רבה בר רב שילא

Rabbah bar Rav Shila — his name also appearing as Rava bar Rav Shila and as Rabbi Abba bar Rav Shila — was a Babylonian amora of the fourth and fifth generations and a talmid of Rav Chisda. Besides Rav Chisda, his rebbeim included Rav Nachman, Rav Matna and Rav Hamnuna Saba. He served as a dayan, and he was expert in Mikra, explaining the words of the chachamim before him from the verses.

A tradition holds that he once chanced upon Eliyahu HaNavi and asked him what HaKadosh Baruch Hu is occupied with now. Eliyahu answered that He says teachings in the names of the chachamim, except for Rabbi Meir, who learned Torah from the mouth of Acher. Rabbah bar Rav Shila replied: but he took only the inside of that Torah and did not learn from his deeds, like a man who finds a pomegranate, eats what is within it and throws away the peel. Eliyahu answered that on account of these words HaKadosh Baruch Hu now says a teaching in Rabbi Meir’s name — Meir My son says.

A man who came before his beit din once went to challenge the ruling before Rava, and Rava upheld the ruling of Rabbah bar Rav Shila. He is the first amora named in the Talmud Bavli and the only one named on its opening daf; the Shalmei Chaim writes that he was chosen to open Shas on account of his weighty words that every devar Torah is said from the mouth of HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Among his sayings: a man should always beg mercy of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, even until the last spadeful of earth with which his grave is covered.