Rabbi Elazar ben Dama

He was captured on the eve of Shavuot because of the mitzvah of tefillin, and he said to the emperor: By your life, wait until I fulfill the mitzvah of Atzeret and sanctify it, to praise the Holy One, Blessed Be He, who gave us the Torah. The emperor said to him: Are you still trusting in the Torah, and in the God who gave it? He said to him, Yes. And what is the reward of your Torah? He said to him, concerning it, King David, may he rest in peace, said: “How abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you” [תהלים לא, כ].

The emperor said: There are no fools in the world like you, who believe that there is another world. Rabbi Elazar said: There are no fools in the world like you! For you deny the living God, and woe to you, woe to your shame and woe to your disgrace, when you see us with God in the light of life, and you will sit in the lowest hell in the lowest level.

Immediately the emperor became angry with him, and commanded to tie him by the hairs of his head to the tail of a horse, and to drag him throughout the breadth of Rome, and afterwards he commanded to cut him limb by limb. Elijah, of blessed memory, came and took the limbs and buried them in a cave near the river that flows before Rome. All the Romans heard a sound of wailing and weeping for thirty days from that cave and came and told the emperor.

The emperor said: If the world were to turn into chaos, I would not rest until I fulfill my desire upon those ten elders as I have sworn. There was an old man there, one of the sages of Rome, and he said to the emperor: My lord emperor, know that you have been foolish in this and have erred greatly by laying hands on the people of God without mercy. Know that your end will be bitter, for it is written in the Torah of the Jews: “A merciful and gracious God, slow to anger” [שמות לד, ו], and it is further written in their Torah: “and pays back to his enemies to destroy him” [דברים ז, י].

When the emperor heard this, his anger flared against that old man from the sages of Rome and he commanded to strangle him.

When the old man heard this, he quickly circumcised himself. Immediately upon being strangled, he was not found and it was not known where he was, and the emperor was greatly terrified, yet his anger did not subside and his hand was still extended.

Rabbi Ishmael quoted concerning him: “Fortunate are you, ben Dama, that your body is pure and your soul departed in purity, and you did not transgress the words of your colleagues” [עבודה זרה כז:].

Seven Generations of Amoraim

Amoraim: They were called thus by way of “Oki Amora Aleiha” which means translator – for from the time of the sealing of the Mishnah and Baraita, no court arose that could annul the words of the Tannaim, but only explain them. Therefore, they were called Amoraim, meaning interpreters.

First Generation of Amoraim

His name was Abba Arikha, and just as Rabbi Judah the Prince was called “Rabbi” in the Land of Israel out of respect, Rav was called “Rav” in Babylonia. His father Ibo was the brother of Rabbi Hiyya Rabbah. When Rabbi Hiyya was rebuked by Rabbi, Rabbi taught Rav all the rules of the Torah.

Rav served Rabbi and Rabbi Hiyya sitting, and Rabbi Yohanan standing. Rav and Rabbi Yohanan were called: Tanna Hu U’Plaig (he is a Tanna and disputes). Rav and Shmuel, disciples of Rabbi and Rabbi Hiyya, in their time were: Rabbi Shila, Rabbah bar bar Hanah, Rabbi Kahana Kamma, Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi, and at the end of their lives Rabbi Adda bar Ahava and Rabbah bar Abuh.

Ribbal [Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi] was the teacher of Rabbi Yohanan. Rabbi Ephas, after the passing of Rabbi, was appointed head of the Yeshiva, and after him in the year 3990 of creation. After him, Rabbi Yohanan was appointed head of the Yeshiva in the year 3980. Rabbi Hanina bar Hama was head of the Yeshiva in the Land of Israel around the year 80 and raised many students.

Second Generation of Amoraim

The unnamed Rabbi Judah mentioned in the Gemara is Rabbi Judah bar Yehezkel, born on the day Rabbi passed away, and was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Pumbedita. Rav Huna was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Sura in Babylonia after his teacher Shmuel, for forty years.

The unnamed Rabbi Nahman is Rav Nahman bar Yaakov, who was head of the Yeshiva in Nehardea. All three were in Babylonia from approximately 4010 to 4060.

250 years to the destruction of the Temple, approximately 80 from the compilation of the Mishnah until Rabbi Yohanan who compiled the Jerusalem Talmud.

