Abaye [HaKohen]

Fourth Generation of Amoraim, and his name was Nachmani, after his grandfather. His father died before he was born, and his mother died after he was born. Thus said Rabbi Yochanan: Happy is he who did not see his parents, because it is impossible to fulfill the mitzvah of honoring parents as fully as necessary, and therefore a person is punished because of them. Rabbi Yochanan said this because he was orphaned and never saw his parents at all; when his mother became pregnant, his father died, and when he was born, his mother died. The same happened to Abaye. But Abaye said several times, "My mother told me such and such"? That was not his mother, but the nurse who raised him [Kiddushin 31b]. Rabba bar Nachmani, his uncle, raised him and entrusted him to a nurse who was truly like a mother to him.

The Nurse

With all her strength, she made sure he lacked nothing, ensuring no harm befell him, and that he would study Torah with a clear mind. She truly raised him as her own mother, and we find that she was wise. Thus said Abaye: Even if my mother told me to do a light task, like moving a pot, it would distract me from my concentration, and I would not study afterward as I always do [Eruvin 65a]. His nurse raised a lamb for him, so that he would need to enter the restroom, but not go there alone because of harmful spirits. So why did she raise a kid goat for this purpose? Because a kid is a type of "sa'ir" (goat), and a restroom demon is also called "sa'ir." She feared that the kid might be mistaken for the demon and harm Abaye [Berakhot 62a]. She taught Abaye all sorts of remedies, as we find: Abaye said, "My mother [my nurse] told me that kissani, which are roasted grains, meaning: when the wheat stalks are moist and still green, they are dried in an oven, and they are always sweet. Whoever eats them, they are beneficial for strengthening the heart and dispelling worries." Abaye further said: My mother told me: "He who has a weak heart, let him bring the thigh meat of a ram, and bring cattle dung excreted in the month of Nissan to roast it with; if he has none, let him bring willow splinters, and roast the meat and eat it, and drink old wine after eating, and it will help him greatly" [Eruvin 29b]. Abaye said: My mother told me: "Eating dates before eating bread is harmful to the human body, like the blow of an axe to a date palm; whereas eating dates after eating bread strengthens the human body, just as a bolt strengthens a door" [Ketubot 10b]. Abaye said: My mother told me: "A boy of six is ready to be taught Scripture; a boy of ten is ready to be taught Mishna; a boy of thirteen is ready to fast all day. And a girl, who matures earlier than a boy, because she does not expend her strength in Torah study, fasts when she is twelve" [Ketubot 50a].

His Uncle Called Him Nachmani

Rabba the Amora was his uncle, and he called him Nachmani because he was like a son to him, and their lineage was from the house of Eli the Kohen. Similarly, Rava, his colleague, also called him Nachmani. This is what happened: Abaye's donkey was lost in the village of the Cutheans, a nation converted out of fear. Abaye sent a messenger to them with a request to return his donkey. The Cutheans sent word to Abaye: "Send us a sign that you have concerning the donkey!" He sent them a sign: "The belly of my donkey is white." The Cutheans returned Abaye's donkey and said to him: "If you were not Nachmani, and we knew you were a pious man and do not lie, we would not have returned your donkey, for what kind of sign is this you brought! Is not the belly of every donkey white?!" [Gittin 45a].

Destined for Greatness

Abaye and Rava in their youth [as young as nine or ten] sat studying Torah before Rabba. When Rabba finished his meal and wanted to recite Grace After Meals, he checked if they were fit to be included in the zimmun (quorum). Rabba asked them, "To whom do we bless?" They replied, "To the Holy One, Blessed Be He." Rabba asked them, "And where is the dwelling place of the Holy One, Blessed Be He?" Rava pointed his finger upwards toward the ceiling, and Abaye went outside and pointed toward the heavens. Rabba told them: "Both of you will be great sages, as people commonly say, botzin botzin mi-katfeih yedi'a, meaning: when is it known that a pumpkin will grow well? From when it is small. So too, the quality of Abaye and Rava was evident already in their childhood" [Berakhot 48a].

