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A ''Savora'' (;
Aramaic The Aramaic languages, short Aramaic ( syc, ܐܪܡܝܐ, Arāmāyā; oar, 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤀; arc, 𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀; tmr, אֲרָמִית), are a language family containing many varieties (languages and dialects) that originated in ...
: סבורא, "a reasoner", plural ''Savora'im'', ''Sabora'im'' , סבוראים) is a term used in Jewish law and history to signify one among the leading rabbis living from the end of period of the '' Amoraim'' (around 500 CE) to the beginning of the ''
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 ...
'' (around 600 CE). As a group they are also referred to as the Rabbeinu Sevorai or Rabanan Saborai, and may have played a large role in giving 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 ce ...
its current structure. Modern scholars also use the plural term Stammaim (
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 ...
; "closed, vague or unattributed sources") for the authors of unattributed statements in the Gemara.


Role in the formation of the Talmud

Much of classical rabbinic literature generally holds that the Babylonian Talmud was redacted into more or less its final form around 550 CE. The Talmud states that Ravina and
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 ...
(two amoraim) were the "end of instruction", which many understand to mean they compiled the Babylonian Talmud.R' Meir Triebitz
History & Development of Talmud 1
/ref>
Maimonides Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Tora ...
wrote that Ravina and Rav Ashi were the last generation of sages in the Talmud, and that it was Rav Ashi who composed the Babylonian Talmud.Maimonides
Introduction to ''Mishneh Torah''
/ref> However, some statements within classical rabbinic literature, and later analysis thereof, have led many scholars to conclude that the Babylonian Talmud was smoothed over by the ''Savora'im'', although almost nothing was changed. There are statements in the Talmud itself referring to generations later than Ravina and Rav Ashi. Occasionally, multiple versions of the same legalistic discussion are included with minor variations. The text also states that various opinions emanated from various Talmudic academies. Berkovits E., "Savora'im". In: ''Encyclopedia Judaica'' (first edition) Keter Publishing, 1972
Sherira Gaon Sherira bar Hanina (Hebrew: שרירא בר חנינא) more commonly known as Sherira Gaon (Hebrew: שרירא גאון; c. 906-c. 1006) was the gaon of the Academy of Pumbeditha. He was one of the most prominent Geonim of his period, and the ...
(c.987 CE) indicates that the Talmud was not in its final form until many generations after Ravina and Rav Ashi, and that Rav Yose was the final member of the ''Savora'im''. Occasionally, specific ''Savora'im'' are mentioned by name in the Talmud itself, such as Rabbi Ahai, who (according to later authority
Rashbam Samuel ben Meir (Troyes, c. 1085 – c. 1158), after his death known as "Rashbam", a Hebrew acronym for RAbbi SHmuel Ben Meir, was a leading French Tosafist and grandson of Shlomo Yitzhaki, "Rashi". Biography He was born in the vicinity of Tro ...
) was a ''Savora''.
David Weiss Halivni David Weiss Halivni ( he, דוד וייס הלבני; September 27, 1927 – June 28, 2022) was a European-born American-Israeli rabbi, scholar in the domain of Jewish sciences, and Professor of Talmud. He served as '' Reish Metivta'' of the U ...
, a modern scholar, attempted to determine the authorship of anonymous portions of the Talmud. Halivni termed the editors of the Talmud as ''Stamma'im'', a new term for rabbis that he placed after the period of the ''
Tannaim ''Tannaim'' ( Amoraic Hebrew: תנאים , singular , ''Tanna'' "repeaters", "teachers") were the rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 10–220 CE. The period of the ''Tannaim'', also referred to as the Mis ...
'' and '' Amoraim'', but before the Geonic period. He concluded that to a large extent, the ''Stamma'im'' essentially wrote the Gemara (the discussions in the Talmud about the
Mishna The Mishnah or the Mishna (; he, מִשְׁנָה, "study by repetition", from the verb ''shanah'' , or "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions which is known as the Oral Torah ...
). Halivni posited that during the time of Ravina and
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 ...
, they compiled a Gemara that was much smaller than the Gemara known today, and which likely was similar to the Mishna and to the
Tosefta The Tosefta ( Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: תוספתא "supplement, addition") is a compilation of the Jewish oral law from the late 2nd century, the period of the Mishnah. Overview In many ways, the Tosefta acts as a supplement to the Mishnah ( ...
. He sees this proto-Gemara as a compilation of rulings that probably had little record of discussions. Halivni also posits that the ''Stamma'im'' did not always fully understand the context and import of the statement of the ''Tanna'' or ''Amora'' when it was said. The methodology employed in his commentary, ''Mekorot u' Mesorot'', attempts to give Halivni's analysis of the correct import and context and demonstrates how the Talmud erred in its understanding of the original context.
David Weiss Halivni David Weiss Halivni ( he, דוד וייס הלבני; September 27, 1927 – June 28, 2022) was a European-born American-Israeli rabbi, scholar in the domain of Jewish sciences, and Professor of Talmud. He served as '' Reish Metivta'' of the U ...
''Peshat and Drash: Plain and Applied Meaning in Rabbinic Exegesis'' Oxford University Press, NY, 1991


See also

* Eras of history important in Jewish law


References


External links


JewishEncyclopedia.com: Sabora
{{Savoraim Orthodox rabbinic roles and titles 4 Chazal