Rabbi Abbahu

Second and third generation Amoraim, during the time of Rabbi Yochanan. Rabbi Yose bar Chanina and Resh Lakish were his colleagues, and after the death of Rabbi Yochanan, he sat with the court of Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi and Rav Chiya bar Yosef, disciples of Rabbi Yochanan. [Chullin 8a] He sat with Rabbi Yitzchak Nappacha and Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa, and all three were ordained to issue rulings to the public. [Gittin 29a] He prided himself on his son Avimi, who fulfilled the mitzvah of honoring his father and mother. He had five sons, and all of them were ordained to issue halachic rulings. When Rabbi Abbahu passed away, the pillars of Caesarea wept tears. [Mo'ed Katan 25b] In Rabbi Abbahu's generation, the Minim (heretics) spread with great power throughout our Holy Land, and the government of the land was given into their hands. They began to oppress and afflict the scattered flock of Israel. In the compassion of God for His people, He sent us from on high the man great among ten thousand, Rabbi Abbahu, who always debated with the Minim and defeated them.

His Wisdom

That Sadducee said to Rabbi Abbahu: It is written, “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.” [Psalms 3:1] And it is written further on: “Of David. A Michtam. When he fled from Saul in the cave,” [Psalms 57:1] Which event occurred first! Surely the event of Saul was first, and after that, David's flight from his son! If so, the event of Saul should have been written first in Psalms? Rabbi Abbahu answered him: You Sadducees do not expound on the juxtaposition of verses; therefore, it is difficult for you! But for us, who expound on the juxtaposition of verses, it is not difficult. For Rabbi Yochanan said: From where do we learn that the Sages expound from verses juxtaposed to each other in the Torah? As it is said: “Steadfast forever and ever, wrought in truth and uprightness,” [Psalms 111:8] meaning: The juxtaposition of the verses of the Holy One, Blessed be He, are wrought in truth and uprightness and are not empty words, but rather come to teach us a new insight. And why was the parsha (section) of Absalom in Psalms juxtaposed to the parsha of Gog and Magog that was said before it, as it is said: “Why are the nations in an uproar? And why do the peoples mutter an empty thing?” [Psalms 2:1] So that if someone asks you, “Can there be a servant who rebels against his master!” and wishes to deny the words of the scripture: “And the princes conspire together against the Lord and against His Messiah”?! [Psalms 2:2] Tell him: Is there a son who rebels against his father?! And certainly, there is such a thing, like Absalom against David his father! If so, also concerning Gog, even though it is not the way of the world, it is possible that Gog will also rebel against the Holy One, Blessed be He. [Berachot 10a]

Close to Royalty

Rabbi Abbahu was close to the monarchy, and this is what is related: When he would come from the study hall to the emperor's palace to speak with him about public needs, the important women of the emperor's house would come out to meet him, and they would sing before him: “Prince of his people and leader of his nation, who was a leader and close to the Roman monarchy, a radiating light.” Their intention was regarding his beauty, for the splendor of his face was radiant. “Blessed be your coming in peace,” meaning: that Rabbi Abbahu is a blessing to the Holy One, Blessed be He, who brought him to peace, or that they prayed: “May it be His will that your coming be in peace.” [Sanhedrin 14a]

His Love for Torah

When he came to Tiberias, Rabbi Yochanan's disciples saw him, and they saw that his face was shining like the sun. They said to their master, “Rabbi Abbahu found a treasure, and that is why his face is shining so much.” Rabbi Yochanan asked Rabbi Abbahu, “What new thing did you hear that gives you such great pleasure?” Rabbi Abbahu replied: “I heard a new Tosefta that I had never seen before, and I saw new things in it, therefore [Yerushalmi Shekalim] – I am very happy.” Rabbi Yochanan recited over him the verse: “A man's wisdom lights up his face.” [Ecclesiastes 8:1]