An Emissary Since Childhood

Ulla happened to be in Pumbedita in Babylonia. Rav Yehuda bar Yechezkel wanted to see how Ulla performed Havdalah. Rav Yehuda called his son Rav Yitzchak and said to him: "Go and bring Ulla a basket of fruits and observe how he performs Havdalah!" Rav Yitzchak did not go himself but sent Abaye in his place to Ulla. When Abaye returned, Rav Yitzchak asked him, "How did Ulla perform Havdalah?" Abaye told him: "Baruch Ata… ha-mavdil bein kodesh le-chol ('Blessed are You… Who separates between the holy and the mundane')" and he did not add any other separations. Rav Yitzchak came before his father. Rav Yehuda asked him, "How did Ulla perform Havdalah?" His son told him, "I did not go, but I sent Abaye, and Abaye told me: Ulla said, 'He who separates between the holy and the mundane.'" Rav Yehuda said to his son: "Your boastfulness and stubbornness, meaning, your pride and refusal to go yourself, caused this halakha of Ulla not to be stated in your name but in Abaye's name! And indeed, it is said that every Torah scholar from whose mouth words of tradition are spoken—his lips move in the grave!" [Pesachim 104b].

His Teachers

His primary teachers were Rabba, his uncle, and Rav Yosef [bar Chiya] in the Yeshiva of Pumbedita. Abaye referred to his uncle Rabba with the respectful title "Mar," meaning "my master and teacher." When Rav Yosef fell ill and forgot his learning, Abaye would always remind him: "Thus and so you taught us" [Eruvin 41a]. And when Abaye himself was the greatest of his generation, he engaged in halakhic discussions with his teacher Rav Yosef as a colleague. When Rav Yehuda bar Yechezkel [Rav Yosef's primary teacher] passed away, Abaye was approximately twenty years old. And at the passing of Rav Chisda, Abaye was already the greatest of his generation, approximately thirty years old.

His Uncle Rabba Strove to Sharpen and Enlighten Him

As related: Someone who was a prayer leader before Rabba said: "You had mercy on a bird's nest, have mercy on us!" Rabba was impressed and said: "How well this person knows how to supplicate and appease the Holy One, Blessed Be He!" Abaye said to Rabba: "But we learned that one must silence him!" Indeed, Rabba knew this law, but he did it to test and sharpen Abaye [Berakhot 33b]. Abaye said: The obligation to stand within four cubits is for a teacher who is not primary; but for one's primary teacher, one must stand from the moment one sees him. This is called reverence for one's teacher, and one does not sit until the teacher sits or until he moves away and is out of sight. Thus it is related: When Abaye would see the ear of Rav Yosef's donkey, he understood that Rav Yosef was coming and immediately rose from his place to stand before his primary teacher. It is further related: Abaye was riding his donkey on the bank of the Sagi River. On the other side of the river sat Rav Mesharsheya and other students of Abaye, and they did not rise before Abaye! Abaye asked them: "Am I not your primary teacher! Even though you are more than four cubits away from me, is it not proper for you to rise before me?!" His students told him, "We were preoccupied with something else and did not notice," and they sought forgiveness from Abaye, their master [Kiddushin 33a].

Respect for Torah

Ravin and Abaye were walking on the road, and Ravin's donkey went ahead of Abaye's donkey. Ravin also did not ask Abaye's permission to set out, such as "Shall we go, master?", nor did he honor him by letting him go first. Abaye thought to himself: "Since Ravin comes from the Land of Israel, he is arrogant," meaning, he thinks highly of himself and therefore does not show respect to others. When they reached the entrance of the study hall, Ravin said to Abaye respectfully, "Please enter, master!" Abaye said to him: "Have I not been 'master' in your eyes until now! And why do you honor me here, but did not honor me on the way?" Ravin replied to him, "Thus said Rabbi Yochanan: We do not honor the elder to enter first except at an entrance that has a mezuzah, and not on the road" [Berakhot 47a].

