David ben Zakkai (died 940 CE) was an exilarch, leader of the Jewish community of Babylon, known in Jewish history especially for his conflict with Saadia Gaon, which ruptured the leadership of the Babylonian Jews, and which was settled by the intervention of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Qahir.
He was banished to Khorasan, where he died.
He was a relative of the Prince of the Exile, 'Uḳba, who had been deposed from office and banished, and was his successor in the exilarchate.
The office of Exilarch was at this time confronted by a dangerous adversary in the person of the passionate and ambitious gaon Mar Kohen-Zedek (in office 917–936), who attempted to make the Academy of Pumbedita the only center of the Babylonian Jews, thereby threatening the existence of the sister academy of Sura. He, as well as the Academy of Pumbedita, refused to recognize David as exilarch, whereupon the latter, who was equally resolute and ambitious, deposed Kohen-Ẓedeḳ and appointed another gaon.
This dispute lasted for two years, until Nissim Naharwani, highly respected for his piety, intervened and reconciled the adversaries, peace being concluded at Sarsar (half a day's journey south of Baghdad). Kohen-Ẓedeḳ and his college accompanied the exilarch as far as Baghdad (in the fall of 921); David ben Zakkai, in turn, recognizing the former as gaon of Pumbedita. But the reputation of the Academy of Sura continued to dwindle.
A weaver filled the office of gaon for two years (926-928), and the ancient and famous academy of Sura was on the point of being dissolved, when Saadia, called from Egypt by the exilarch, was appointed gaon. This was against the advice of Naharwani, who favored Ẓemaḥ ibn Shahin ("Medieval Jew. Chron." ii. 80); but the wisdom of the choice was shown when Saadia made the fame of Sura surpass even that of Pumbedita.
The friendly relations between David ben Zakkai and Saadia were soon disturbed. David shrank from nothing which might strengthen his position, and misused his influence in order to extort large contributions from the community. A case of inheritance which David had decided illegally for reasons of self-interest, led to a rupture between the two. The exilarch asked the two geonim to sign the document in question. Kohen-Ẓedeḳ dared not refuse, but Saadia did. David deposed Saadia from office and banished him, appointing in his place the insignificant Joseph b. Jacob b. Satia. Saadia, however, took up the gauntlet; he, in turn, deposed David, and, together with his followers, appointed David's brother, Josiah Ḥasan, as exilarch.
The Babylonian Jews were now divided into two parties, each of which appealed to the caliph Al-Muḳtadir. His successor, Al-Ḳahir, finally decided the case. The opposing exilarch was banished to Khorasan, where later on he died; and Saadia was deprived of his gaonate (beginning of 933).
Saadia went to Bagdad, devoting the four years of his involuntary leisure to research. He was reinstated in consequence of a law case in which one of the parties concerned chose the exilarch as judge, while the other chose Saadia, whereupon David had the man maltreated who appealed to his adversary. This caused general excitement, and restoration of peace between the two became imperative. A reconciliation took place on February 27, 937. The opposing gaon was removed from office, and Saadia forgot his injuries. After the exilarch's death Saadia even voted for his son Judah as his successor.
David took part in the controversy with Ben Meïr in regard to the fixing of the calendar; and he was one of those who excommunicated the agitator (see "Rev. Et. Juives," xl. 261, xlii. 182).
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Saʿadiah ben Yosef Gaon was a prominent rabbi, gaon, Jewish philosopher, and exegete who was active in the Abbasid Caliphate.
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Bostanai, also transliterated as Bustenai or Bustnay, was the first Exilarch under Arab rule. He lived in the early-to-middle of the 7th century, and died about 660 CE. The name is Aramaized from the Persian bustan or bostan, meaning "Garden". Bostanai is the only Dark Age Babylonian Exilarch of whom anything more than a footnote is known. He is frequently made the subject of Jewish legends.
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Mar Ukba ben Judah, also known as Mar Ukban IV was the Babylonian Exilarch from 890 until his banishment in 917 AD. He was briefly reinstated again in the year 918, however the following year he was disposed and succeeded by his contentious cousin, David ben Zakkai.
Aaron ben Meïr was a rabbi and a Nasi of the Palestinian Gaonate in the first half of the tenth century. His name was brought to light by several fragments discovered in various genizoth. The fragments contain an account of a controversy between Ben Meïr and the Talmudic Academies in Babylonia regarding the Hebrew calendar.
Aaron ibn Sargado or Aaron ben R. Joseph ha-Kohen was a tenth-century AD gaon in Pumbedita, Babylonia. He was a son of Joseph ha-Kohen.
Pumbedita Academy or Pumbedita Yeshiva was a yeshiva in Babylon during the era of the Amoraim and Geonim sages. It was founded by Judah bar Ezekiel and, with the Sura Academy founded in 225 by Abba Arika, was an influential and dominant yeshiva for about 800 years.
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Joseph ben Rav Jacob HaKohen commonly known as bar Saṭya was the Gaon of Sura from 930 to 936 and again from 942 to 948.
Rav Abba ben Rav Ammi ben Samuel was the Gaon of Pumbedita from 869 until his death in 872.
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "David ben Zakkai". The Jewish Encyclopedia . New York: Funk & Wagnalls.