Rav Zeira
Encyclopedia
Ze'era or Zeira was a Jewish Talmud
ist, known as an amora
, who lived in the Land of Israel
, of the 3rd generation. He was born in Babylonia
, where he spent his early youth. He was a pupil of Ḥisda (Ber.
49a), of Huna
(ib.), and of Judah b. Ezekiel in Pumbedita
.
He associated also with other prominent teachers of the Babylonian school, as Naḥman b. Jacob (Yer. Ber.
8c), Hamnuna
(Zeb. 105b; Ber. 24b), and Sheshet
, who called him a great man ("gabra rabba"; 'Er. 66a). His love for the Holy Land
led him to decide upon leaving his native country and emigrating to Palestine
. This resolve, however, he kept secret from his teacher Judah, who disapproved of any emigration from Babylonia. Before leaving, he spied upon Judah while the latter was bathing, and the words which he then overheard he took with him as a valuable and instructive memento (Shab. 41a; Ket. 110b).
A favorable dream, in which he was told that his sins had been forgiven, encouraged him to undertake the journey to the Holy Land (Ber.
57a), and before starting he spent a hundred days in fasting, in order to forget the dialectic method of instruction of the Babylonian schools, that this might not handicap him in the Land of Israel (B. M. 85a). His journey took him through Akrokonia, where he met Ḥiyya b. Ashi
(Ab. Zarah 16b), and through Sura
(ib.). When he reached the River Jordan he could not control his impatience, but passed through the water without removing his clothes. When jeered at by an unbeliever who stood by, he answered, "Why should not I be impatient when I pursue a blessing which was denied even to Moses
and Aaron
?" (Yer. Sheb. 35c).
and his first experiences there have been recorded in various anecdotes. He was small of stature and of dark complexion, for which reason Assi
called him "Black Pot" (Ab. Zarah 16b), according to an expression current in Babylonia
(comp. Meg. 14b; Pes. 88a; Ber.
50a); this name possibly also contained an allusion to his sputtering manner of speech. Perhaps with reference to a malformation of his legs, he was called "the little one with burned legs," or "the dark, burned one with the stubby legs" (comp. Bacher, Ag. Pal. Amor. iii. 7, note 2). But a different explanation of this is given in Bava Metsia 85a, where it is said that he fasted in order to merit protection from the fires of Gehenna
and that he then tested himself every thirty days by sitting in the fire without coming to harm, until one day the sages distracted him (cast an eye upon him) and his legs were burned. Thus, these nicknames throw light upon Ze'era's ascetic piety (B. M. 85a).
In the Land of Israel he associated with all the prominent scholars. Eleazar b. Pedat was still living at the time (Niddah
48), and from him Ze'era received valuable instruction (Yer. Ter. 47d). His most intimate friends were Assi
and Ḥiyya b. Abba. In his intercourse with Assi he was generally the one who asked questions, and on one occasion Assi made known his approval of one of Ze'era's questions by saying: "Right you are, Babylonian; you have understood it correctly" (Yer. Shab. 7c). Ze'era especially acknowledged the authority of Ammi
, the principal of the school at Tiberias, and it is related that he asked Ammi to decide questions pertaining to religious law that had been addressed to himself (Yer. Dem. 25b; Yer. Shab. 8a; Yer. Yeb. 72d).
Ze'era was highly esteemed by Abbahu
, the rector at Cæsarea, of whom he considered himself a pupil. He was ordained rabbi, a distinction usually denied to members of the Babylonian school, and though in the beginning he refused this honor (Yer. Bik. 65c), he later accepted it on learning of the atoning powers connected with the dignity (Sanh. 14a). Upon receiving Semicha
, his title changed from Rav to Rabbi
. His insignificant appearance was humorously referred to when at his ordination he was greeted with the words of a wedding-song: "Without rouge and without ornament, but withal a lovable gazel" (Ket. 17a).
how far he might go in improving the outward appearance of his goods without rendering himself liable in the slightest degree to a charge of fraud (Yer. B. M. 9d). Information regarding his family relations is also very scanty; it is asserted that he became an orphan at an early age (Yer. Pe'ah
15c), and that his wedding was celebrated during the Feast of Tabernacles (Suk. 25b), and he had one son, Ahabah or Ahava, who has become well known through various haggadic maxims (comp. Bacher, l.c. iii. 651-659). He was known for his longevity
.
