Rav Anan (

Jewish Babylonian Aramaic Jewish Babylonian Aramaic (Aramaic: ) was the form of Middle Aramaic employed by writers in Lower Mesopotamia between the fourth and eleventh centuries. It is most commonly identified with the language of the Babylonian Talmud (which was comp ...

: ) was a

Babylonia Babylonia (; , ) was an Ancient history, ancient Akkadian language, Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Kuwait, Syria and Iran). It emerged as a ...

n rabbi of the third century (second generation of

amoraim ''Amoraim'' ( , singular ''Amora'' ; "those who say" or "those who speak over the people", or "spokesmen") refers to Jewish scholars of the period from about 200 to 500 CE, who "said" or "told over" the teachings of the Oral Torah. They were p ...

Biography

He was a student of

Samuel of Nehardea Samuel of Nehardea or Samuel bar Abba, often simply called Samuel (Hebrew: שמואל) and occasionally Mar Samuel, was a Jewish Amora of the first generation; son of Abba bar Abba and head of the Yeshiva at Nehardea, Babylonia. He was a teach ...

, and contemporary of

Rav Huna Rav Huna (Hebrew: רב הונא) was a Jewish Talmudist and Exilarch who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the second generation and head of the Academy of Sura; he was born about 216 CE (212 CE according to Gratz) and died in 296–297 ...

and Mar Ukba II. The book ''

Tanna Devei Eliyahu ''Tanna Devei Eliyahu'' (Hebrew: תנא דבי אליהו; alternate transliterations include ''Tana D'vei Eliyahu'' and ''Tana D'vei Eliahu'') is the composite name of a midrash, consisting of two parts, whose final redaction took place at the e ...

'' is said to have been composed during visitations Anan received from the prophet

Elijah Elijah ( ) or Elias was a prophet and miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab (9th century BC), according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah defended the worsh ...

.''Ketubot'' 106a Anan was also very careful not judge any case where he might show the slightest favoritism to one side; it is said that once this conscientiousness inadvertently lead to a miscarriage of justice, and as a result Elijah ceased to visit Anan, until Anan fasted and begged for Eliyah to return. Anan was prominent as a teacher of civil law and of ritual; and though

Rav Nachman Rav Nachman bar Yaakov (; died 320) was a prominent Jewish Talmudic sage ( Amora) of the third generation, who lived in Babylonia. He is generally identified with the figure referred to simply as ''Rav Nachman'' in the Babylonian Talmud. He was ...

once criticized one of his arguments — remarking, "While attending

Mar Samuel Metropolitan Mor Athanasius Yeshue Samuel (; 19091995), more often referred to as Mor Samuel, was a The First Metropolitan and Archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch in the United States and Canada, the Metropolitan of Jerusalem o ...

, you must have spent your time in playing at checkers" (or "chess," ''Iskundré'') — he highly respected him, and addressed him with the title of Mar ("Master"). Rav Huna, for his part, did not consider Anan his equal; and when the latter once addressed to him a message, headed, "To Huna, our colleague, greetings," he felt himself depreciated and replied in a manner that embarrassed Anan. Anan rarely appears in the field of

aggadah Aggadah (, or ; ; 'tales', 'legend', 'lore') is the non-legalistic exegesis which appears in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly the Talmud and Midrash. In general, Aggadah is a compendium of rabbinic texts that incorporat ...

, and then only as the transmitter of teachings of his predecessors. But many of his teachings were probably incorporated with those of the students of the school that bore his name, ''Debei Rav Anan''. In addition to the above, he is mentioned in many other places.'' Berakhot'' 30b; ''

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...

'' 119a;

Jerusalem Talmud The Jerusalem Talmud (, often for short) or Palestinian Talmud, also known as the Talmud of the Land of Israel, is a collection of rabbinic notes on the second-century Jewish oral tradition known as the Mishnah. Naming this version of the Talm ...

''Shabbat''
5c
(compare

Babylonian Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewi ...

''Shabbat'' 37a); ''Eruvin'' 74b; ''Yebamot'' 97a; Jerusalem Talmud ''Yebamot''
10b
''Ketubot'' 79a; ''

Giṭṭin Gittin (Hebrew: ) is a tractate of the Mishnah and the Talmud, and is part of the order of Nashim. The content of the tractate primarily deals with the legal provisions related to halakhic divorce, in particular, the laws relating to the ''Get'' ...

'' 44b; ''

Shevu'ot Shevu'ot or Shevuot (Hebrew: שבועות, "Oaths") is a book of the Mishnah and Talmud. It is the sixth volume of the book of Nezikin. Shevu'ot deals primarily with the laws of oaths in halakha (Jewish law). Mishnah The Mishnah to Shevu'ot cont ...

'', 40b; ''Ḥullin'' 4b, 38a; etc.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anan 3rd-century rabbis Talmud rabbis of Babylonia