Rav Huna: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|3rd century Babylonian Talmudist and Exilarch}}

{{about||other sages|Huna Kamma|and|Rabbah bar Rav Huna|and|Huna ben Joshua|and|Huna bar Nathan}}

'''Rav Huna''' ([[Hebrew]]: '''רב הונא''') was a [[Jewish]] [[Talmud|Talmudist]] and [[Exilarch]] who lived in [[Babylonia]], known as an [[Amoraim|amora]] of the second generation and head of the [[Talmudic Academies in Babylonia|Academy of Sura]]; he was born about 216CE(212CE according to Gratz) and died in 296–297 CE (608 of the [[Seleucid]]an era)<ref>[[Sherira Gaon]], in Neubauer, "M. J. C." i. 30</ref> or in 290 CE.<ref>According to Abraham ibn Daud, "Sefer ha-Kabbalah" (in Neubauer, l.c. p. 58)</ref>

==Biography==

He lived in a town,<ref>Ta'anit 21b</ref> identified by Wiesener<ref>"Scholien zum Babylonischen Talmud," ii. 193</ref> with [[Tikrit]].<ref>but read by Grätz (= "Diokart")</ref> He was the principal pupil of [[Abba Arika|Rav]], under whom he acquired so much learning that one of [[Rava (amora)|Rava]]'s three wishes was to possess Rav Huna's wisdom.<ref name="mk28">[[Mo'ed Katan]] 28a</ref> He was also styled "one of the Babylonian Hasidim," on account of his great piety.<ref>Ta'anit 23b</ref> The esteem in which he was held was so great that, though not of a priestly family, he read from the Torah on [[Shabbat]] and holy days the first passage, which is usually read by a [[Kohen]] (priest). [[Rav Ammi]] and [[Rav Assi]], honored Israeli [[Kohen|Kohanim]], considered Huna as their superior.<ref>Megillah 22a; Gittin 59b</ref>

Although Rav Huna was related to the family of the [[exilarch]]<ref>Sherira Gaon, l.c.</ref> he was so poor at the beginning of his career that in order to buy wine to consecrate the Shabbat he had to pawn his girdle.<ref>Megillah 27b</ref> But Rav blessed him with riches, and Rav Huna displayed great wealth at the wedding of his son [[Raba bar Rav Huna]].<ref>ib.</ref> He owned numerous flocks of sheep, which were under the special care of his wife, ''Hobah'',<ref>Bava Kamma 80a</ref> and he traveled in a gilded litter.<ref>Ta'anit 20b</ref> Rav Huna was very generous. When the houses of the poor people were thrown down by storms he rebuilt them; at meal-times the doors of his house would be left open, while his servants would call out: "He who is hungry, let him come and eat".<ref>ib.</ref>

After Rav's death, Huna lectured in his stead in the Academy of Sura, but he was not appointed head until after the death of Rav's companion, [[Samuel of Nehardea|Samuel]] (c. 256). It was under Rav Huna that the Academy of Sura, which until then was called ''sidra'', acquired the designation of ''mesivta'' ([[yeshivah]]), with Rav Huna being the first "Resh Mesivta" ([[rosh yeshivah]]).<ref>Compare Zacuto "Yuchasin," p. 118b, Königsberg, 1857; and see [[Talmudic Academies in Babylonia]]</ref> Under Huna the academy increased considerably in importance, and students flocked to it from all directions; during his presidency their number reached 800, all supported by himself.<ref>Ketuvot 106a</ref> Their instant lecturers ("amora'e") were occupied in teaching them. When his pupils, after the lesson, shook their garments they raised so great a cloud of dust that when the Palestinian sky was overcast it was said, "Huna's pupils in Babylon have risen from their lesson".<ref>ib.</ref> Under Rav Huna, Palestine lost its ascendency over [[Babylonia]]; and on certain occasions he declared the schools of the two countries to be equal.<ref>Gittin 6a; Bava Kamma 80a</ref> In Babylonia, during his lifetime, the Sura academy held the supremacy. He presided over it for forty years, when he died suddenly, more than eighty years of age.<ref name="mk28"/> His remains were brought to Israel and buried by the side of [[Hiyya the Great]].<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Moed_Katan.25a.19?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=he Moed Kattan 25a]</ref>

Rav Huna's principal pupil was [[Rav Chisda]], who had previously been his companion under Rav. Other pupils of his whose names are given were: [[Abba bar Zavda]], [[Rav Giddel]], R. [[Helbo]], R. [[Sheshet]], Yiṣḥaq b. Ḥanina,<ref>[[Ketubot (tractate)|Ketubot]] 4b, [[Ketubot (tractate)|Ketubot]] 61a (2x), [[Nedarim (Talmud)|Nedarim]] 38b, [[Berakhot (tractate)|Berakhot]] 52b (MSS)</ref> and Huna's own son, Rabbah.<ref>Yevamot 64b</ref>

