Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 1.pdf/82

36 Abbahu

THE JKWISII ENCYCLUPEDIA

Abbas, Judah refer to our

Ablm bar

where the same story

is

Zebinii (Imt see Slial). Il9ii, tokl of Joseph, "the reverer

of the Siibbiith"). BinLiixiRAPiiY:

lliii'ber,

Ag. Pal. Ami)r.iU.6'>l,(S2

AIcImi, pp. 3tki, 57.

ABBAHTJ





Frankel,

^y

A

jj

celebraleil Paleslinian aiiiora of

(about 2T!l-;)2(l). someHis as K. .Vbtiahu of Ca'siirea (Kisriii). rabbiiiie ediieatioii was aeijuiied mainly at Tilierias, in the aeaileniy luesiiled over by K. .bihanan, uitli whom his relations were almost those of a .son (Yer. He fre(iuently lier. ii. Alt; (iit. 4V>: 15. H. ;ji)<0 made pilj^rimaf^es to Tiberias, even after he hail become well known asrectorof the t'iesiirean Academy He wa"s (Yer. Shab. viii. 11'/; Yer. Pes. .. 3Tc). an authority on weiffhts and measures (Yer. Ter. v. 4'.)r) He iearneil Cireek in order to lieeome useful to his jieoide. then under the Homan Knowledge proconsuls, that lanjiuage having beof Greek come, to a considerable extent, the Literature, lival of the Hebrew even in (irayer (Yer. Sotali. vii. il/i); and. in spite of the bitter protest of Simon b. Abba. ln^ also tau.irht his daughters Greek (Yer. Sliat). vi, 7''; Yer. Sotali. Indeed, it was saiil of Abbahu i.. 24c; Sanh. ii). that he was a living illustration of the maxim (Ecel. vii. 18; comiiare Targum), "It is good that thou shouldest take liold of this [the study of the Law] yea. also from that [other branches of knowledge] withdraw not thine hand for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all" (Eccl. K. to vii. IS), lieing wise, handsome, and wealth}' (B. M. 84r( Y'er. 15. 'SI. iv. Ud). Abbahu became not only popidarwith his coreligionists, but also inlluential with the jiroeonsular government (Hag. 14"; Ket. IT"). On one occasion, when his senior colleagies. Hiyya b. Abba, Anuui, and Assi, had jiunished a certain woman, and feared the wrath of the proconsul, AbHe liad. bahu was deputed to intercede for them. however, anticipated the rabbis' rec{uest, and wrote them tliat he had appeased the informers but not The witty enigmatic letter describing the accuser. this incident, preserved in the Talnuid (Yer. Meg. iii. 74"). is in the main inire Hebrew, and even includes Hebrew translations of Greek iirojier names, to avoid the danger of possible exposure should the letter have fallen into the hands of enemies and informers (compare 'Er. .534). After his ordination he declined a teacher's ])osition, reeRector in onimemling in his stead a more needy friend. H. Abba of Acre (Acco). as Ceesarea. worthier than liimself (Sotah, 40"). He thereby illustrated his own doctrine tiiat it is a divine virtue to sympathize with a friend in his troubles as well as to jiartake of his joys (Tan., Wa-yesheb, cd. Buber, 10). Later he a.ssumed the office of rector in C'a'sarca, the former seat of R. Hoshnya I., and established himself at the so-called Kenishia 3Iaradtn (Insurrectionary Synagogue Y'cr. Xaz. vii. .")(!"; Y'cr. Sauh. i. 18"; compare Josephus. "15. J." ii. 14, § .-); Jaslrow, "Diet." p. 838), whence some of the most jirominent teachers of the He did not, however, conne.xt generation issued. fine his activity to Ca-Siuea, where he originated several ritualistic rules (Yer. Dcni. ii. 23". K. H. 34"). one of which that regulating the soiuiding of the s/infnr has since been luiiversjilly adojiti'd, and is referred to by medieval. lewish casuistsas "Takkanal K. Abbahu" (the Enactment of I{. Abtiahu; compare "JIahazor Vitry." Berlin. 1893. p. 3.').")). He also visited and taught in many other Jewish towns (Yer. Ber. viii. 12"rY'er. Shab. iii. .V). ^Vhile on these journeys, Abbahu gathered so the

Iliinl ariKiraic neiieratioii

tiiiiis (iteil

.