His Humility

Rabbi Abbahu said: At first, I thought to myself that I was humble, until one day I saw Rabbi Abba d'Man Akko, whose meturgeman (interpreter) announced to the public in a different way than what Rabbi Abba told him, and nevertheless, Rabbi Abba was not particular! I said to myself! If this is so, I am not humble in comparison to Rabbi Abba d'Man Akko. And what was Rabbi Abbahu's humility? One day, the wife of Rabbi Abbahu's meturgeman, the one who would bend down and hear Rabbi Abbahu's discourse and announce it to the public, said to Rabbi Abbahu's wife: “My husband does not need your husband at all, because he is just as wise as him, and the fact that he bends down to hear from your husband and stands up over him, is only out of respect that he shows your husband.” His wife went and told Rabbi Abbahu that the meturgeman's wife had said so and so to her. Rabbi Abbahu said to his wife: “What does it matter to you if this is indeed the case? After all, through both him and me, the name of the Blessed One is praised and exalted, and what difference does it make to you whether I announce it to him, or he knows these things on his own?”

More on Rabbi Abbahu's Humility

Rabbi Abbahu and Rabbi Chiya bar Abba arrived together in a city, and they were honored to deliver discourses to the public. Rabbi Abbahu discoursed on Aggadah, and Rabbi Chiya bar Abba on Halachah. Most of the congregation left Rabbi Chiya bar Abba, who was speaking on Halachah, and went to hear Rabbi Abbahu's discourse on Aggadah. Rabbi Chiya bar Abba's spirit was downcast! To calm him, Rabbi Abbahu said to him: “I will tell you a parable to what this matter is similar: To two people, one of whom sold precious stones at a high price, and the other sold all kinds of cheap needles. And on whom do people rush? Is it not on the one who sells cheap things?! So too for me, they do not come to me because of the importance of my words, but rather because they are cheap.” Rabbi Abbahu did one more thing to appease Rabbi Chiya: Every day Rabbi Chiya bar Abba would escort Rabbi Abbahu to his home, out of respect for the emperor, because Rabbi Abbahu was beloved and favored in the emperor's house. But on that day when the incident occurred, Rabbi Abbahu escorted Rabbi Chiya to his home. And despite everything, Rabbi Chiya's mind was not settled. [Sotah 40a]

More on Rabbi Abbahu's Humility

After the passing of Rabbi Ami, the Sages decided to appoint Rabbi Abbahu as the head of the Yeshiva. Rabbi Abbahu saw that Rabbi Abba d'Man Akko's creditors were pressuring him to repay his debts. Rabbi Abbahu said to the Sages: “Behold, you have a greater man than me! Rabbi Abba d'Man Akko is worthy of being appointed head of the Yeshiva!” Rabbi Abbahu said this because such was the custom: the Sages would give of their wealth and ensure the enrichment of the one who stood at their head so that he would be respected and his words would be heeded. Therefore, Rabbi Abbahu was concerned for Rabbi Abba d'Man Akko more than for his own honor. [Sotah 40a]

His Beauty, Strength, and Wealth

Rabbi Abbahu was so beautiful that he astonished those who saw him! Thus says the Gemara: The beauty of Rabbi Kahana is a reflection of Rabbi Abbahu's beauty, and Rabbi Abbahu's beauty is a reflection of Jacob our patriarch's beauty, and Jacob our patriarch's beauty is a reflection of Adam HaRishon's beauty. [Bava Metzia 84a] Rabbi Abbahu also possessed great strength! This is what happened: Once, Rabbi Abbahu entered a bathhouse, and the floor of the bathhouse opened beneath him, and the excavation into which the water falls yawned beneath it! A miracle occurred for him, and he held onto one column that remained from the floor and saved with him one hundred and one people who were with him there. How did Rabbi Abbahu do this? He held two, and they held others, and so on, and thus they were saved. After the miracle, Rabbi Abbahu said: “Now I understand why Rabbi Acha said that a person should give thanks upon leaving the bathhouse, 'who brought me out in peace.'” Rabbi Acha said: One should say upon leaving the bathhouse, “I give thanks before You, O Lord my God, who has saved me from the fire [a similar incident in Ketubot 62b] – in the bathhouse.” [Berachot 60a] He was blessed with wealth from the business of women's veils. [Yerushalmi Bava Metzia end of Chapter 4, 18a] On Shabbat eve, he would sit on a chair made of elephant ivory and kindle the coals in honor of Shabbat. [Shabbat 119a] A great sage in the wisdom of arithmetic, medicine, and expounding on the work of the Chariot (Merkavah).

