Abba Arika (175–247) (Talmudic Aramaic: אבא אריכא; born: Abba bar Aybo, Hebrew: רבי אבא בר איבו) was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora (commentator on the Oral Law) of the 3rd century who established at Sura the systematic study of the rabbinic traditions, which, using the Mishnah as text, led to the compilation of the Talmud. With him began the long period of ascendancy of the great academies of Babylonia (Oesterley & ...
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Abba Arika (175–247) (Talmudic Aramaic: אבא אריכא; born: Abba bar Aybo, Hebrew: רבי אבא בר איבו) was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora (commentator on the Oral Law) of the 3rd century who established at Sura the systematic study of the rabbinic traditions, which, using the Mishnah as text, led to the compilation of the Talmud. With him began the long period of ascendancy of the great academies of Babylonia (Oesterley & Box 1920), around the year 220. He is commonly known simply as Rav (or Rab, Hebrew: רב).
His surname, Arika (English, "Long"—that is, "Tall"; it occurs only once—Hullin 137b), he owed to his height, which, according to a reliable record, exceeded that of his contemporaries. Others, reading Areka, consider it an honorary title, "Lecturer" (Weiss, Dor, iii. 147; Jastrow, Dictionary under the word). In the traditional literature he is referred to almost exclusively as Rav the Master (both his contemporaries and posterity recognizing in him a...
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