Third Generation of Amoraim

Rabbah bar Nahmani, the son of the dispute of Rav Yosef, was appointed head of the Yeshiva at the age of 22 in Pumbedita, after Rabbi Judah, for 18 years. After him, Rav Yosef, who was blind, agreed to be appointed head of the Yeshiva for two and a half years. Rabbah bar Hiyya taught Torah in Sura all this time. Rabbi Hisda was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Sura after Rav Huna and passed away in 4068 of creation. Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi were heads of the Yeshiva in the Land of Israel in Tiberias after the passing of their teacher Rabbi Yohanan. Rabbi Judah Nesi'ah the First, Rabbi's grandson, was the Nasi at this time. [And there is another Rabbi Judah Nesi'ah, his grandson].

Fourth Generation of Amoraim

Abaye was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Pumbedita in the year 4099 of creation [260 to the destruction]. Rava: He was Rava bar Rav Yosef, he was head of the Yeshiva for 14 years in Mahoza after the death of his colleague Abaye. Rava passed away in 4111 of creation, and when Rava passed away, Rabbi Ashi [one of the sealers of the Babylonian Talmud] was born.

Fifth Generation of Amoraim

Rabbi Nahman bar Yitzhak lived long and was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Pumbedita after the passing of Rava for 4 years and then passed away.

Rabbi Pappa and Rav Huna b'reih d'Rav Yehoshua: Rabbi Pappa was appointed head of the Yeshiva for 19 years in Naresh in Babylonia, near Sura, and continued after the passing of Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak in Pumbedita.

Rabbi Hama was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Nehardea for 15 years after the passing of Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak, and passed away in 4032 of creation. Hillel the Nasi, son of Rabbi Judah Nesi'ah the Second: He is the tenth in line from Hillel the Elder [as mentioned in the Passover Haggadah, Hillel was a woodcutter, etc.]. Until his time, the new moon was sanctified based on sighting. He arranged the calculation of the intercalation, as is customary today in calendars, and this was in the year 4118 of creation – 290 years after the destruction of the Second Temple.

Genealogy from Hillel to Hillel

Hillel the Elder the Babylonian [as mentioned in the Passover Haggadah, Hillel was a wood-carrier, etc.] – Rabbi Shimon his son – Rabban Gamliel the Elder – Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel who was killed [the first of the martyrs of the kingdom at the time of the destruction] – Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh – Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel the Third [of Usha] – Rabbi Judah Nesi'ah the First – Rabbi [Rabbi Judah the Prince] – Rabban Gamliel his son – Rabbi Judah Nesi'ah the Second – Rabbi Judah Nesi'ah the Third – Rabban Gamliel Hillel Nasi, 13th generation to Hillel the Babylonian. The name of Hillel the last of the blessing, who arranged the order of intercalation and counted years and sanctified months for generations, is mentioned, and is not mentioned further in the Gemara.

Sixth Generation of Amoraim

Rabbi Ashi was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Sura in Babylonia in the year 4127 of creation, during the days of Rabbi Pappa, for 60 years, and passed away in 4187 of creation. Marymar and Mar Zutra and Huna bar Natan, who were Exilarchs, obeyed Rav Ashi. [Some say the Jerusalem Talmud was compiled at this time].

Rabbi Zevid was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Pumbedita in the year 4132 of creation, for 8 years, and he and Rabbi Pappa and Rabbi Hama passed away.

Rabbi Dimi was appointed head of the Yeshiva after Rabbi Zevid. Rafram bar Pappa was appointed head of the Yeshiva after him, and passed away in 4171 of creation, and in that same year Rabbi Dimi passed away. After him, Rabbi Kahana the Second was appointed for 28 years until that year.

Mar Zutra was head of the Yeshiva for 8 years between Rabbi Kahana and Rabbi Aha.

Rav Huna b'reih d'Rav Yehoshua and Mar Zutra passed away in 4170 of creation. Rabbi Aha b'reih d'Rava was appointed head of the Yeshiva for two years.

Rabbi Kahana and Rabbi Aha passed away in 4173 of creation. Rabbi Yeimar was appointed head of the Yeshiva for 7 years after Rabbi Aha passed away. In his days, seven heads of the Yeshiva in Pumbedita passed away, and they are: Rabbi Pappa, Rabbi Hama, Rabbi Zevid, Rabbi Dimi, Rafram bar Pappa, Rabbi Kahana the Second, and Rabbi Aha bar Rava, and he passed away 14 years after them, and Ravina passed away one year after Rabbi Ashi.

Seventh Generation of Amoraim

Some say: The continuing head of the Yeshiva was Marymar, and others say Rabbi Huna bar Natan, and others say Rabbi Iddi bar Avin and also Rabbi Gavihah mi'Bei Katil.