===Character traits===

Rav Huna was known to be very tolerant as well as very [[Humility|modest]]. He was not ashamed, before he was rich, to cultivate his field himself, nor to return home in the evening with his spade on his shoulder.<ref>Megillah 28a</ref> When two contending parties requested him to judge between them, he said to them: "Give me a man to cultivate my field and I will be your judge".<ref>Ketuvot 105a</ref> He patiently bore Rav's hard words, because the latter was his teacher,<ref>Eruvin 15a; Yerushalmi Eruvin 1 3</ref> but he showed on several occasions that a scholar must not humiliate himself in presence of an inferior.<ref>Ketuvot 69a; Bava Metzia 33a</ref>

==Teachings==

===Halacha===

He transmitted many of Rav's [[halakha|halakhot]], sometimes without mentioning Rav's name.<ref>Shabbat 24a et al.</ref> His own halakhot are numerous in the Babylonian [[Talmud]], and although some of his decisions were contrary to Rav's,<ref>Shabbat 21a, b, 128a</ref> he declared Rav to be the supreme authority in religious law.<ref>Niddah 24b</ref> Rav Huna's deductions were sometimes casuistical; he interpreted the text verbatim even where the context seems to prohibit such an interpretation.<ref>Shabbat 20a; Men. 36a; et al.</ref> According to Rav Huna, the halakhah transmitted in the [[Mishnah]] and [[Baraita]] is not always to be taken as decisive.<ref>Berachot 24b, 59b</ref> He had some knowledge of [[medicine]] and [[natural history]] and used his knowledge in many of his halakhic decisions.<ref>Shabbat 20a, 54b; Yevamot 75b</ref> He also interpreted many of the difficult words met with in the Mishnah and Baraita.<ref>Shabbat 53b, 54b, et al.</ref>

===Aggadah===

Rav Huna was equally distinguished as an [[aggada|aggadist]], and his aggadot were known in the [[Land of Israel]],to where they were carried by some of his pupils, [[Rav Zeira]] among them. His interpretation of Proverbs 14:23, transmitted by Rav Zeira, is styled "the pearl".<ref>[[Pesikta Rabbati|Pesikta]] 2 13b; compare Yerushalmi Shabbat 7:2, where also many halakhot of his are preserved, transmitted by Rav Zeira</ref> Many of his aggadot, showing his skill in Biblical exegesis, are found in the Babylonian Talmud, some in the name of Rav, some in his own. He took special pains to reconcile apparently conflicting passages, as, for instance, {{Bibleverse|2 Samuel|7:10|HE}} and {{Bibleverse|1 Chronicles|17:9|HE}}.<ref>Berachot 7b</ref>Heattempted to solve the problem of [[theodicy]], inferring from [[Isaiah]] 53:10 that [[God]] chastens those whom He loves.<ref>Berachot 5a</ref>

===Quotes===

* "He who occupies himself with the study of the Law alone is as one who has no God".<ref>Inferred from [[II Chronicles]] 15:3; Avodah Zarah 17b</ref>

* "When leaving the synagogue, one must not take long steps".<ref>Berachot 6b</ref>

* "He who recites his prayer behind the synagogue is called impious or ''rasha''.<ref>Inferred from [[Psalms]] 12:9 [A. V. 8]; ibid.</ref>

* "He who is accustomed to honor [[Shabbat]] with light will have children who are scholars; he who observes the injunction of [[mezuzah]] will have a beautiful house; he who observes the rule as to the [[tzitzit]] will have fine clothes; he who consecrates the Shabbat and the holy days as commanded will have many skins filled with wine".<ref>Shabbat 23b</ref>

* "Saul fell once, and he was dismissed. David twice, yet he stayed on".<ref>Yoma 22b</ref>

* "[Demons] are more numerous than we are and they surround us like the ridge round a field. Every one among us has a thousand on his left hand and ten thousand on his right hand".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Simon |first=Ed |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gahEEAAAQBAJ |title=Pandemonium: A Visual History of Demonology |date=2022-02-22 |publisher=Abrams |isbn=978-1-64700-389-0 |language=en}}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{JewishEncyclopedia|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?letter=H&artid=963|article=Huna}} It has the following bibliography:

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{{s-bef|before=[[Mar Ukva|Nathan Ukban I]]}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[Exilarch|7th Babylonian Exilarch]]|years= ?-297}}

{{s-aft|after=[[Nathan Ukban II]]}}

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[[Category:Exilarchs]]