His Humility

Rav Yitzchak bar Yosef came to Babylonia and related an incident in the name of his teacher Rabbi Yochanan concerning the matter of chazaka (presumption). He said: This is what happened before Rabbi Yochanan, in a place called "Kenishta de-Ma'on," on Yom Kippur that fell on Shabbat. A woman came whose first son she had circumcised, and he died because of the circumcision. And this happened a second time. For the third time, the woman came before Rabbi Yochanan to ask, "Should I circumcise her son?" Meaning: Is there a chazaka after two times that her sons die, and therefore she should not circumcise her third son? Rabbi Yochanan told her: "Go and circumcise him." Abaye said to Rav Yitzchak bar Yosef: "Be very precise in this testimony of yours, in what you saw and heard, for here you are going to permit a dangerous matter! Besides the danger to the child's life, you are also permitting the desecration of Shabbat and Yom Kippur for the circumcision of a child whose mother was twice presumed to be in danger of death for her sons!" Despite everything, Abaye relied on the words of Rav Yitzchak bar Yosef in the name of Rabbi Yochanan that there is no chazaka after two times, and Abaye himself was not concerned about this. After his first wife, Abaye married "Chumah," the daughter of Isi, son of Rav Yitzchak, son of Rav Yehuda. This was despite her first marriage to Rachava de-Pumbedita, who died, and her second marriage to Rav Yitzchak, son of Rabba bar bar Chana, who also died. Nevertheless, Abaye relied on Rabbi Yochanan's words that there is no chazaka after two times, and Chumah was not a deadly woman, and he married her. In the end, Abaye also died. Rava wondered about Abaye: "How did Abaye risk his life! And Abaye himself said: Rabbi Avin, a student of Rabbi Yochanan, is authoritative, and one can rely on the traditions he states in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, because he would review his studies and was always with his teacher. If Rabbi Yochanan had retracted the halakha, Rabbi Avin would have known! In contrast to Rav Yitzchak bar Yosef, who does not review his studies like Rabbi Avin and is not constantly with his teacher, and therefore one cannot rely on his tradition! If so, how did Abaye rely, risking himself by marrying 'Chumah'?!" [Yevamot 64b].

Proficient in Sciences

Abaye said: "Every twenty-eight years, the sun returns in the firmament to the place it was at the time the luminaries were hung at the creation of the world, exactly on the same day and at the same hour it stood then." And a new cycle of twenty-eight years begins until it returns again to its original place, and that is the day of the beginning of the Tishrei season which falls on the night of Tuesday, dawning on Wednesday. On this day and at this hour, the luminaries were hung at the creation of the world [Berakhot 59b].

Abaye's Greatness

Abaye said: "The destructive spirits are more numerous than us, and they are around us like a garden bed around a tree, or like the mound of earth around a ditch" [Berakhot 6a]. Thus it is related: Abaye was walking on the road with his students, Rabbi Papa to his right and Rabbi Huna son of Rav Yehoshua to his left. Abaye saw the demon "Ketev Meriri" approaching him from his left. Abaye told Rabbi Papa to move to the left side and Rabbi Huna to the right, so that Rabbi Huna would not be facing the demon. Rabbi Papa said to Abaye, his master: "Why are you not concerned for me, that I will be facing the demon?" Abaye told him: "You are wealthy and have good fortune, therefore I am not concerned that you will be harmed" [Pesachim 114a].

His Importance

There is a demoness called – we learned in a Baraita: A person should not go out alone on Wednesday night and Shabbat night, because Igrath bat Machalat, she, and eighteen myriads of destructive angels, go out, and each one has permission to harm people on their own. Initially, they were present every day, but from the following incident, we will learn what happened. One time, the demoness encountered Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. She said to him: "If it were not for the proclamation concerning you in the heavens, 'Be careful with Chanina and his Torah,' I would harm you!" Rabbi Chanina said to her: "If I am so important in heaven, I decree upon you that you and your companions shall never pass through where people live!" The demoness said to him: "Please, leave us at least a short time when we can pass through a place where there are people!" Rabbi Chanina left her Wednesday nights and Shabbat nights. Another time, the same demoness encountered Abaye. She said to him: "If it were not for the proclamation concerning you in the heavens, 'Be careful with Nachmani and his Torah,' I would harm you!" Abaye said to her: "If I am so important in heaven, I decree upon you that you and your companions shall never pass through where people live" [Pesachim 112b].