And some say: Marymar and Mar bar Rabbi Ashi [he is Rabbi Taviumi], they and their colleagues were involved in the completion of the Talmud until 4260.

Rabbi Rehoomi was appointed head of the Yeshiva for 13 years in Pumbedita in 4203 of creation and passed away. Mar bar Rabbi Ashi sat on his father Rav Ashi's chair for 13 years from 4215 of creation. Rabbi Sima b'reih d'Rava was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Pumbedita for 20 years from 4216 of creation. Rabbah Tosafa'ah was appointed head of the Yeshiva in Sura in Babylonia for 6 years after Mar bar Rabbi Ashi and passed away in 4234 of creation. Rabbi Avina, called Ravina, was appointed head of the Yeshiva after Rabbah Tosafa'ah in 4234 of creation, and passed away in 4260 of creation, 73 years after the death of Rabbi Ashi. This marks the end of the sealing of the Talmud, the period of the Amoraim, which lasted 312 years from the sealing of the Mishnah until the sealing of the Talmud.

Rabbanan Savorai

They came after the sealing of the Talmud, and did not add or subtract from it, and studied it only to provide reason and logic. Their period lasted until 4344 of creation.

Order of the Geonim

448 years from the end of the Savoraic period, the most famous of the Geonim, Rav Hai Gaon, son of Rav Sherira Gaon, was appointed head of the Yeshiva at the age of 29 during his father's lifetime, for 40 years, in the year 4757 of creation, and taught Torah in Israel more than all the Geonim. To his light went those who sought Torah from the rising of the sun to its setting, and there was none like him before among the Geonim, and he is the end of the Geonim. This was until approximately 4797 of creation.

Period of the Rishonim

Rabbeinu Gershom Me'or HaGolah passed away in 4800 of creation, and Rashi – Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki, etc. – was born.

Issi ben Yehudah would enumerate the praises of the sages [מסכת גיטין סז.]

Rabbi Meir [Ba'al Hanes]

A sage and a scribe, meaning: he immediately wrote down every new insight that came to him.

Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai

A sage when he wishes, meaning: all times are equal to him, at any time he could delve into wisdom and enter its inner depths.

Rabbi Tarfon

A heap of walnuts, meaning: if a person takes one walnut from a pile of walnuts, the entire pile will fall. So too Rabbi Tarfon, anyone who came to ask him a question, he would bring him proof from the Torah, from the Midrash, from the Mishnah, from Halakha and Aggadah.

Rabbi Ishmael [his colleague and disputant of Rabbi Akiva]

A stocked store, meaning: like a store where its wine is always ready and the seller does not need to tell his customers, "wait and I will bring it to you." So too Rabbi Ishmael, when a person needed to learn from him, his learning was immediately available and arranged in his mouth.

Rabbi Akiva

A sealed treasure, meaning: like a treasure divided into compartments to store each type neatly. So too Rabbi Akiva, he learned from his teachers from all that came to hand, and he reviewed and sharpened his learning until it was arranged in his mouth, and when he became great in Torah, he organized his lessons for his students according to topics.

Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri

A peddler's basket, meaning: he was like a peddler who comes to town who has everything one asks for. So too Rabbi Yohanan, if someone asked him about Scripture, he would answer; about Midrash, he would answer; and on any matter asked.

Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah

A spice box, meaning: it contains many kinds. Similar to a peddler's basket, but a peddler has more varieties and each is organized to be ready when requested.

Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov [disciple of Rabbi Akiva]

A Kav V'Naki (clean and precise), he did not teach as much as his other colleagues, but when he stated a Halakha in the study hall, he stated it clearly [precisely], and Rashi explained that the Halakha always follows him.

Rabbi Yose ben Halafta [disciple of Rabbi Akiva]

His reason is with him, the Halakha follows him everywhere, in the Mishnah and in the Baraita against his colleagues, because his reason is with him, meaning: he would settle and provide explanation and rationale for all his words.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai [disciple of Rabbi Akiva]

Grinds much and produces little, meaning: he learns much and forgets a little, and even what he forgot was only the bran [the waste, meaning the things that he did not deem the Halakha to follow].

Tannaim

Sages of Israel who lived during the period from the Pairs until the sealing of the Mishnah.

The appellation Tanna refers to a sage mentioned in the Mishnah or who lived during the period of the Mishnah.

