Rav Mesharshiya (or R. Mesharshya, or Rav Mesharsheya, or Rav Mesharshia;

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

: רב משרשיא) was a

Babylon ''Bābili(m)'' * sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 * arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel'' * syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel'' * grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn'' * he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel'' * peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru'' * elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...

ian rabbi, of the fifth 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 ...

Biography

It would appear that "Rav Acha the son of Rav" was his grandfather, making Mesharshiya himself a great-grandson of the great Amora

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 ...

. His father-in-law appears under the name "R. Kahana the father-in-law of R. Mesharshiya". His principle teacher was Rava, and they are mentioned together dozens of times in the

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cente ...

. It is possible he was also a pupil of

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

. He was a close colleague of

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 ...

, who was also a pupil of Rava, and he even sent his son to study under Rav Papa. R. Joseph the son of R. Ila'i was also among his colleagues. Three of his sons became Amora sages. Their names were Raba, R. Sama, and R. Isaac. It is said that when he died, the palm trees became full of thorns in place of dates, as a sign of mourning.Moed Kattan 25b

References

Talmud rabbis of Babylonia {{MEast-rabbi-stub