Diligent in the Fourth Meal

Rabbi Chanina said: A person should always set his table on Saturday night (the fourth meal), even if he only needs a small amount (gram). And likewise, eating hot food, meaning: eating a hot dish on Saturday night is 30 [measures of] healing, and also eating hot bread on Saturday night is healing. The custom of Rabbi Abbahu: They would slaughter a three-year-old calf for Rabbi Abbahu on Saturday night, meaning: a calf born to a cow in its third calving, whose meat is of the finest quality. Rashi explains: a calf that has grown a third of its growth, and its meat is of the finest quality, and he would eat its kidney. When Avimi, Rabbi Abbahu's son, grew up, he asked his father: “Why do you need to slaughter an entire calf on Saturday night just for the kidney?! Couldn't you save a kidney from the Shabbat eve slaughter for Saturday night?!” The following week, they saved a kidney from the meat slaughtered on Shabbat eve for Saturday night. A lion came and snatched the calf that was prepared for Saturday night. The intention: in Heaven, they loved Rabbi Abbahu's conduct of specifically slaughtering a calf for Saturday night and eating its kidney. [Shabbat 119b]

The Greatness of His Merit

When Rabbi Dimi came down from the Land of Israel to Babylon, he said: Isaiah the prophet cursed Israel with eighteen curses, meaning: he prophesied that eighteen calamities would befall them. The prophet's intention was to clarify to Israel the extent of the destruction and the difficult situation they would fall into if they would disrespect the Torah and its scholars. And Isaiah the prophet was not appeased until he said to them this verse: “And the people shall be oppressed, everyone by another, and everyone by his neighbor; the boy shall insult the old man, and the base the honorable.” [Isaiah 3:5] Meaning: a youth will exalt himself over an elder, and the despised will exalt himself over the honorable. The Gemara explains all eighteen curses: And one of them is, that the Lord will remove from them “one who carries the face.” The Gemara explains: And “one who carries the face”: this is one for whom his generation is borne on his account. “Borne on his account above,” meaning: the Holy One, Blessed be He, bears the generation on his account above, like Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. “Borne on his account below,” meaning: the kings of the nations honor Israel on his account here on earth, like Rabbi Abbahu in the emperor's court. [Chagigah 14a]

Aids Israel

Once, a woman named Tamar, who had committed adultery, came to the court of Rabbi Chiya bar Abba, Rabbi Ami, and Rabbi Assi, and they punished her. Tamar went and informed on them to the governor of Caesarea. They sent a letter to Rabbi Abbahu, who was close to the monarchy, asking him to go and appease the monarchy so that they would not be punished. Rabbi Abbahu sent them word: “I have already appeased the three royal ministers, but Tamar is bitter, she stands by her bitterness! We tried to bring her back to good, but in vain; she refines, but she does not wish to be appeased.” [Yerushalmi Megillah 3:2, 24b]

