Rabbi Huna

Second Generation Amoraim

Rabbi Huna, mentioned in the Gemara without his father's name, was the preeminent student of Rav. He served as Rosh Yeshiva for forty years in the city of Sura in Babylonia, and his colleague Rabbi Hisda served as Rosh Yeshiva for ten years after him.

During their time, Rabbi Ami was the Rosh Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael, and at the end of Rabbi Hisda's life, Rabbah bar Nahmani went and established a Yeshiva in Pumbedita in Babylonia, which was called the Yeshiva of the Exile.

During Rabbi Huna's time, Rabbi Yohanan passed away in Eretz Yisrael, and Rabbi Huna and his Yeshiva rose in prominence and became the most important.

He was a great scholar, wealthy, and close to the Nasi. When Rabbi Huna passed away, his Yeshiva transferred to Rabbi Yehuda bar Yehezkel for two years, and when Rabbi Yehuda passed away, they returned to Sura, and Rabbi Hisda was Rosh Yeshiva for ten years.

Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi, who were among the most distinguished Kohanim and Amoraim of Eretz Yisrael, honored him by calling him up to the Torah first, in place of a Kohen.

His Humility

Rava said: I requested three things from Heaven; two were granted, and one was not.

I requested Rabbi Huna's wisdom and Rabbi Hisda's wealth, and they were given to me. I also requested the humility of Rabbah bar Rabbi Huna, but that was not given to me.

When the students departed for their homes from Rabbi Huna's study hall after their learning, eight hundred scholars still remained in the study hall.

When Rabbi Huna delivered a discourse to his students, he would station thirteen Amoraim as interpreters, who would loudly convey his words to thirteen groups.

And when the students rose from the study hall to go home, they would shake their garments, and dust would rise and obscure the daylight like a great cloud of dust covering the sun. And they would say in Eretz Yisrael: The scholars have risen from Rabbi Huna's Yeshiva in Babylonia.

His Greatness

When Rabbi Huna passed away, they wanted to place a Sefer Torah upon his bed, to say concerning him: “This one fulfilled what is written in this.”

Rabbi Hisda said to them: Will something that Rabbi Huna did not agree to do in his lifetime be done?! And what was it? Rabbi Tahlifa said: I saw Rabbi Huna who did not wish to sit on his bed because a Sefer Torah was placed upon it!

What did Rabbi Huna do? He overturned a large jar and placed the Sefer Torah upon it, and then sat on his bed.

They could not remove the bed upon which Rabbi Huna lay through the gate! They considered taking him out through the roofs! Rabbi Hisda said to them: I learned from Rabbi Huna: For a sage, it is honorable that his bed be taken out through an opening.

They considered transferring him to a narrower bed! Rabbi Hisda said to them: I learned from Rabbi Huna: It is honorable for a sage that he be carried out on the bed upon which he died. They widened the gate and carried him out.

Rabbi Abba began his eulogy and said: Our master was worthy for the Divine Presence to rest upon him, but Babylonia caused it not to rest. Rabbi Hisda's son challenged him: But the Divine Presence did rest upon Ezekiel the Prophet in Babylonia?

His father tapped him with his sandal and said: I already told you not to raise objections! Ezekiel the Prophet already had the Divine Presence resting upon him in Eretz Yisrael, and therefore, even when he descended to Babylonia, the Divine Presence rested upon him.

They brought Rabbi Huna's coffin up to Eretz Yisrael.

They said to Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi: Rabbi Huna has arrived! They did not know that he had passed away, but thought he had come for a visit! They said: When we were in Babylonia, we could not lift our heads because of his greatness; now that we have come to Eretz Yisrael, he comes after us! They were told that his coffin had arrived, and they went out to meet it to accompany it.

They asked: Where shall we bury Rabbi Huna? They replied: Let us bury him in Rabbi Hiyya's cave, because both of them spread Torah in Israel!

And who will bring his bed into the cave? Rabbi Hagai said: I will bring him in, because I studied Torah from the age of eighteen with Rabbi Huna, and I would recite the halakhot before him, and I knew his great deeds, such as: one day, a strap of his tefillin became inverted, and he sat in fasting for forty days over it.

Rabbi Hagai entered the cave and saw Yehuda lying to his father's right and Hezekiah to his father's left. Yehuda said to Hezekiah: Rise from your place, it is not proper etiquette for Rabbi Huna to stand and wait!

When Hezekiah rose, a pillar of fire stood with him. Rabbi Hagai was startled and immediately propped Rabbi Huna's coffin before the pillar of fire so that it would not harm him, and he exited the cave at once! The fact that Rabbi Hagai was not burned was due to Rabbi Huna's coffin, which prevented the fire from passing to him. [מועד קטן כה:]