Rav
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(or Abba Arikha, i.e., Abba the Tall; c. 175-247 CE). Babylonian amora of the first generation; founder of the academy of Sura. Born to a well-established Babylonian family, Rav went to Erets Israel to join his uncle the tanna R. ḥiyya and to study at the academy of R. Judah Ha-Nasi, from whom he received limited Ordination. There he came into close contact with other tannaim; the impact of his years of study in Erets Israel and his ongoing personal connection with colleagues and teachers there is reflected in his legal decisions.
He returned to Babylonia, to the academy at Nehardea, but went on to found his own center at Sura in 219. Here his ability and teachings soon brought hundreds of students flocking to him at a time when the scholarship of the Babylonian community was not yet on a par with that of the Palestinian centers. His colleague Samuel, the head of the Nehardea academy, was the authority on civil law; Rav was expert in ritual matters. The authority of the two men insured the independent status and prestige of the Babylonian academies. The discussions between Rav and Samuel, and their divergent teachings, are a prominent feature of the Babylonian Talmud. In matters of ritual law, Rav's rulings were generally decisive.
Rav is likewise known for his homiletical discourses and his ethical teachings. The special prayer for the New Moon is attributed to him.
Rav's preeminence can be seen in the fact that while technically a member of the first generation of amoraim, he was granted the authority to dispute tannaitic pronouncements, a right generally reserved for tannaim only.
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Rav
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This article is about the Hebrew word. For the Amoraic sage known as Rav (AKA Rab as rendered in some of the more academic or Sephardic anglicizations), see Abba Arika. For other uses, see RAV (disambiguation).
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Rav (Heb. רב) is the Hebrew word for rabbi. For a more nuanced discussion see semicha. The term is also frequently used by Orthodox Jews to refer to one's own rabbi.
In the Talmud, the title Rav generally precedes the names of Babylonian Amoraim, whereas the title Rabbi generally precedes the names of ordained scholars in Palestine (whether Tannaim or Amoraim).[1]
In the Talmud, Rav or Rab (used alone) is a common name for Abba Arika, the first Amora, who established the great yeshiva at Sura, which, using the Mishnah as text, led to the compilation of the Talmud.
In some Hasidic groups, the Rebbe is also referred to as the rav; in other circles, the rav is distinct from the rebbe and is the highest dayan (judge) of the group.
The term rav is also a generic term for a teacher or a personal spiritual guide. For example, the Talmud tells us that "Joshua ben Perachyah said: Provide for yourself a teacher (rav)."[2]
The Rav
Nachmanides will sometimes refer to Maimonides as HaRav or The Rav.
From the 16th century and onwards, Rav or the Rav generally referred to Rabbi Obadiah ben Abraham, AKA haRav miBartenura (the Rav from Bartenura). Rabbi Obadiah miBartenura becomes an acronym Hebrew for Rabbi Obadiah of Bartenura (רע"ב) which would more properly be pronounced as Ra'av (hunger or famine in Hebrew). Known
More recently, as a sign of great respect, some rabbis are simply called the Rav even outside of their personal followings. Note that when the word is pronounced using a Patakh, the meaning is almost universally Rabbi Obadiah ben Abraham of Bartenura. When using a kamatz katan, the term can refer to, among others:
- Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
- Among Centrist and Modern Orthodox Orthodox Jews, particularly in North America. Sometimes spelled "The Rov".
- Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
- His Code of Jewish Law is often called the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, "Shulchan Aruch of the Rav".
- The Vilna Gaon
- The Brisker Rav
- In most Haredi yeshivos, Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik is referred to by his Yiddish name ("Rav Yoshe Ber"), and the term "Rov" (Kamatz Katan pronounced as in Ashkenazic) means the Brisker Rav.
- Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook[citation needed]
- Rabbi Moshe Feinstein[citation needed]
See also the list of people called Rabbi.
References
- ^ Adin Steinsaltz, The Talmud: The Steinsaltz Edition; A Reference Guide (New York: Random House, 1989), p. 139.
- ^ Ethics Of The Fathers
See also
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Encyclopedia of Judaism
The New Encyclopedia of Judaism. Copyright © 1989, 2002 by G.G. The Jerusalem Publishing House, Ltd. All rights reserved.
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