Tanna means shoneh, to teach and to learn, to transmit the Oral Torah that Moses received orally from the Almighty, which includes the interpretation of the Written Torah with all its commandments through the method of Pardes: Pshat (literal), Remez (allusion), Drash (homiletical), and Sod (mystical). Rabbi Judah the Prince, in the last generation of Tannaim, gathered all the Halakhot and words of the sages, the disputes from the days of Moses our Teacher until his own days, and established the most precise tradition and sealed it in the Six Orders of the Mishnah. The Amoraim who were active in Babylonia were called – the Tannaim and the Amoraim who were active in the Land of Israel were called by the title Rabbi with the title Rav.

Four generations of Tannaim, from 3828 of creation, after the destruction of the Second Temple, and they are:

Generation

Nasi

Sages of the Generation

• First [3840]
• Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai [Yavneh]
• Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah, Rabbi Elazar ben Arach, Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa, Rabbi Nehunia ben HaKanah, Nahum Ish Gamzu, Rabbi Judah ben Beterah.
• Second [3881]
• Rabban Gamliel [Yavneh]
• Rabbi Tarfon, Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Yose HaGelili, Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri, Rabbi Ishmael ben Elisha.
• Third [3910]
• Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel. [Usha]
• Disciples of Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Natan HaBavli, Rabbi Elazar [son of Rabbi Yose HaGelili]
• Fourth [3940]
• Rabbi Judah the Prince [Sepphoris]
• Rabbi Ishmael b'Rabbi Yose, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, Rabbi Shimon ben Halafta, Bar Kappara, Rabbi Elazar b'Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai.

Amoraim

Interpreters and expounders of the Mishnah. The main activity of the Amoraim was to clarify and interpret the Tannaitic sources. They could not dispute a Tannaitic source unless they brought proof from another Tannaitic source. They instituted enactments and customs for the implementation of Halakha, Aggadah, and more. Their words are arranged in the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds.

The completion of the Mishnah's compilation was in the year 3978 of creation, and 150 years after the destruction of the Second Temple, and the transition to the Amoraic period.

Generation

Amoraim of the Land of Israel

Amoraim of Babylonia

• First [3980]
• Rabbi Hiyya Rabbah, Bar Kappara, Rabbi Ephas, Rabbi Hanina bar Hama, Rabban Gamliel bar Rabbi, Rabbi Shimon bar Rabbi, Rabbi Yanai, Rabbi Hoshaya.
• Rav, Shmuel, Rabbi Shila, Abuh d'Shmuel, Levi, Mar Ukva.
• Second [4010]
• Rabbi Yohanan, Resh Lakish, Rabbi Yose bar Hanina, Rabbi Simlai, Rabbi Yaakov bar Iddi.
• Rav Huna, Rabbi Judah bar Yehezkel, Rav Nahman bar Yaakov, Rabbi Kahana, Rabbah bar Abuh, Hiyya bar Rav, Rabbi Yirmia bar Abba.
• Third [4060]
• Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat, Rabbi Abbahu, Rabbi Ami, Rabbi Assi, Rabbi Zeira, Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani, Rabbi Avin, Rabbi Yoshia.
• Rabbi Hisda, Rabbi Hamnuna, Rabbah, Rav Yosef, Rav Nahman, Rav Sheshet, Ulla, Rabbah bar Rav Hana, Rav Huna bar Hiyya, Rabbah bar Rav Huna, Rabbi Mari bar Rav Huna, Rav Huna bar Hinana, Rabbi Safra.
• Fourth [4099]
• Rabbi Yirmia, Rabbi Yona, Rabbi Yose, Rabbi Aha, Rabbi Hagai.
• Abaye, Rava, Rami bar Hama, Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak, Rabbi Adda bar Ahava, Rabbi Dimi, Rabbah bar Matna, Rav Huna bar Yehudah.
• Fifth [4113]
• Rabbi Mana, Rabbi Tanhuma, Rabbi Berekhiah, Rabbi Hizkiah, Rabbi Yose bar Avin. [The semikhah (ordination) in the Land of Israel ceased]
• Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak, Rabbi Pappa, Rabbi Hama, Rav Huna b'reih d'Rav Yehoshua, Ravina, Rabbi Zevid.
• Sixth [4128]
• Rabbi Ashi, Rav Huna bar Rav Natan, Amimar, Mar Zutra, Rabbi Yeimar, Marymar.
• Seventh [4187]
• Rabbi Iddi bar Avin, Mar bar Rav Ashi, Rabbi Aha b'reih d'Rava, Ravina [the last], Rafram.