(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.