Unites all Yeshivot

The Nasi (Patriarch) in his days was Rabbi Yehuda Nesia the Second (Rabbi Abbahu was young during the time of Rabbi Yehuda Nesia the First, grandson of Rabbi, and knew him). His seat in the Yeshiva was in Tzippori, and he would send to Rabbi Ami, who sat in Rabbi Abbahu's Yeshiva in Caesarea. At this time, Rabbi Yehuda Nesia was a very old man and remained in his place in Tzippori. When Rabbi Yehuda Nesia passed away, his son Rabbi Gamliel moved his Yeshiva to Caesarea because the decrees intensified and the city of Tzippori was destroyed. From this, we see that the Nasi's household sat with Rabbi Abbahu, and this is what is related: The people of the Nasi's household seized a maidservant belonging to orphans for the orphans' debt. Rabbi Abbahu, Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa, and Rabbi Yitzchak Nappacha sat, and Rabbi Abba sat with them, and they discussed this case. Rabbi Abbahu said to the people of the Nasi's household: “You did well to seize the maidservant, and this is according to the opinion of Rabbi Tarfon, that a creditor's seizure after death is effective!” Rabbi Abba said to him: “Is it because they are from the Nasi's household that you flatter them to rule contrary to Halachah?! Was there not a discussion in Rabbi Yochanan's Yeshiva, and they ruled according to Rabbi Tarfon, but Resh Lakish (Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish) came and proved that the Halachah is according to Rabbi Akiva! If so, the Halachah is according to Rabbi Akiva, that seizure after death is not effective, and the people of the Nasi's household did not do well.” [Ketubot 84b] In the days of Rabbi Abbahu, Rabbi Yehuda Nesia the Second was the Nasi, and the authority of ordination was in the hands of Rabbi Yochanan, who was the head of the great Yeshiva in the Land of Israel, because the Nasi-ship and the authority of the Yeshiva were divided into two. The Sages hoped that the matter would be restored to its proper state, but it was not so. Therefore, a gathering of Sages remained and were called “Rabbonan d'Kaisarin” (Sages of Caesarea), and Rabbi Abbahu sat at their head and taught the Torah of his master, Rabbi Yochanan. And in Tiberias were Rabbi Yonah and Rabbi Yose.

His Teachers

He was an outstanding disciple of Rabbi Yochanan, and most of his Torah he received from him. He was beloved by his master, so much so that he called him “my son,” as we find: Rabbi Abbahu asked Rabbi Yochanan: “If I am in the middle of reciting Shema and I pass through defiled alleys and stop because of a bad smell, have I fulfilled my obligation of Shema?” Rabbi Yochanan replied: “My son, if you stop in order to recite it all, you have not fulfilled your obligation.” [Yerushalmi Berachot 2:1, 12b] His master was also great in his eyes, so much so that he said about him: “Rabbi Yochanan opened for us a gate that shines like light.” [Yerushalmi Pesachim 2:2] And he stated many Halachot in the name of his master. He also received from Rabbi Elazar (ben Pedat) and stated Halachot in his name, as we find: Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: “Talmudic scholars are not subject to the fire of Gehinom.” This is learned a fortiori from the salamander, an animal or reptile created from fire burning in one place for seven years without interruption. How is the a fortiori argument made? Just as the salamander, which is created from fire, if its blood is smeared on a person's body, it will prevent him from being burned by fire, because such is the nature of the salamander's blood! So too, Talmudic scholars, whose entire bodies are fire, as it is written: “Is not My word like fire, says the Lord?” [Jeremiah 23:29] How much more so that the fire of Gehinom has no power over them. [Chagigah 27a] He received from Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish (Resh Lakish) and Rabbi Yose bar Chanina and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi (Ribbi Yehoshua ben Levi) and studied with all the disciples of Rabbi Yochanan, and he also stated traditions and Halachot in the name of Tannaim. His colleagues: Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi and Rabbi Yitzchak Nappacha, Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa, and Rabbi Abba.

With Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi

Rabbi Abbahu went to be healed by a certain Min (heretic) who was an expert physician named Yaakov, despite Rabbi Abbahu's great importance, the Minim hated him, and wherever they could harm him, they did not refrain from doing so. That physician Yaakov the Min, rubbed a drug on Rabbi Abbahu's leg, ostensibly to heal him, but Rabbi Abbahu still suffered more than he was healed! When he saw Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi and told them what had happened to him, they understood that that Min physician had rubbed Rabbi Abbahu's leg with a drug to poison him, and it would be necessary to amputate his leg. Immediately, Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi sucked the drug from his leg and saved Rabbi Abbahu's leg. Such are the Minim, that out of their hatred for Israel, they endangered themselves to do evil and harm Israel, even though they too could be harmed by it, and they fulfill in themselves the words of the scripture: “Let my soul die with the Philistines.” [Judges 16:30, Avodah Zarah 28a]

