רב הונא קמא

Rav Huna, known as Rav Huna Kama — kama, the first — was the Reish Galuta in Bavel during the years that Rebbi, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, stood at the head of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael, in the fifth generation of tannaim, and he came of the royal family of David HaMelech. That byname was given him by Rav Sherira Gaon, and taken up by rishonim and acharonim after him, in order to hold him apart from the far better-known Babylonian amora Rav Huna, the talmid of Rav in the second generation of amoraim, whose name is identical and who is usually meant when the Talmud says simply Rav Huna.

The Reish Galuta headed the leadership of the Jews of Bavel and held the highest authority in their internal affairs; the office belonged to the family that traced its descent to David HaMelech, to Yehoyachin king of Yehuda and to Zerubavel ben Shealtiel, and its holder was generally recognized by the government as the representative of the Jews. It stood parallel to the nasi of the Sanhedrin in Eretz Yisrael, and at times the term nasi in the Talmud points to the Reish Galuta. So when Rebbi asked Rabbi Chiya, amid a sugya on the se’ir nasi that a king brings for certain sins, whether one in his own position would be liable, Rabbi Chiya answered that his tzarah — his co-wife — sits in Bavel: the standing of the Reish Galuta equals yours, and you are not the sole nasi. In the wording quoted in the Iggeret of Rav Sherira Gaon the answer closes with the words, and who is that — Rav Huna.

The Yerushalmi brings that Rebbi said he was ready to do whatever any man asked of him, apart from what the Bnei Beteira did for Hillel his forebear in stepping down from the nesiut for him — and yet, were Rav Huna the Reish Galuta to come up here, he would seat him above himself, for Rav Huna was of shevet Yehuda and a direct descendant of David HaMelech through the males, while he himself was of shevet Binyamin and descended from David through the females. Once Rabbi Chiya came before him and said, Rav Huna is outside! Rebbi’s face darkened. Rabbi Chiya then said, his coffin has come. Rebbi told him, go out and see who is asking for you outside. Rabbi Chiya went out, found no one there, understood that Rebbi was displeased with him, and held himself in nezifah for the next thirty days.

Rav Huna was niftar in Rebbi’s lifetime. From the account in the Yerushalmi it appears that his coffin was brought for burial in Eretz Yisrael, and according to Rav Chaim Vital he was buried in Teveria. Mar Ukva sat on the seat of the Reish Galuta after him.