Editing Abba Arikha

{{Short description|Jewish Babylonian scholar (175–247)}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Abba Arikha
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| native_name        = {{nobold|{{lang|tmr|{{Script/Hebrew|אַבָּא אריכא}}|rtl=yes}}}}
| native_name_lang   = tmr
| pronunciation      = 
| birth_name         = Rav Abba bar Aybo
| birth_date         = 175
| birth_place        = [[Kafri]], [[Asoristan]], [[Sasanian Empire]] (present-day [[Iran]])
| death_date         = 247
| death_place        = [[Sura (city)|Sura]], Asoristan, Sasanian Empire (present-day [[Iraq]])
| nationality        = Jewish
| occupation         = [[Rabbi]]
| known_for          = Scholarship (''[[amoraim]]'') for [[Talmudic academies in Babylonia]]
}}
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{{Eras of the Halakha}}
'''Rav Abba bar Aybo''' ({{Langx|tmr|רַב אַבָּא בַּר אִיבּוֹ|label=[[Jewish Babylonian Aramaic|Aramaic]]}}; 175–247 CE), commonly known as '''Abba Arikha''' ({{Langx|tmr|אַבָּא אריכא|label=none}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sherira Gaon |title=The Iggeres of Rav Sherira Gaon |date=1988 |publisher=Rabbi Jacob Joseph School Press - Ahavath Torah Institute Moznaim |location=Jerusalem |page=96 |language=en |translator-last=Nosson Dovid Rabinowich |oclc=923562173 |author-link=Sherira Gaon}}</ref> or simply as '''Rav''' ({{Langx|tmr|רַב|label=none}}), was a [[amoraim|Jewish amora]] of the 3rd century. He was born and lived in [[Kafri]], [[Asoristan]], in the [[Sasanian Empire]].

In [[Sura (city)|Sura]], Arikha established the systematic study of the [[Rabbinic literature|rabbinic traditions]], which, using the [[Mishnah]] as a foundational text, led to the compilation of the [[Talmud]].<ref>{{EB1911 |wstitle='Abba 'Arika |volume=1 |page=8 |inline=1}}</ref> With him began the long period of ascendancy of the prestigious [[Talmudic academies in Babylonia]]{{sfn|Oesterley|Box|1920}} around the year 220. In the Talmud, he is frequently associated with [[Samuel of Nehardea]], a fellow amora with whom he debated many issues.

==Biography==
His surname, '''Arikha''' (English: '''''the Tall'''''),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chullin 137b:13 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Chullin.137b.13 |access-date=2021-03-05 |website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref> he owed to his height, which exceeded that of his contemporaries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Niddah 24b:21 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Niddah.24b.21 |access-date=2021-03-05 |website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref><ref name="JewishEncyclopedia">{{Harv|Singer|1901–1906|ignore-err=yes}}</ref> Others, reading '''Arekha''', consider it an honorary title, like "Lecturer".<ref>Weiss, ''Dor,'' 3:147; Jastrow, ''Dictionary'' under the word</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/> In the traditional literature, he is referred to almost exclusively as '''Rav''', "the Master" (both by contemporaries and latter generations), just as his teacher, [[Judah ha-Nasi]], was known simply as ''Rabbi''. He is called Rabbi Abba only in the ''[[tannaitic]]'' literature,<ref>For instance, [[Tosefta]] ''Beitzah '' 1:7</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/> wherein a number of his sayings are preserved. He occupies a middle position between the ''Tannaim'' and the ''Amoraim'' and is accorded the right—rarely conceded to one who is only an ''amora''—of disputing the opinion of a ''tanna''.<ref>''Bava Batra'' 42a and elsewhere</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>

Rav was a descendant of a distinguished Babylonian family that claimed to trace its origin to [[Shimei]], brother of [[King David]].<ref>''Sanhedrin'' 5a; ''Ketubot'' 62b</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/> His father, Aibo, was a brother of [[Hiyya the Great]] who lived in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]], and was a highly esteemed scholar in the collegiate circle of the patriarch Judah ha-Nasi. From his associations in his uncle's house and later as his uncle's disciple and as a member of the academy at [[Sepphoris]], Rav acquired such knowledge of the tradition to make him its foremost exponent in Babylonia. While Judah ha-Nasi was still living, Rav, having been [[Semikhah|ordained]] as a teacher with certain restrictions,<ref>''Sanhedrin'' 5a</ref> returned to Asoristan, referred to as "Babylonia" in Jewish writings, where he at once began a career that was destined to mark an epoch in the development of Babylonian Judaism.<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>