His Eminence

It happened with a certain sorcerer, a gentile, who was desecrating graves of the dead in order to perform necromancy and consult with the dead. When this sorcerer reached the burial cave of Rav Tovi bar Matana, Rav Tovi seized him and would not let go. Abaye, who was a friend of that gentile, arrived and asked Rav Tovi to release him and let him go! And Rav Tovi released him. A year later, that sorcerer again returned to Rav Tovi's burial cave, and Rav Tovi again seized him by his beard. [Bava Batra 73a] – He let him go until he found a sharp object and cut off that sorcerer's beard [thus causing him to lose his power].

His Mouth Never Ceased from Study

Rabba bar Rav Chanan said to Abaye: "Is it possible that in an alley where two great Torah scholars, you and Rabba your uncle, reside, there is neither an eiruv nor a shituf mevo'ot (partnership for alleys)?" Abaye said to him: "What can we do? Mar (Rabba), it is not in keeping with the honor of his Torah to go and solicit the residents of the alley to collect their contribution for the shituf. And I, I do not go out because I am engrossed in Torah study" [Eruvin 68b].

Torah Study Under Duress

Even when Abaye was the greatest of his generation, he studied Torah under duress, and poverty was his lot. He had to tend to his fields himself, as the Gemara relates. Rav Shimi bar Ashi came before Abaye and asked him to set a time during the day to teach him Torah. Abaye told Rav Shimi: "I have no free time! Because during the day I study Torah myself." Rav Shimi asked him: "If so, set a time for me at night and teach me Torah!" Abaye told him: "At night I am busy watering my fields and I have no free time even for myself." Rav Shimi told Abaye: "I will water your fields for you during the day, and you set a time with me to teach me Torah at night!" Abaye agreed with Rav Shimi. Rav Shimi was cunning. He went to those whose fields were upstream and told them: "Those whose fields are downstream water their fields first, therefore you are forbidden to dam the river." Rav Shimi went to those whose fields were downstream and told them: "Those upstream water their fields first, therefore do not dam the river." In between, Rav Shimi went and dammed the river and watered Abaye's fields easily and quickly. When Rav Shimi returned before Abaye, Abaye understood this and said to Rav Shimi: "You did not do well, because my fields are in the middle of the river and they do not get watered first!" Therefore, Abaye refused to taste any of the fruits all year, lest people say that Rav Shimi did it on his behalf [Gittin 60b].

God's Blessing

Eventually, the Holy One, Blessed Be He, sent His blessing upon his endeavors, and he ceased working himself and only supervised the laborers so they would not suffer loss. As he was blessed and the Holy One, Blessed Be He, expanded his boundaries, he began to disseminate Torah even during the lifetime of his teacher, Rav Yosef. And so the Gemara relates. Shmuel said: "Whoever checks his assets every day profits a sela (a coin), because he sees what needs fixing in his fields and fixes it." Abaye, who knew this, would inspect his fields every day. One day he met the laborer who was responsible for cultivating the fields and saw him carrying a load of wood on his shoulders to steal it. Abaye asked him: "Where are you taking the wood?" He replied: "To bring it to your house!" Abaye told him: "The Sages have already preceded you and said: A person should check his assets every day. And by observing their words, I saved my assets and prevented your theft" [Chullin 105a].