Continuing the Path of His Teachers

After the passing of his teachers Rabbi Yochanan, Resh Lakish, and Rabbi Elazar, he was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Caesarea, and all the great scholars of the generation gathered to him. And when the decrees increased and afflicted Israel, he took Rabbi Ami and his Yeshiva, where he was appointed head of the Yeshiva after Rabbi Yochanan, under his wing. This is what is related: Rabbi Abba, son of Rabbi Chiya bar Abba (one of Rabbi Yochanan's greatest disciples), and Rabbi Zeira were standing in the market of Caesarea near the entrance of the study hall. Rabbi Ami came out of the study hall and saw them standing outside the study hall. Rabbi Ami said to them: “Did I not tell you! During study time in the study hall, do not stand outside! Lest someone come to ask a halachic question, and the Sages will not be able to give him a clear answer, and they will have to interrupt their study and search for an answer!" “Whereas if you had been in the study hall, you could have given him an answer according to what you heard from the great scholars of the generation.” Rabbi Zeira entered the study hall, but Rabbi Abba did not. At that time, the Sages were grappling with a halachic question. Rabbi Zeira said to them: “When I was standing outside with Rabbi Abba, I did not know that you were discussing this question, because if I had known, I would have asked Rabbi Abba if he had heard it from his father, Rabbi Chiya bar Abba, who heard it from Rabbi Yochanan.” “Since Rabbi Chiya bar Abba was always present before Rabbi Yochanan in the study hall, and every thirty days he would review his studies before Rabbi Yochanan his master! Therefore, I am certain that Rabbi Abba heard an answer to this question from his father.” [Chullin 86a]

Judging Alone

Rabbi Abbahu would sit in the study hall at the gates of Caesarea and judge alone. His disciples said to him: “Did you not teach us, our master, 'Do not judge alone'?” He replied to them: “Since those who come for judgment see that I sit alone and come before me to be judged, it is as if they have accepted me upon themselves. But if they have not accepted me upon themselves, it is forbidden to judge alone.” [Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 1:1, 2b]

A Prayer He Instituted

He instituted many ordinances, and as a leading figure of his generation, he traveled through the cities of the country and taught them Halachot. Rabbi Chizkiyah said in the name of Rabbi Yaakov bar Acha in the name of Rabbi Assi in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: “This verse should never depart from your mouth, 'The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.'” [Psalms 46:8] Rabbi Yose bar Rabbi Avun said in the name of Rabbi Abbahu, in the name of Rabbi Yochanan and the colleagues: “Lord of hosts, happy is the man who trusts in You.” [Psalms 84:13] Rabbi Chizkiyahu said in the name of Rabbi Abbahu: “After saying these verses, one should always recite this prayer: 'May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that You save us from the brazen, difficult, and evil hours that are coming and surging into the world.'” [Yerushalmi Berachot 5:1, 37b]

His Expertise in Scripture

Rabbi Abbahu was skilled in verses because he was frequently with the Sadducees and would answer them and defeat them. As we find: Rabbi Abbahu said: “The Ra'ah (a predatory bird) mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy [14:13] is the Ayah mentioned in the same section.” And why is its name Ra'ah? Because it “sees very much,” meaning it has good eyesight. And so it says in the book of Job: “A path which no bird of prey knows, nor has the eye of the Ayah seen it,” [Job 28:7] and the explanation of the verse is that even the Ayah, whose sight is good, has not seen this path. [Chullin 63b] Rabbi Abbahu said: “Why is it called 'Shinar'?” Because it “shakes off its wealthy,” meaning: its wealthy do not endure because they do not have mercy on people. But we find wealthy people in Babylon? They explain: Their wealth did not last for three generations. [Zevachim 113b]

His Character Traits

The awe of his master was upon him like the awe of Heaven. And Rabbi Abbahu said: Anyone who has doubts about his master, meaning: thinks that his master did not say precise words, or seeks to outwit him with words, and this happens because he elevates himself to a level that is not his! It is as if he doubts [Sanhedrin 110a] the Divine Presence. As it is said: “And the people spoke against God and against Moses.” [Numbers 21:5] He always dealt gently with his disciples and walked with tefillin all day. [Yerushalmi Eruvin 10:1] Talmudic scholars were most beloved to him, so much so that when a Talmudic scholar passed away, he would not taste anything all day. And he never changed from the local custom, as they said: When Rabbi Abbahu went to the South, where Rabbi Chanina was the local rabbi, he acted according to his rulings, because one does not dispute a person in a place where he serves as rabbi. When he went to Tiberias, he acted according to Rabbi Yochanan. [Yerushalmi Shabbat 8:1, 57b]