In the annals of the Babylonian schools, the year of his arrival is recorded as the starting point in the chronology of the Talmudic age. It was the 530th year of the [[Seleucid era]] and the 219th year of the [[Common Era]]. For the scene of his activity, Rav first chose [[Nehardea]], where the [[exilarch]] appointed him ''[[agoranomos]]'' (market-master), and [[Rav Shela]] made him lecturer (''amora'') of his college.<ref>''[[Jerusalem Talmud]] Bava Batra'' 5:15a; ''Yoma'' 20b</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/> Then he moved to [[Sura (city)|Sura]], on the [[Euphrates]], where he established a school of his own, which soon became the intellectual center of the Babylonian Jews. As a renowned teacher of the [[Halakha|Law]] and with hosts of disciples from all sections of the Jewish world, Rav lived and worked in Sura until his death. [[Samuel of Nehardea]], another disciple of Judah ha-Nasi, at the same time brought to the academy at Nehardea a high degree of prosperity; in fact, it was at the school of Rav that Jewish learning in Babylonia found its permanent home and center. Rav's activity made Babylonia independent of Palestine and gave it that predominant position it was destined to occupy for several centuries.<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>

Little is known of Rav's personal life. That he was rich seems probable, for he appears to have occupied himself for a time with commerce and afterward with agriculture.<ref>''Hullin'' 105a</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/> He is referred to as the son of noblemen,<ref>Shabbat 29a</ref> but it is not clear if this is an affectionate term or a true description of his status. [[Rashi]] tells us that he is described as the son of great men. He was highly respected by the [[Gentile]]s as well as by the Jews of Babylonia, as shown by the friendship that existed between him and the last [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]], [[Artabanus IV of Parthia|Artabanus IV]].<ref>''Avodah Zarah'' 10b</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/> He was deeply affected by the death of Artaban in 226 and the downfall of the Parthian rulers and does not appear to have sought the friendship of [[Ardashir I]], founder of the [[Sasanian Empire]], although Samuel of Nehardea probably did so.<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>

Rav became closely related to the exilarch's family through the marriage of one of his daughters. Her sons, [[Mar 'Ukban III (exilarch)|Mar Ukban]] and Nehemiah, were considered types of the highest aristocracy. Rav had many sons, several of whom are mentioned in the Talmud, the most distinguished being the eldest, Chiyya. Chiyya did not, however, succeed his father as head of the academy: this post fell to Rav's disciple [[Rav Huna]]. Two of his grandsons occupied the office of [[exilarch]] in succession.<ref>''Hullin'' 92a</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>

Rav died at an advanced age, deeply mourned by numerous disciples and the entire Babylonian Jewry, which he had raised from comparative insignificance to the leading position in Judaism.<ref>''Shabbat'' 110a, ''Mo'ed Katan'' 24a</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>

According to some opinions,<ref>Maimonides, as quoted by ''Pesach Einayim'' to ''Berakhoth'' 16b, where Rav's post-''Shemoneh Esrei'' prayer is quoted. Maybe there are other sources as well.</ref> Rav lived for 300 years. ''Pesach Einayim'' comments that Rav's prayer, as told in the Talmud, merited him long life.

==Legacy==
The method of treatment of the traditional material to which the Talmud owes its origin was established in Babylonia by Rav. That method takes the [[Mishnah]] of [[Judah haNasi]] as a text or foundation, adding to it the other ''tannaitic'' traditions, and deriving from all of them the theoretical explanations and practical applications of the religious Law. The legal and ritual opinions recorded in Rav's name and his disputes with Samuel constitute the main body of the [[Babylonian Talmud]]. His numerous disciples—some of whom were very influential and who, for the most part, were also disciples of Samuel—amplified and, in their capacity as instructors and by their discussions, continued the work of Rav. In the Babylonian schools, Rav was rightly referred to as "our great master." Rav also exercised a great influence for good upon the moral and religious conditions of his native land, not only indirectly through his disciples, but directly by reason of the strictness with which he repressed abuses in matters of marriage and divorce, and denounced ignorance and negligence in matters of ritual observance.<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>

Rav, says tradition, found an open, neglected field and fenced it in.<ref>''Hullin'' 110a</ref><ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>

==Teachings==
He gave special attention to the [[liturgy]] of the [[synagogue]].<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/> The [[Aleinu]] prayer first appeared in the manuscript of the [[Rosh Hashana]] liturgy by Rav.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=The encyclopedia of Jewish life and thought |date=1996 |publisher=Carta |isbn=978-1-4416-5215-7 |editor-last=Pearl |editor-first=Chaim |location=Jerusalem |pages=378 |editor-last2=Kessel |editor-first2=Lorraine |editor-last3=Ball |editor-first3=Barbara Laurel}}</ref> He included it in the Rosh Hashana [[mussaf]] service as a prologue to the Kingship portion of the [[Amidah]]. For that reason some attribute to Rav the authorship, or at least the revising, of Aleinu.<ref>Jacobson, B.S., ''The Weekday Siddur: An Exposition and Analysis of its Structure, Contents, Language and Ideas'' (2nd ed, Tel-Aviv, Sinai Publ'g) page 307; Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) page 24.</ref> In this noble prayer are evinced profound religious feeling and exalted thought, as well as ability to use the [[Hebrew language]] in a natural, expressive, and classical manner.<ref name="JewishEncyclopedia" /><ref>''Jerusalem Talmud Rosh Hashanah'' 1 57a</ref> He also composed the prayer recited on Shabbat before the start of a new month, [[Birkat haHodesh|Birkat ha-Hodesh]].<ref name=":0" />