His Appointment as Head of the Yeshiva

After the passing of Rav Yosef bar Chiya, Abaye's teacher, a new Rosh Yeshiva needed to be appointed. There were four candidates: Abaye, Rava, Rabbi Zeira, and Rabba bar Rav Matana. They said: "Whoever states a halakhic opinion upon which there are no questions will be appointed head of the Yeshiva." They all stated their opinions; there were questions on everyone's words, but on Abaye's words, there were no questions at all! Rabba [some versions say Rava] saw Abaye raise his head, happy that no one had found a question on his words! Rabba said to Abaye: "Nachmani, open your mouth and expound, and your words will shine, for from Heaven it has been decreed for you greatness, and you are appointed head of the Yeshiva." From then on, he showed his greatness not only in his sharp intellect but also in his extensive knowledge, and he would say of himself: "I am like Ben Azzai in the markets of Tiberias," meaning: I am ready to answer every questioner with depth and sharpness, like Ben Azzai who was sharp and expounded in the markets of Tiberias [Kiddushin 20a]. Ben Azzai would also say: "All the Sages of Israel before me are like garlic peel, except for this bald one!" Rashi explained: "Except for Rabbi Akiva" [Bekhorot 58a]. The question was asked: Rabbi Zeira and Rabba bar Rav Matana, which of them is superior, in case we had to choose one of them? Is Rabbi Zeira superior because he is sharp and astute and raises objections and resolves them! Or perhaps Rabba bar Rav Matana is superior because he is calm and deliberate in his studies and examines well and deduces clear halakha! Which of them is superior? Teiku (let it stand as an unresolved question) [Horayot 14a].

His Students

When some of the sages finished their studies in Rabba and Rav Yosef's Yeshiva, four hundred more students remained in the Yeshiva and called themselves "orphans," meaning, those who remained were few compared to those who left. When some of the sages finished their studies in Abaye's Yeshiva, and some say in the Yeshiva of Rav Papa, who was Abaye's student, and some say in the Yeshiva of Rav Ashi, two hundred students remained in the Yeshiva and called themselves "orphans of orphans," meaning, they were few compared to those who left. From this, we learn that Abaye had many students [Ketubot 106a]. His students were most beloved to him, so much so that when he saw one of his students complete a tractate, he would make a feast and a holiday for his students [Shabbat 119b].

Kohen from the House of Eli

Rav Shmuel bar Ami said, and some say Rav Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rav Yonatan: From where do we learn that a decree accompanied by an oath is not revoked? As it is stated: "And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice nor offering forever" [1 Samuel 3:14]. Rabba said: It will specifically not be atoned for by sacrifice and offering, but it can be atoned for through the study of Torah. Abaye said: It will specifically not be atoned for by sacrifice and offering, but it can be atoned for through the study of Torah and acts of loving-kindness. Rabba and Abaye were of the lineage of Eli the Kohen, and it was said about the house of Eli: "And all the increase of your house shall die in the prime of their life" [1 Samuel 2:33], meaning, young men who will not live beyond twenty years. Rabba, who engaged in Torah, lived forty years, while Abaye, who engaged in Torah and acts of loving-kindness, lived sixty years [Rosh Hashanah 18a].

Greetings from the Heavenly Assembly

A man named "Abba Umana," so called after his profession as a bloodletter, a medical practice of their time. Every day "Abba Umana" would receive greetings from the heavenly assembly, meaning: a heavenly voice would say to him: "Peace be upon you." To Abaye, the same heavenly voice would come and say to him: "Peace be upon you" every Friday evening, once a week, because he engaged in acts of loving-kindness with the poor every Friday evening. Therefore, measure for measure, he received greetings every Friday evening. And to Rava, the same heavenly voice would come every Erev Yom Kippur, once a year, because he would appease and make peace with those who had disputes with him only on Erev Yom Kippur. Abaye's spirit was weakened, and he was distressed that he did not receive greetings from the heavenly assembly every day, for his spiritual stature as a Torah scholar and righteous man was much greater than that of Abba Umana! They said to Abaye from Heaven: "You have no need to be distressed about this, for there are good deeds that you cannot do like Abba Umana!" Abaye sent two Torah scholars to investigate Abba Umana's actions and found that his deeds were indeed very great, and so Abaye's mind was put at ease [Ta'anit 21b].