Judges Favorably

He judged everyone favorably, as we saw in the following incident: They came before Rabbi Abbahu and told him: “So-and-so sold himself to the Lydians,” a nation that ate people. “Therefore, there is no mitzvah to redeem him from them, because he surrendered himself to death!” Rabbi Abbahu said to them: “He did so for his life,” meaning: because of distress, he had no way to earn a living, he did so. Therefore, Rabbi Abbahu ruled that he must be redeemed. [Yerushalmi Gittin 4:9, 25a]

The Virtue of Simple Folk

Once, when they needed rain, a man named Pantakaka appeared in a dream to Rabbi Abbahu, and they told him: “Let Pantakaka pray, and rain will fall!” So it was, that man prayed, and rain fell. Rabbi Abbahu sent for him and asked him: “What is your occupation?” He replied: “I commit five transgressions every day,” and he enumerated them for him: 1. I hire prostitutes. 2. I clean and beautify the place of revelry and the seat of scoffers at the theater. 3. I take the clothes of the prostitutes for washing. 4. I also play musical instruments and a flute before them. 5. I dance before them. Rabbi Abbahu asked him: “Have you ever done any good deed?” That Pantakaka replied: “Once I was beautifying the theater, and a woman came and stood behind a pillar, and I heard her weeping.” “I asked her: 'What troubles you, woman, and why do you weep?' She replied to me: 'My husband is imprisoned, and I miss him and want to see him, but I have no money to redeem him. Therefore, I came to you so that I may hire myself out as a prostitute and earn money to redeem my husband.'” “I said to her: 'Wait a moment!' I went and sold my possessions and gave her the money for her husband's redemption, and I said to her: 'Take this and go redeem your husband, and do not sin through prostitution!'” Rabbi Abbahu heard this and said to him: “You are worthy to pray and be answered.” [Yerushalmi Ta'anit 1:4, 5b]

Fear of Heaven

“For this is a minor thing,” this is Scripture, “and also from this do not withhold your hand”—they expounded the verse: “It is good that you hold on to this; [Ecclesiastes Rabbah, Parsha 7] and also from that do not withhold your hand; for he who fears God shall come out of them all,” [Ecclesiastes 7:18] such as Rabbi Abbahu of Caesarea, who feared Heaven. So it is related: Rabbi Abbahu experienced a tragedy; a young son of his passed away. Rabbi Yonah and Rabbi Yose came to visit him and console him. Because they feared Rabbi Abbahu, they did not want to open with words of Torah before him. Rabbi Abbahu said to them: “Let the Rabbis open and speak words of Torah!” And they replied to him: “Our Master, let him open and speak to us some words of Torah.” Rabbi Abbahu said to them: “If the earthly authority, meaning: the government and rule in this world, which contains falsehood, deceit, deception, favoritism, and bribery, and today it exists and tomorrow it is gone, it is said concerning it: 'The relatives come and ask for the welfare of the judges and witnesses, to say that there is nothing in our hearts against you, for you judged a true judgment.'” “How much more so concerning the Heavenly authority, meaning: the Kingdom of Heaven of the Holy One, Blessed be He, which contains no falsehood, no deceit, no deception, no favoritism, and no bribery, and He lives and exists forever and ever, how much more so are we obligated to accept upon ourselves the attribute of justice.” And it says: “And He will give you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as He swore to your fathers.” [Deuteronomy 13:18] This verse is stated after judging an idolatrous city, and it is written in it: “So that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of His anger and give you mercy and have compassion on you.” This comes to say: that in the merit of judging true judgment, you will merit the attribute of mercy and compassion. [Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 6:10, Pnei Moshe]