The many [[homiletic]] and [[ethical]] sayings recorded of him show similar ability. The greatest aggadist among Babylonian ''[[Amoraim]]'', he is the only one of them whose aggadic utterances approach in number and contents those of the Palestinian haggadists. The [[Jerusalem Talmud]] has preserved a large number of his [[halakha|halakhic]] and [[aggadah|aggadic]] utterances; and the Palestinian ''[[Midrashim]]'' also contain many of his ''aggadot''. Rav delivered homiletic discourses, both in the [[beit midrash]] and in the synagogues. He especially loved to discuss in his homilies the events and personages of Biblical history; and many beautiful and genuinely poetic embellishments of the Biblical record, which have become common possession of the [[aggadah]], are his creations. His ''aggadah'' is particularly rich in thoughts concerning the moral life and the relations of human beings to one another.<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/> A few of these teachings may be quoted here:
* "The commandments of the [[Torah]] were only given to purify men's morals"<ref>[[Genesis Rabbah]] 44</ref>
* "Whatever may not properly be done in public is forbidden even in the most secret chamber"<ref>''Shabbat'' 64b</ref>
* "In the future, a person will give a judgement and accounting over everything that his eye saw and he did not eat."<ref>[[Jerusalem Talmud]], Kiddushin 4:12</ref>
* "Whoever lacks pity for his fellow man is no child of [[Abraham]]"<ref>''Beitzah'' 32b</ref>
* "Better to cast oneself into a fiery furnace than to publicly shame one's fellow man."<ref>''Bava Metzia'' 59a</ref>
* "One should never betroth himself to a woman without having seen her; one might subsequently discover in her a blemish because of which one might loathe her and thus transgress the commandment: 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself'"<ref>''Kiddushin'' 41a</ref>
* "A father should never prefer one child above another; the example of [[Joseph (Hebrew Bible)|Joseph]] shows what evil consequences may result."
* "While the dates are still in the borders of your skirt, run off with them to the distillery!" [Meaning, before one wastes what he has, let him convert it into something more productive]<ref>''Pesachim'' 113a</ref>
* "Receive the payment. Deliver the goods!" [i.e. do not sell on credit]<ref>''Pesachim'' 113a</ref>
* "[Better to come] under the displeasure of Ishmael (i.e. the Arabs) than [the displeasure of] Rome; [better to come] under the displeasure of Rome than [the displeasure of] a Persian; [better to come] under the displeasure of a Persian than [the displeasure of] a disciple of the Sages;  [better to come] under the displeasure of a disciple of the Sages than [the displeasure of] an orphan and widow."<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Shabbat.11a.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Shabbat 11a]</ref>
* "A man ought always to occupy himself in the words of the Law, and in the commandments, even if it were not for their own sake. For eventually he will do it for their own sake"<ref>''Sanhedrin'' 105b; ''Pesahim'' 50b</ref>
* "A man ought always to look about in search of a [good] city whose settlement is only of late, considering that since its settlement is [relatively] new, its iniquities are also few."<ref>''Shabbat'' 10b</ref>
* "A disciple of the Sages ought to have in him one-eighth of one-eighth of pride, [and no more]."<ref>''Sotah'' 5a</ref>

Rav loved the ''Book of Ecclesiasticus'' ([[Sirach]]), and warned his disciple [[Hamnuna Saba]] against unjustifiable asceticism by quoting its advice that considering the transitoriness of human life, one should not despise the good things of this world.<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Eruvin.54a.5?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Eruvin 54a]</ref>

To the celestial joys of the future he was accustomed to refer in the following poetic words:<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>
{{Blockquote|Nothing on earth compares with the future life. In the world to come there shall be neither eating nor drinking, neither trading nor toil, neither hatred nor envy; but the righteous shall sit with crowns upon their heads, and rejoice in the radiance of the Divine Presence.<ref>Berakhot 17a</ref>}}

Rav also devoted much attention to [[Mysticism|mystical]] and [[transcendence (religion)|transcendental]] speculations regarding [[Maaseh Breishit and Maaseh Merkavah|Maaseh Bereshit, Maaseh Merkabah]], and the [[Divine name|Divine Name]]. Many of his important utterances testify to his tendency in this direction.<ref>Hagigah 12a, Kiddushin 71a</ref>{{sfn|Singer|1901–1906|ignore-err=yes}}
{{Wikisource1911Enc|'Abba 'Arika}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{JewishEncyclopedia |url = http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?letter=A&artid=127 |article=Abba Arika}}
* {{Citation |title=A Short Survey of the Literature of Rabbinical and Mediæval Judaism |year=1920 |place=New York, NY |publisher=Burt Franklin |last2=Box |first2=G. H. |surname1=Oesterley |given1=W. O. E.}}.
{{refend}}

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{{Amoraim}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Arika, Abba}}
[[Category:175 births]]
[[Category:247 deaths]]
[[Category:Rabbis of Academy of Sura]]