Ze'era occupies a prominent place in the Halakah as well as in the Aggadah
; with regard to the former he is especially distinguished for the correctness and knowledge with which he transmits older maxims. Among his haggadic sayings the following may be mentioned as throwing light upon his high moral standpoint:
On account of his lofty morals and piety Ze'era was honored with the name "the pious Babylonian." Among his neighbors were several people known for their wickedness, but Ze'era treated them with kindness in order to lead them to moral reformation. When he died, these people said, "Hitherto Ze'era has prayed for us, but who will pray for us now?" This reflection so moved their hearts that they really were led to do penance (Sanh. 37a). That Ze'era enjoyed the respect of his contemporaries is evidenced by the comment upon his death written by an elegist: "Babylonia gave him birth; Palestine had the pleasure of rearing him; 'Wo is me,' says Tiberias, for she has lost her precious jewel" (M. Ḳ. 75b).
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....
ist, known as an 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...
, who lived in 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...
, of the 3rd generation. He was born in Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
, where he spent his early youth. He was a pupil of Ḥisda (Ber.
Berakhot (Talmud)
Berachot is the first tractate of Seder Zeraim, a collection of the Mishnah that primarily deals with laws relating to plants and farming...
49a), of Huna
Rav Huna
Rav Huna , a Kohen, was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the second generation and head of the Academy of Sura; He was born about 216, died in 296-297 ).-Youth:...
(ib.), and of Judah b. Ezekiel in Pumbedita
Pumbedita
Pumbedita was the name of a city in ancient Babylonia close to the modern-day city of Fallujah....
.
He associated also with other prominent teachers of the Babylonian school, as Naḥman b. Jacob (Yer. Ber.
Berakhot (Talmud)
Berachot is the first tractate of Seder Zeraim, a collection of the Mishnah that primarily deals with laws relating to plants and farming...
8c), Hamnuna
Hamnuna
Hamnuna is the name of several rabbis in the Talmud.* Hamnuna Sabba . Mid third century of the common era. A pupil of Rav . After Rav, he became the head of the rabbinical academy at Sura. The Talmud contains many halakhic rulings, aggadot and prayers from him...
(Zeb. 105b; Ber. 24b), and Sheshet
Sheshet
Rav Sheshet was a Babylonian amora of the third generation and colleague of R. Naḥman bar Jacob, with whom he had frequent arguments concerning questions of religious law. His teacher's name is not definitely known, but Sheshet was an auditor at Huna's lectures...
, who called him a great man ("gabra rabba"; 'Er. 66a). His love for the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
led him to decide upon leaving his native country and emigrating to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. This resolve, however, he kept secret from his teacher Judah, who disapproved of any emigration from Babylonia. Before leaving, he spied upon Judah while the latter was bathing, and the words which he then overheard he took with him as a valuable and instructive memento (Shab. 41a; Ket. 110b).
A favorable dream, in which he was told that his sins had been forgiven, encouraged him to undertake the journey to the Holy Land (Ber.
Berakhot (Talmud)
Berachot is the first tractate of Seder Zeraim, a collection of the Mishnah that primarily deals with laws relating to plants and farming...
57a), and before starting he spent a hundred days in fasting, in order to forget the dialectic method of instruction of the Babylonian schools, that this might not handicap him in the Land of Israel (B. M. 85a). His journey took him through Akrokonia, where he met Ḥiyya b. Ashi
Hiyya b. Ashi
Hiyya b. Ashi was a second and third generation Amora sage of Babylon. In his youth he studied under Abba Arika, and served as his janitor....
(Ab. Zarah 16b), and through Sura
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
(ib.). When he reached the River Jordan he could not control his impatience, but passed through the water without removing his clothes. When jeered at by an unbeliever who stood by, he answered, "Why should not I be impatient when I pursue a blessing which was denied even to Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
and Aaron
Aaron
In the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites...
?" (Yer. Sheb. 35c).
Arrival in the Land of Israel
Ze'era's arrival in the Land of IsraelLand 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...
and his first experiences there have been recorded in various anecdotes. He was small of stature and of dark complexion, for which reason Assi
Assi
Assi may refer to:* Assi Dayan , Israeli actor and film director* Rabbi Assi* Area of Special Scientific Interest* South Sea Islander* Arsalan Kazmi...
called him "Black Pot" (Ab. Zarah 16b), according to an expression current in Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
(comp. Meg. 14b; Pes. 88a; Ber.
Berakhot (Talmud)
Berachot is the first tractate of Seder Zeraim, a collection of the Mishnah that primarily deals with laws relating to plants and farming...