Beloved by All

Abaye strove with his great wisdom to be beloved by all and to admonish them with humility so that his words would be heard. Therefore, he would often say: "A person should always be cunning in reverence," meaning, he should act cunningly to counter the evil inclination so that he may come to the fear of Heaven. Abaye further adds: A person's conduct should be in the manner of: "A soft answer turns away wrath," meaning: his speech should be tolerant and pleasant, so that people will want to hear and understand him, and he should increase peace with his brothers, his relatives, and with every person, even with a gentile in the marketplace. And all this is so that he may be beloved above and cherished below, and accepted by people [Berakhot 17a].

His Wife and Sons

Abaye and his [first] wife argued about to whom they should marry their daughter. Abaye said to marry her to his relative, and his wife said to her relative. Abaye said to her: "If you disregard my will and opinion and marry our daughter to your relative, my enjoyment from you will be forbidden to me!" Meaning: Abaye vowed that his wife would not benefit from him! His wife went and married her daughter to her relative, against Abaye's will and opinion. Abaye came before his teacher Rav Yosef to annul his vow! Rav Yosef asked him: "If you had known that your wife would act against your will and opinion and marry your daughter to her relative, would you have made the vow?" Abaye replied, "I would not have vowed." Rav Yosef annulled his vow [Nedarim 23a]. His sons, Torah scholars: Rav Bibi bar Abaye and Rav Shimi bar Abaye.

His Loving Students

Rabba said: Rav Yosef tested us with a question concerning a Kohen, namely: A Kohen who snatches from those who bring the priestly gifts to present them to the Kohanim – does this indicate love for the mitzvah and is he doing well! Or perhaps, the snatching indicates disrespect for the mitzvah? We learned the answer from the verse: "And he shall give to the Kohen," and not that he should take it himself. From this, it is evident that snatching is not appropriate. Abaye said: Initially, I would snatch priestly gifts because I thought there was a love for the mitzvah in it, but after I heard the exposition on the verse: "And he shall give to the Kohen," and not that he should take it himself, I stopped snatching. But I still asked the owners of the animals and fields to bring me their gifts. Abaye adds and says: I heard the Baraita about the sons of Samuel the Prophet, as it is stated: "And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre" [1 Samuel 8:3]. And Rabbi Meir explains: This was said about them because they sought their portion! Abaye said: Since then, I stopped even asking, but I still took from whoever brought me gifts. Abaye continues and says: Since I heard the Baraita concerning the division of the showbread, that the modest Kohanim would withdraw their hands from the division and the gluttonous ones would divide, I stopped taking altogether, except for once a year on Erev Yom Kippur, I take priestly gifts so that it would not be forgotten that I am a Kohen. Why did Abaye need to take gifts to make known his priesthood! Could he not spread his hands on the platform all year for the priestly blessing, and thus it would not be forgotten that he is a Kohen?! At the time when the Kohanim would raise their hands for the priestly blessing in the synagogue, Abaye was busy teaching his students, and out of their great desire to study Torah, they did not allow Abaye to raise his hands [Chullin 133b].

His Wisdom

Rabbi Acha bar Yaakov sent his son Rabbi Yaakov to study Torah from Abaye. When Rabbi Yaakov returned home, his father saw that his learning was not clear to him. He said to him: "I am more refined than you; stay here, and I will go to study Torah with Abaye!" Abaye heard that Rabbi Acha bar Yaakov was coming to study Torah with him. In Abaye's study hall, there was a harmful spirit whose power was so great that even during the day it would harm the students in the study hall. What did Abaye do! He told his students that no one should host Rabbi Acha in their home, and by force of circumstance, he would have to sleep in the study hall. And because of Rabbi Acha bar Yaakov's piety, it was possible that a miracle would occur, and he would kill the harmful spirit, and so it was. Rabbi Acha slept in the study hall, and that harmful spirit appeared before him and seemed like a seven-headed serpent. Rabbi Acha prayed, and with each prostration he made in prayer, he removed one head from the harmful spirit until he killed it [Kiddushin 29b].

