Abaye
Abaye was an amora of the fourth generation of the Talmudic academies in Babylonia. He was born about the close of the third century and died in 337.
Biography
Abbaye, according to Talmudic tradition, was the rosh yeshiva of Pumbedita Academy until the day of his death. He was known as a modest and honest man, supporting himself through farming. He lived most of his life in poverty. Abbaye was born as the only son of Kilil. His father died before Abbaye was born, and his mother died during childbirth; he was adopted by his uncle, Rabbah bar Nahmani.His name
Abbaye was often called "Nahmani" by his friends. According to one opinion, first mentioned by Rashi in his commentary on Gittin 34b, he was called Nahmani because he was raised by bar Nahmani. According to another opinion, his original name was actually Nahmani. To avoid confusion with the name of his adoptive father, he was given the nickname Abbaye, which is a Hebrew abbreviation of the verse Hosea 14:4. The Maharsha explained this in Kiddushin in the name of the Abraham Zacuto, as did Isaac Luria in the Shaar HaGilgulim.In contrast, Meir Abulafia at the end of Horayot suggests he was called Abbaye because the name resembles the word Abba 'father', implying "his name is like his father's name." Another modern theory suggests that Abbaye is an Aramaic word meaning 'comfort'. Thus, the name Abbaye is actually the Syrian version of the name Nahmani. The Talmud mentions that even in Heaven, he was called "Nahmani" in Pesachim 112b.
His childhood and teachers
His main teachers were Rabbah bar Nahmani and Rav Yosef bar Hiyya, a great amora of the 3rd generation. Abbaye was with them all their lives.It is said that when Rav Yosef fell ill and forgot his learning, Abbaye would remind him. Abbaye greatly respected his teachers to the extent that it was said about him that when he saw the "ear of Rav Yosef's donkey approaching," he would rise in his honour.
Abbaye was particularly concerned with maintaining connections with the Talmudic academies in Syria Palaestina and with studying their teachings, thereby integrating the rulings of Johanan bar Nappaha into the Babylonian Talmud. Even in his youth, his talents were evident, as recorded in Berakhot 48a:
As Abbaye grew, he became known as a peacemaker and engaged in acts of kindness, thereby earning the trust and respect of the people.
Abbaye greatly appreciated his stepmother, and he often quoted her, adding the phrase "My mother told me," such as in Yoma 78b.
His friends
He was known for his disputes with Rava. However, there were also instances in which Abbaye supported Rava's opinion or explained it, and in approximately thirty places the Gemara states, "Abbaye and Rava both said..." Except for six cases, the law always follows Rava in their disputes. More than four thousand sayings, questions, contradictions, and answers are attributed to them, and almost no topic in the Talmud was left unexplored by them. The phrase "The Discussions of Abbaye and Rava" became synonymous with the entire Talmud.Among his friends was Rav Shimi bar Ashi. He was close to Abbaye and transmitted some of his teachings that were not stated in the study hall but explained to his sons during their lessons in Yoma 27a and Kiddushin 48b. However, he was not considered a disciple of either Abbaye or Rava, as he often debated with them on matters of law, and occasionally disagreed with them.
As the Head of the Academy
Besides Rava, Abbaye was also a friend of Rabbi Zeira, one of the great sages of the generation who, according to Talmudic tradition, chose Abbaye as the head of the academy after the death of Rav Yosef. According to this tradition, four students competed for the position of rosh yeshiva, and it was decided that the one who would present an unrefutable argument would be chosen. It was Abbaye who prevailed, surpassing even Rava. It is also said that while Rava received a heavenly voice only on the eve of Yom Kippur, Abbaye received it every Friday, and Abba Ummana received it every day according to Taanit 21b.Abbaye led the academy and the entire Babylonian Jewry for 14 years.
Abbaye was a descendant of Eli, upon whose descendants it was decreed that they would die young. Abbaye lived about sixty years according to Rosh Hashanah 18a.
He also served as a judge, and Bava Batra 166a recounts how he identified document forgers based on their writing style.
Bar Hedya and the Dreams of Abbaye and Rava
During the time of Abbaye and Rava, there was a man named Bar Hedya who worked as a dream interpreter. It is said that he would interpret dreams favourably for those who paid him and unfavourably for those who did not. Abbaye would pay him, whereas Rava would not, leading Bar Hedya to interpret Abbaye's dreams favourably and Rava's unfavourably. Berakhot 56a recounts a series of such dreams.For example, Abbaye and Rava said to him: We saw in our dream the verse 'Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, and you shall not eat thereof.". Bar Hedya interpreted it for Rava as a loss in business, causing such sorrow that he would not eat, and for Abbaye as a gain in business, making him so joyful he could not eat.
Family
His first wife bore him sons and daughters, but no further details about her are known.According to Yevamot 64b, his second wife was Homa, the great-granddaughter of Judah bar Ezekiel, whose two previous husbands had died. In the dispute among the sages about whether a woman is considered hazaka after the death of two husbands or only after three, Abaye relied on Yitzchak bar Yosef, who ruled that the hazaka is only after three occurrences, and he married Homa. He too later died.
One of Abaye's sons was the well-known amora Bevai bar Abaye.