Love of Truth

All of Rabbi Abbahu's debates and victories over the Minim were not out of a desire for victory, but because truth was his guiding light. Therefore, we find that he expounded on the verse: “God is not a man, that He should lie; nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” [Numbers 23:19] Thus Rabbi Abbahu expounded: “If a man tells you, 'I am God,' he is lying.” “If a man tells you, 'I am righteous and worthy,' in the end, he will be disappointed,” meaning he will regret it when tested, “for if he says, 'I will ascend to heaven,'” meaning like the generation of dispersion, who said, “Let us ascend and break through!” he will regret it in the end, as it is said: “Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” meaning: “The buildings that I make to ascend upon will not stand, like the actions of the generation of dispersion.” [Yerushalmi Ta'anit 2:1, 9a] And all this he debated with them on a level playing field, peacefully and truthfully, and always showed them that Israel has no hatred for them, but rather we unify the Holy One, Blessed be He, because He is One and not three. Therefore, he instituted saying: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever” aloud, so that they would not say that we are speaking ill of them in secret.

His Family

His residence was in Caesarea, and there he found his wife, the daughter of Rabbi Tanchlifa d'Kaisarin, who bore him sons who were Torah scholars: Avimi, Abbaye, Zeira, Shimon, and Chananya. Thus Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of his father-in-law, Rabbi Tanchlifa: “It is written, 'As I swore in My wrath.'” The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: “In My wrath I swore and I will retract, 'If they shall enter into My rest,'” to this rest they do not enter, but they enter [Vayikra Rabbah, Parsha 10, Chapter 22] into another rest. [Psalms 95:11] Avimi, whom he praised for fulfilling the honor of parents, and he merited to see five of his sons during his lifetime, as we find: Avimi, son of Rabbi Abbahu, said: “There is a person who feeds his father pheasants,” meaning: a fat bird of the quail species that descended for the people of Israel in the desert, “but by this act, he drives him out of the world, because he does it with a grudging eye, like the following story:” “It happened with a man who fed his father pheasants.” Once his father asked him: “Where do you get all these?” His son replied: “What does it matter to you? Chew and eat!” With this answer, he showed his father that it was difficult for him to feed him. On the other hand: “There is a person who makes his father do hard labor like grinding with a millstone, and this act brings him to the life of the World to Come, because he honors him with good words and consolations, like the following story:” “It happened with a man who was commanded to immediately report for the king's service.” His son, who earned a living by grinding with a millstone, wanted to go in his father's place, but he could not neglect his work. What did the son do? He said to his father: “Father, you grind, and I will go in your place for the king's service. One cannot know what will happen there, perhaps disgrace, perhaps lashes! If so, it is certainly better that you grind with the millstone, and I will take your place there.” The Gemara continues and says: Rabbi Abbahu said: “This incident is similar to the action of my son Avimi, who fulfilled the mitzvah of honoring parents properly. And how so?” “My son Avimi has five sons who are supported at his table. And when I would come to his house and knock on his door, my son Avimi would not let any of his sons open the door, even though he could have ordered one of them to go and open the door, since they were supported at his table!” “Rather, he himself would run to open, and all the while running he would say, 'Yes, yes,' until he arrived, he would say: 'I am opening the door,' and all this he did out of affection and importance for the mitzvah of honoring parents.” One day, Rabbi Abbahu asked his son for water to quench his thirst. By the time his son Avimi managed to bring him the water, his father had dozed off. Avimi remained standing next to his father until he awoke and gave him the water he had requested. In the merit of Avimi's meticulousness in this important mitzvah, he received divine assistance, and while he stood by his father waiting for him to awaken, he expounded the entire “Psalm of Asaph,” which he had previously been unable to do. [Kiddushin 31a] His son Abbaye, son of Rabbi Abbahu. [Kiddushin 19a] Rabbi Zeira, who said in the name of his father: Rabbi Zeira, son of Rabbi Abbahu, in the name of Rabbi Abbahu, in the name of Rabbi Elazar: “Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” What is written afterward: “He made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; He keeps truth forever.” [Psalms 146:5-6] He asks about the verses: And what has this to do with that? Rather, a king of flesh and blood can rule over one country but not another! Even if you say: an emperor rules over the globe, meaning all continents, does he rule over the sea? But the Holy One, Blessed be He, rules over the sea and rules over the land, saves from water in the sea and from fire on land, He who saved Moses our teacher from the sword of Pharaoh, saved Jonah from the belly of the fish, Chananya, Mishael, and Azarya from the fiery furnace, Daniel from the lion's den, and this is what is written: “He made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them.” [Yerushalmi Berachot 9:1, 63a] Rabbi Shimon, son of Rabbi Abbahu, who said: “From now on, even as children of Noah, Israel did not behave before the giving of the Torah, how astonishing!” [Bereishit Rabbah 18:5]

