Amemar ( he, אמימר) was a Babylonian rabbi, of the fifth and sixth generation of amoraim. His name is a compound word, formed of the personal name "Ami" and the title "Mar" ("master").

Biography

Amemar was one of the leading sages of his generation. He reestablished the

Nehardea Academy Nehardea Academy (Hebrew: ישיבת נהרדעא; Previously also named: Beth Hamidrash/The College /The House of Study Aramic: ''בי מדרשא'' ">Aramic.html" ;"title="Aramic">Aramic: ''בי מדרשא'' or The Boundary Aramic: ''תחומא ...

, and restored it to its original reputable position—it having been destroyed over a century before by

Odaenathus Septimius Odaenathus ( Palmyrene Aramaic: , , vocalized as ; ar, أذينة, translit=Uḏaina; 220 – 267) was the founder king ( ''Mlk'') of the Palmyrene Kingdom who ruled from Palmyra, Syria. He elevated the status of his kingdom from a r ...

—and was its rector for more than thirty years (390-422). In addition to that office, he was the president of the court at

Nehardea Nehardea or Nehardeah ( arc, נהרדעא, ''nəhardəʿā'' "river of knowledge") was a city from the area called by ancient Jewish sources Babylonia, situated at or near the junction of the Euphrates with the Nahr Malka (the Royal Canal), one ...

and introduced several ritual changes. Later he moved to

Mahuza Al-Mada'in ( ar, المدائن, , ; ) was an ancient metropolis situated on the Tigris River in modern-day Iraq. It was located between the ancient royal centers of Ctesiphon and Seleucia, and was founded by the Sassanid Empire. The city's na ...

, where he also served as a religious judge. His teachers include Rava,

Rav Yosef Rav Yosef bar Hiyya ( he, רב יוסף בר חייא), or simply Rav Yosef, was a Babylonian rabbi of the third generation of amoraim. Biography He was a student of Judah bar Ezekiel and was Abaye's teacher, and a scholarly disputant (''bar plu ...

, and Rav Nachman. Later on he learned from students of Rava and

Abaye Abaye ( he, אַבַּיֵי) was a rabbi of the Jewish Talmud who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the fourth generation. He was born about the close of the third century, and died 337 CE. Biography His father, Kaylil, was the brother ...

, including Rav Zevid and

Rav Papa Rav Pappa ( he, רַב פַּפָּא) (c. 300 – died 375) was a Babylonian rabbi, of the fifth generation of amoraim. Biography He was a student of Rava and Abaye. After the death of his teachers he founded a school at Naresh, a city near ...

. His students include the leading amoraim of the sixth generation, including

Rav Ashi Rav Ashi ( he, רב אשי) ("Rabbi Ashi") (352–427) was a Babylonian Jewish rabbi, of the sixth generation of amoraim. He reestablished the Academy at Sura and was the first editor of the Babylonian Talmud. Biography According to a trad ...

(who became Amemar's " Fellow Student") and R. Huna b. Nathan, the

Exilarch The exilarch was the leader of the Jewish community in Persian Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) during the era of the Parthians, Sasanians and Abbasid Caliphate up until the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258, with intermittent gaps due to ongoing ...

. The Talmud frequently records him together with his colleagues,

Mar Zutra Mar Zutra ( he, מר זוטרא, died 417 CE) was a Babylonian rabbi, of the sixth generation of amoraim. Biography He was a student of Rav Papa, whom he frequently quoted, and Rav Papi. His closest colleagues were Rav Ashi and Amemar. The thr ...

and

. On royal festivals, the three of them officially represented the Jews at the court of

Yazdegerd I Yazdegerd I (also spelled Yazdgerd and Yazdgird; pal, 𐭩𐭦𐭣𐭪𐭥𐭲𐭩) was the Sasanian King of Kings () of Iran from 399 to 420. A son of Shapur III (), he succeeded his brother Bahram IV () after the latter's assassination. Yazde ...

. On one of these occasions, Huna bar Nathan was among the assembled dignitaries, and the king, happening to notice that Huna's girdle was disheveled, adjusted it, remarking, "It is written of you, 'You shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,' and you must therefore wear the girdle as priests do." When Amemar heard of this, he said to Huna, "On you has been realized the prophetic promise, 'Kings shall be your attendants'". His mother's father was Rami bar Hama. Amemar's erudition was continued in his son Mar, who often quoted him to Rav Ashi. A grandson of Amemar's died in his lifetime, and he tore his clothes when he found out. When Amemar's son, the bereaved father, arrived, Amemar tore again. He had torn while sitting, but when he remembered that halacha requires tearing to be done while standing, he stood up and tore a third time. In later generations, some of his descendants served as

geonim ''Geonim'' ( he, גאונים; ; also transliterated Gaonim, singular Gaon) were the presidents of the two great Babylonian Talmudic Academies of Sura and Pumbedita, in the Abbasid Caliphate, and were the generally accepted spiritual leaders of ...

in the yeshivas of Sura and Pumbedita. According to the Talmud, he died after Rav Ashi and Amemar's son discussed Amemar's death in an innocent halachic context.

Teachings

Many halachic discussions between him and Rav Ashi are recorded. Some of his homiletic observations appear in the Babylonian Talmud.

Quotes

* A wise man is preferable to a prophet.Bava Batra 12a

References

{{authority control Talmud rabbis of Babylonia