רבי אילעא

Rav Ilai — his name is written also as Ela, Ila, Leia and Hila, and English sources call him Rabbi Ilai II — was an amora of the third generation in Eretz Yisrael, of the late third and early fourth centuries. He was born in Bavel and brings teachings of Rav and of Shmuel, though we do not find that he spoke with them himself, apparently because he was still young in their days. He went up to Eretz Yisrael and learned there from the elders of the generation, Rav Chanina in Tzippori, Rav Yannai and Rav Oshaya; his principal rebbeim were Rav Yochanan and two of Rav Yochanan’s great talmidim, Reish Lakish and Rav Elazar, in whose names he brings a great deal. Among his own talmidim were leading chachamim of the next generation — Rav Yonah, Rav Zeira and Rav Avin, who cites him often.

His name runs through both Talmudim, mostly in halachah. Rav Zeira, his friend, marveled at his sharpness and said that the very air of Eretz Yisrael makes a man wise; twice he called him bannaya d’Oraita, a builder of the Torah, for the fineness of his distinctions. In halachic derashah he laid down that every explanation of a verse must sit with the subject of its context, and the rule most often quoted in his name: wherever the Torah says hishamer, pen or al, a lo taaseh is intended. He appears in aggadah as well. In his hesped for Rav Shimon bar Zevid he wove together pesukim from Iyov — where shall wisdom be found, the deep says it is not in me, it is concealed from the eyes of all that live — and closed that silver and gold and iron and brass, once lost, can be replaced, but when a talmid chacham is taken, who is to be found in his place?

His learning shaped how he lived. One Erev Shabbat his duties held him in the beit midrash until late at night; he came home to find the gate barred and the household asleep, and rather than be mechalel Shabbat by knocking he passed the night on the steps of his own house. With Rav Chanina he learned in chavruta, and there were svarot of Rav Chanina’s that he answered only with the words Rachmana litzlan me’hai da’ata — declining to set out the flaw, since in his view such a svara cannot be explained to one who does not see it. Three such exchanges are set down in the Gemara. His brother was Rav Beruna, whom he held dear: he asked Ulla, on his way down to Bavel, to convey his shalom to Rav Beruna before the whole chaburah, as a great man who rejoices in mitzvot — for on the day he joined geulah to tefillah, the smile never left his face.