The Importance of Torah Study

Rabbi Abbahu sent his son Rabbi Chananya to study Torah in Tiberias. People came and told Rabbi Abbahu that his son was engaged in acts of kindness in Tiberias. Rabbi Abbahu sent a message to his son: “Are there no graves” in Caesarea, that you could have remained in your place in Caesarea and engaged in acts of kindness! And why did I send you to Tiberias if not to engage in Torah study?! For they already counted and concluded in the upper chamber of Aris in Lod: that study precedes action. [Yerushalmi Pesachim 3:7, 24a]

His Passing

And Rabbi Abbahu died, old and full of days, great and beloved in his life and great in his death. When Rabbi Abbahu passed away, the pillars of the city of Caesarea wept, meaning: the entire city of Caesarea, even the great ones and the royal ministers, wept because this great sage was lost to them. And the Minim (heretics) would say: “This is nothing but that they are mourning the passing of Rabbi Abbahu!” Israel replied to them: “The close ones, who are the pillars, feel the pain of Rabbi Abbahu's loss more than you, the distant Minim, realize.” They showed him from Heaven thirteen rivers of pure balsam, and he asked: “For whom are all these?” They told him: “Yours.” He said to them: “All these for Abbahu!” And he quoted the verse: “But I said, 'I have toiled in vain; I have spent My strength for nothing and futility; yet surely My judgment is with the Lord, and My recompense with My God.'” [Isaiah 49:4] The meaning of the matter: They showed Rabbi Abbahu, before his passing, his reward in the World to Come, and so to all the righteous, so that their souls are satisfied, and from the delight of attachment, they rest in their resting places. [Yerushalmi Avodah Zarah 2:1, 18a, Pnei Moshe] His precious Torah and character traits remain with us forever and for glory in the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds.

His Sayings

It is written in the verse: “Until I come to my lord in Seir.” [Genesis 33:14] Rabbi Abbahu said: “We searched throughout the entire Scripture and did not find that Jacob our patriarch ever went to Esau in Mount Seir. Could it be that Jacob our patriarch was deceiving? Rather, in the future, Jacob our patriarch will arrive at Mount Seir, as it is written: 'And saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau.'” [Obadiah 1:21] [Midrash Rabbah: 78:14] Rabbi Abbahu said: “In the place where penitents stand, perfectly righteous individuals do not stand, as it is said: 'Peace, peace, to him that is far off, and to him that is near,'” [Isaiah 57:19] It is implied from the verse that there is a reference to the one who is far off, who was far and returned in repentance, and he is mentioned in the verse before the one who is near, who is the righteous person close to God. [Berachot 34b] Rabbi Abbahu said: “Jerusalem was not destroyed except because they canceled the morning and evening recitation of Shema, as it is said: 'Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may pursue strong drink; who continue until night, until wine inflames them.'” [Isaiah 5:11] And it is further written: “And the harp and the lute, the tambourine and the flute, and wine are in their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the Lord, nor do they consider the operation of His hands.” [Isaiah 5:12] His intention: They did not pay attention to unify His blessed Name, nor did they praise Him in the Creator of Light in the morning, and in the evening Creator of Evenings. [Shabbat 119b] And it is further written: “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; and their nobility are famished, and their multitude are parched with thirst.” [Isaiah 5:13]