nahara, most likely for the purpose of reinforcing their Yeshiva's influence over the Yeshiva in Pum-Nahara. This reinforcement of ties, between Nehardea and Pum-Nahara, is attested by the fact that Kahana III gave his funeral oration to Rav Zevid of Nehardea at Pum-Nahara .