.







—

—

36

many Halakot

that scholars turned to him for inipiestions (Yer. Shab. viii. 11liance laid him open to the charge of iuconsisleiicy (Yer. Ber. viii. 12"; Yer. i5eznli, i. (iUi/). On the other hand, where (irciimstanees ret|uired it. he did not spareeven tiie jirinces of his people (Yer. "Ab. Zarali, i. 3!(//). Where, however, tile rigorous exposition of laws worked hardship on the masses, he did not scruple to luodily the decisions of his colleagues for the benefit of the comniunity (Shab. 134A; Y'er. Shab. xvii. 1(W; Yer. .M. K. i. 804). As for himself, he was very strict in the observance of the laws. On one occasion he ordered some Samaritan wine, but subsequent ly learning that there were no longer any strict observers of the dietary laws among the Samaritans, with the assistance of his colleagues. Hiyya b. Abba, Aninii, and Assi, he investigated the report, and, ascertaining it to be well founded, did not hesitate to declare the Samaritans, for all ritualistic ]nirposes. Gentiles (Yer. Ab. Zarah, v. 44-/; I.Iul. G"). R. Abbahu's chief characteristic seems to have been modesty. While lecturing in different towns, he met R. Hiyya b. Ablja. who was lecturing on inAs Abbahu delivered i)oputricate halakie themes. lar sermons, the masses naturally crowded to hear At this ajijiarent him. and deserted the halakist. slight, R. Hiyya manifested chagrin, and R, Abbahu hastened to comfort him by comparing Abbahu liimself to the pedlerof glilleringtinerand Hiyya ieslhat always attracted the eyes of the b. Abba, masses, while his rival was a trailer in precious stones, the virtues and values of which were appreciated only by the connoisseur. This speech not having the desired elTcct, R. Abbahu showed special respect for his slighted colleague by following him for the remainder of that day. " What." said Abbahu. "is modesty as compared with that of R. Abba of .cre (.cco). who does not even remonstrate with his interpreter for interpolating his own comments in the lecturer's ex posit ions." When his wife reported to him that his interiireler's wife had boasted of her own husband's greatness. R. .Vbbahu simply said, "AVIiat difference does it make which of us is really the greater, so long as through both of us heaven is glorilled : " (Sotah, 41)"). His principle of life he expressed in the maxim, " Let man ever be of the persecuted, and not of the persecutors; forlhere are none among the birds more jiersecuted than turtle-dovesand pigeons.and the Scripturesdeclarc them worthy of the altar" (B. K. il3"). R. Alibahu. though eminent as a halakist. was more distinguished as a haggadist and controversialist. He had manv interesting disputes with the Christians of his day (Shab. l.")24; Sanli. 39"; •All. Zarah, 4"). Sometimes these disputes were of a jocular nature. Thus, a heretic bearing the name of Sasoii ( = Joy) once remarked to him. " In the next world your jieople will have to draw water for me; for thus il is wrilten in the Bible (Isa. xii. 3), 'With jov .shall ve draw water.'" To this R. Abbahu replied."" Had the liible said for joy [h-.id/xin]. it would mean as thou say[he-miKDn]. it means est; but since it says with joy that we shall make bottles of thy hide and fill

fonualion

oji

mooted

my

'

'

'

'

These controverthem with wster" (Suk. 48^y). though forced on him. provoked resentment; and it is even related that his jiliysician. Jacob the sies,

Scliisniatie(.l/'/«""/,

R. Aninii

was slowly poisoning him. but

and R. Assi discovered the crime

in

time

(•Ab Zarah. 28<0.

Abbahu

liad

two sons, Zeira and Hanina. Some him a third son, Abimi (Bacher,

writers ascribe to