His Sayings

Rav Ketina said: The world will endure for six thousand years, and for one thousand years it will be desolate [in the seventh millennium as preparation for the World to Come], as it is stated: "And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day" [Isaiah 2:17]. Abaye said: Two thousand years desolate [in the seventh and eighth millennia], as it is stated: "He will revive us after two days; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him" [Hosea 6:2]. From where do we learn that a day of the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is a thousand years?! As it is stated: "For a thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past" [Psalms 90:4; Sanhedrin 97a].

Lover of Peace

Abaye had a difficulty with Rav Yosef concerning a Mishna about the order of those called to the Torah. It is stated in the Mishna: A Kohen reads first, and after him a Levi, and after him an Yisrael, for the sake of the ways of peace. But this is learned from the Torah in verses and not for the sake of the ways of peace?! Rav Yosef explained to Abaye: Indeed, this is a law from the Torah, and the Torah stated it for the sake of the ways of peace. The question was asked: Is not the entire Torah for the sake of the ways of peace! As it is stated: "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" [Proverbs 3:17]? So why is it necessary to state this in the Mishna? Rather, Abaye said: What we learned in the Mishna about the order of those called to the Torah and the reason "for the sake of the ways of peace" comes to teach the words of Rabba. And they are: We learned in a Baraita: When two people eat together and one of them stops eating to drink or do something else, his companion stops eating until his companion finishes his other task. But if three are eating and one stops eating, the other two do not need to wait for him to finish his matter. The Botzei'a (the one who recites the blessing of "HaMotzi" over the bread) is the first to begin the meal, and if the Botzei'a wishes to honor his teacher or a great person eating with him, it is in the Botzei'a's discretion. Concerning this, Rabba said: The Botzei'a can show honor to another at a meal, but at the Torah reading in the synagogue, the Kohen is not permitted to show honor, even to his teacher, by letting him ascend to the Torah in his place, lest it lead to strife! Therefore, the Mishna states concerning the Torah reading: Kohen first, Levi second, and after him Yisrael, for the sake of the ways of peace [Gittin 59b].

To Sanctify God's Name

Abaye said: It is stated in a Baraita, "And you shall love the Lord your God" [Deuteronomy 6:5]. And they expounded: that the Name of Heaven should be beloved through you. How does one sanctify the Name of Heaven? A person reads Scripture [Tanakh] and studies Mishna and serves Torah scholars [studies Gemara] and his business dealings are gentle with people. Then, what do all say about him? "Happy is his father who taught him Torah, happy is his teacher who taught him Torah. Woe to people who did not learn Torah!" Why? Because, "Look at this one who learned Torah, how good and proper are his deeds, how pleasant are his ways and his character." Concerning him, the verse says: "And He said to me, 'You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified'" [Isaiah 49:3]. But one who reads and studies Mishna and studies Gemara, and does not conduct his business faithfully, and his speech is not gentle with people, what do people say about him?! "Woe to that person who learned Torah, Mishna, and Gemara, woe to his father and his teacher who taught him Torah; see how corrupt are his deeds and how repulsive are his ways!" Concerning him, the verse says: "When they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned My holy Name, when they said of them: 'These are the people of the Lord, and they are gone out of His land'" [Ezekiel 36:20]. Meaning: Because they profaned My holy Name, the Lord cast them into exile to atone for their sins, and the gentiles say: "Behold, the Lord could not save them and bring them out of exile" [Yoma 86a].

His Passing

When Abaye and Rava passed away, the arches of the bridges over the Tigris River broke, and the pieces of the arches touched one another, meaning: a change occurred in the world [Moed Katan 25b]. Abaye is an acronym: "Who through you will have mercy on the orphan" [Hosea 14:4], for he was a reincarnation of Yotam ben Uzziah, who was also called Yerucham.