Rabbi Zerika (
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 ...
: רבי זריקא) was an ''
Amora'' of the
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also Isra ...
of the fourth generation of the Amoraic era.
Biography
He studied under R.
Abbahu
Rabbi Abbahu ( he, אבהו) was a Jew and Talmudist of the Talmudic Academies in Syria Palaestina from about 279-320 and is counted a member of the third generation of Amoraim. He is sometimes cited as Rabbi Abbahu of Kisrin (Caesarea).
Biograph ...
along with his colleague
R. Yirmeyah. He was the student of
Rabbi Ammi
Rabbi Ammi, Aimi, Immi (Hebrew: רבי אמי) is the name of several Jewish Talmudists, known as amoraim, who lived in the Land of Israel and Babylonia. In the Babylonian Talmud the first form only is used; in the Jerusalem Talmud all three forms ...
(his
principle teacher), R.
Shimon ben Lakish
Shim‘on ben Lakish ( he, שמעון בן לקיש; arc, שמעון בר לקיש ''Shim‘on bar Lakish'' or ''bar Lakisha''), better known by his nickname Reish Lakish (c. 200 — c. 275), was an amora who lived in the Roman province of Judae ...
, R.
Eleazar ben Pedat
Eleazar ben Pedat ( he, רבי אלעזר בן פדת) was a Jewish Talmudist, known as an amora, in the Land of Israel, of the 2nd and 3rd generation (third century).
Biography
He was a Babylonian by birth and of priestly descent. In his nati ...
, and R.
Judah ben Ezekiel
Judah bar Ezekiel (220–299 CE) (Hebrew: יהודה בן יחזקאל); often known as Rav Yehudah, was a Babylonian amora of the 2nd generation.
Biography
Judah was the most prominent disciple of Rav, in whose house he often stayed, and whose ...
. He used to copy
Baraita
''Baraita'' (Aramaic: "external" or "outside"; pl. ''Barayata'' or ''Baraitot''; also Baraitha, Beraita; Ashkenazi: Beraisa) designates a tradition in the Jewish oral law not incorporated in the Mishnah. ''Baraita'' thus refers to teachings "ou ...
s and arrange them. He also cites
Rav Huna
Rav Huna (Hebrew: רב הונא) was a Jewish Talmud, Talmudist and Exilarch who lived in Babylonia, known as an Amoraim, amora of the second generation and head of the Talmudic Academies in Babylonia, Academy of Sura; he was born about 216 (212 ...
's maxims. His colleague was
Rav Zeira
Rabbi Zeira ( he, רבי זירא), known before his semicha as Rav Zeira ( he, רב זירא) and known in the Jerusalem Talmud as Rabbi Ze'era ( he, רבי זעירא), was a Jewish Talmudist, of the third generation of amoraim, who lived in th ...
. He was a colleague of Abba, with whom he decided the controversy of
Judah ha-Nasi
Judah ha-Nasi ( he, יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא, ''Yəhūḏā hanNāsīʾ''; Yehudah HaNasi or Judah the Prince) or Judah I, was a second-century rabbi (a tanna of the fifth generation) and chief redactor and editor of the ''Mi ...
and Nathan on the problem whether the night should be divided into three or four watches, and by whom he was informed of a correction in a halakhic tradition given by
Rabbi Ammi
Rabbi Ammi, Aimi, Immi (Hebrew: רבי אמי) is the name of several Jewish Talmudists, known as amoraim, who lived in the Land of Israel and Babylonia. In the Babylonian Talmud the first form only is used; in the Jerusalem Talmud all three forms ...
.
In Babylonia, it was said that he had called
Rav Safra
Rav Safra (Hebrew: רב ספרא; around 280-338) was a Babylonian rabbi, of the fourth generation of amoraim.
Biography
Safra studied under R. Abba,Babylonian Talmud, Pesahim 51b then went abroad with two colleagues, R. Kahana and R. Huna the ...
's attention to the difference between the modesty of "pious Palestine" and the audacity of "bold Babylonia" on the occasion of the prayer for rain.
No aggadic teachings of Zerika's have been preserved, the only saying ascribed to him actually belonging to Ḥidka, whose name was incorrectly transliterated "Zerika".
[Compare Hagigah 16a, where the correct name, "Ḥidka," is given]
References
Talmud rabbis of the Land of Israel
{{israel-rabbi-stub