רבי אבא בר זבדא

Rabbi Abba bar Zavda — his father’s name also appears as Zavdi — was an amora of Eretz Yisrael in the second and third generations, a talmid of Rav Ada bar Ahava, of Rav Huna and of Rabbi Chanina. In his younger years he lived in Bavel, where he was most likely also born, and there he learned in the beit midrash of Rav. Although he brings several halachot in Rav’s name, the Yerushalmi indicates that he did not hear them from Rav himself but from Rav Ada bar Ahava. Afterward he learned under Rav’s talmid Rav Huna, together with his fellow talmidim Rav Gidel, Rabbi Chelbo and Rav Sheshet.

In his later years he went up to Eretz Yisrael and settled in Teveria, from where he would send his questions back to his rebbe in Bavel, Rav Huna. In Eretz Yisrael he became a talmid of Rabbi Chanina, learning alongside Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat; in several places he corrects his colleague over a teaching quoted in the name of the rebbe they shared. After the passing of Rabbi Elazar he was counted among the foremost chachamim of Eretz Yisrael, the one who would open in halacha while Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi would close. He reached a great age, since Rava — of the fourth generation of the Amoraim of Bavel — sent him a question as a young man. The Yerushalmi says of him that he would daven aloud.

The author of Toldot Tannaim v’Amoraim holds it very likely that his father Zavda was a son of Levi bar Sisi. Two of his brothers were chachamim as well, Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Simon. He had no children, and when the chachamim asked him why he would not marry for that purpose, he answered that had he merited children he would have had them already from his first marriage — an answer the Gemara understands as a way of setting the questioners aside, since the true cause lay in the years he sat through Rav Huna’s long shiurim, which he would not rise to leave. Many amoraim bring teachings in his name, among them Rabbi Chagai and Rabbi Zeira. Of his Torah: on the words “chata Yisrael” he taught that although he has sinned, he is Yisrael still; in the name of Rav he taught that one who is in discomfort is exempt from the sukkah; and on the verse “and a man went from the house of Levi and took a daughter of Levi,” he taught that he went by the counsel of his daughter.