Karna ( he, קרנא) was a rabbi of
Babylonia
Babylonia (; Akkadian: , ''māt Akkadī'') was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Syria). It emerged as an Amorite-ruled state c. ...
, of the first generation of
amoraim
''Amoraim'' (Aramaic language, Aramaic: plural or , singular ''Amora'' or ''Amoray''; "those who say" or "those who speak over the people", or "spokesmen") refers to Jewish scholars of the period from about 200 to 500 Common Era, CE, who "sai ...
. In the
Babylonian Talmud he appears simply as Karna; in the
Jerusalem Talmud he is entitled Rav Karna.
He was a colleague of
Samuel of Nehardea and
Rav
''Rav'' (or ''Rab,'' Modern Hebrew: ) is the Hebrew generic term for a person who teaches Torah; a Jewish spiritual guide; or a rabbi. For example, Pirkei Avot (1:6) states that:
The term ''rav'' is also Hebrew for ''rabbi''. (For a more nuan ...
, and served as a
rabbinic judge. The phrase "Judges of the Exile" in the
Babylonian Talmud is an epithet attributed to Karna and
Samuel of Nehardea.
He wrote a compilation of
Baraitas to
Seder Nezikin
''Nezikin'' ( he, נזיקין ''Neziqin'', "Damages") or ''Seder Nezikin'' (, "The Order of Damages") is the fourth Order of the Mishna (also the Tosefta and Talmud). It deals largely with Jewish criminal and civil law and the Jewish court sy ...
, known as ''Nezikin of the School of Karna''. He made his living from testing wine quality.
[Ketuvot 105a]
References
Talmud rabbis of Babylonia
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