50a); this name possibly also contained an allusion to his sputtering manner of speech. Perhaps with reference to a malformation of his legs, he was called "the little one with burned legs," or "the dark, burned one with the stubby legs" (comp. Bacher, Ag. Pal. Amor. iii. 7, note 2). But a different explanation of this is given in Bava Metsia 85a, where it is said that he fasted in order to merit protection from the fires of Gehenna
Gehenna
Gehenna , Gehinnom and Yiddish Gehinnam, are terms derived from a place outside ancient Jerusalem known in the Hebrew Bible as the Valley of the Son of Hinnom ; one of the two principal valleys surrounding the Old City.In the Hebrew Bible, the site was initially where apostate Israelites and...
and that he then tested himself every thirty days by sitting in the fire without coming to harm, until one day the sages distracted him (cast an eye upon him) and his legs were burned. Thus, these nicknames throw light upon Ze'era's ascetic piety (B. M. 85a).
In the Land of Israel he associated with all the prominent scholars. Eleazar b. Pedat was still living at the time (Niddah
Niddah
Niddah is a Hebrew term describing a woman during menstruation, or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated requirement of immersion in a mikveh ....
48), and from him Ze'era received valuable instruction (Yer. Ter. 47d). His most intimate friends were Assi
Assi
Assi may refer to:* Assi Dayan , Israeli actor and film director* Rabbi Assi* Area of Special Scientific Interest* South Sea Islander* Arsalan Kazmi...
and Ḥiyya b. Abba. In his intercourse with Assi he was generally the one who asked questions, and on one occasion Assi made known his approval of one of Ze'era's questions by saying: "Right you are, Babylonian; you have understood it correctly" (Yer. Shab. 7c). Ze'era especially acknowledged the authority of Ammi
Rabbi Ammi
Ammi, Aimi, Immi is the name of several Jewish Talmudists, known as amoraim, who lived in the Land of Israel and Babylonia. In the Babylonian Talmud the first form only is used; in the Jerusalem Talmud all three forms appear, Immi predominating, and sometimes R. Ammi is contracted into "Rabmi" or...
, the principal of the school at Tiberias, and it is related that he asked Ammi to decide questions pertaining to religious law that had been addressed to himself (Yer. Dem. 25b; Yer. Shab. 8a; Yer. Yeb. 72d).
Ze'era was highly esteemed by 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...
, the rector at Cæsarea, of whom he considered himself a pupil. He was ordained rabbi, a distinction usually denied to members of the Babylonian school, and though in the beginning he refused this honor (Yer. Bik. 65c), he later accepted it on learning of the atoning powers connected with the dignity (Sanh. 14a). Upon receiving Semicha
Semicha
, also , or is derived from a Hebrew word which means to "rely on" or "to be authorized". It generally refers to the ordination of a rabbi within Judaism. In this sense it is the "transmission" of rabbinic authority to give advice or judgment in Jewish law...
, his title changed from Rav to Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
. His insignificant appearance was humorously referred to when at his ordination he was greeted with the words of a wedding-song: "Without rouge and without ornament, but withal a lovable gazel" (Ket. 17a).
Social condition and family life
With regard to Ze'era's private vocation, the only facts known are that he once traded in linen, and that he asked AbbahuAbbahu
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...
how far he might go in improving the outward appearance of his goods without rendering himself liable in the slightest degree to a charge of fraud (Yer. B. M. 9d). Information regarding his family relations is also very scanty; it is asserted that he became an orphan at an early age (Yer. Pe'ah
Pe'ah
Pe'ah is the second tractate of Seder Zeraim of the Mishnah and of the Talmud. The tractate is a fitting continuation of Seder Zeraim. Following the initial subject of blessings and benedictions, instilling an attitude of reverence and gratitude, this tractate begins the discussion of the main...
15c), and that his wedding was celebrated during the Feast of Tabernacles (Suk. 25b), and he had one son, Ahabah or Ahava, who has become well known through various haggadic maxims (comp. Bacher, l.c. iii. 651-659). He was known for his longevity
Longevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
.
Ze'era occupies a prominent place in the Halakah as well as in the Aggadah
Aggadah
Aggadah refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash...
; with regard to the former he is especially distinguished for the correctness and knowledge with which he transmits older maxims. Among his haggadic sayings the following may be mentioned as throwing light upon his high moral standpoint:
On account of his lofty morals and piety Ze'era was honored with the name "the pious Babylonian." Among his neighbors were several people known for their wickedness, but Ze'era treated them with kindness in order to lead them to moral reformation. When he died, these people said, "Hitherto Ze'era has prayed for us, but who will pray for us now?" This reflection so moved their hearts that they really were led to do penance (Sanh. 37a). That Ze'era enjoyed the respect of his contemporaries is evidenced by the comment upon his death written by an elegist: "Babylonia gave him birth; Palestine had the pleasure of rearing him; 'Wo is me,' says Tiberias, for she has lost her precious jewel" (M. Ḳ. 75b).
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- Bacher, Ag. Pal. Amor. iii. 1-34;
- Heilprin, Seder ha-Dorot, ii. 117-120.