Ukban ben Nehmiah was a Jewish Amora sage of the third generation, who, according to

Joseph ben Ḥama Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...

, who was a contrite sinner. The Seder 'Olam Zuṭa, too, in the list of the exilarchs, mentions an exilarch called "Ukban d'Zuzita" who was buried in

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

. According to the geonim Ẓemaḥ and

Saadia Saʿadia ben Yosef Gaon (892–942) was a prominent rabbi, gaon, Jewish philosopher, and exegete who was active in the Abbasid Caliphate. Saadia is the first important rabbinic figure to write extensively in Judeo-Arabic. Known for his works o ...

, Ukban, when he was young, was wont to curl his hair, his surname "de-Ẓuẓita" being derived from that habit. Another interpretation is that fire would flash out from his ẓiẓit, so that nobody could stand near him. As to the nature of Ukban's sins and repentance Rabbi Aḥai of Shabḥa, in his "She'eltot" (sections "Wa'era" and "Ki Tissa"), tells almost the same story as Rashi, of a man who was called "Nathan de-Ẓuẓita," but without mentioning either that he was likewise called "'Ukban" or that he was an exilarch. Further, this story is related by

Nissim ben Jacob Nissim ben Jacob (), also known as Nissim Gaon (; 990–1062), was a rabbi and Gaon best known today for his Talmudic commentary ha-Mafteach, by which title he is also known. Biography Rav Nissim studied at the Kairouan Yeshiva, initially un ...

in his "Ma'aseh Nissim," at great length, Nathan being placed in the time of Akiba—that is, not later than the first third of the second century. It may therefore be assumed either that there were two Nathan de-Ẓuẓitas, the second being identical with the exilarch Ukban b. Nehemiah, or that Joseph b. Ḥama must be understood as comparing Ukban, in his repentance, to Nathan de-Ẓuẓita, who was much earlier and, perhaps, was not an exilarch. It is true that in the Seder 'Olam Zuṭa it is clearly affirmed that Nathan I was called also "Ukban"; but in other details the three recensions of that work disagree with Joseph ben Hama, in that they leave it to be supposed that Nathan de-Ẓuẓita was the son of Anan and not of Nehemiah, and that they represent him as the father of Huna the exilarch, who lived in the time of Judah ha-Nasi I. The Seder 'Olam Zuṭa has in its list three exilarchs called "Nathan," the second being the grandson of the first, and the third the son of Abba ben Huna and father of

Mar Zuṭra Mar, mar or MAR may refer to: Culture * Mar (title), or Mor, an honorific in Syriac * Earl of Mar, an earldom in Scotland * Mar., an abbreviation for March, the third month of the year in the Gregorian calendar * Biblical abbreviation for the G ...

; it is the chronology of Nathan III that coincides with that of another Ukban.Shab. 56b It may be added that Rashi (to Sanh. l.c.) confuses Nathan de-Ẓuẓita 'Ukban with

Mar Ukba Mar Ukba ben Judah, also known as Mar Ukban IV (Hebrew: מר עוקבא בן יהודה; early tenth century) was the Babylonian Exilarch from 890 until his banishment in 917 AD. He was briefly reinstated again in the year 918, however the follo ...

, "ab bet din" in the time of Samuel, which time coincides with that of Nathan II. Lazarus (in the list of exilarchs in Brüll's "Jahrb." vol. x.) supposes that Nathan I reigned from about 260 to about 270, and Nathan II from 370 to about 400.

References

*Heilprin, Seder ha-Dorot, ii. *Zacuto, Yuḥasin, ed. Filipowski, pp. 171 et seq.

External links

Jewish Encyclopedia- Nathan Ukban IIIGenealogy of the House of David- Nathan Ukban III, 10th Exilarch
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mar 'Ukban Iii (Exilarch) Exilarchs Jewish royalty 4th-century Jews

See also

References

External links