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Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history. However, the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing, and thus corresponds with the Hebrew term Sifrut Chazal. This more specific sense of "Rabbinic literature"—referring to the Talmudim, Midrash, and related writings, but hardly ever to later texts—is how the term is generally intended when used in contemporary academic writing. On the other hand, the terms meforshim and parshanim (commentaries/commentators) almost always refer to later, post-Talmudic writers of rabbinic glosses on Biblical and Talmudic texts.
The Exilarch was the leader of the Jewish community in Persian Mesopotamia during the era of the Parthians, Sassanids and Abbasid Caliphate up until the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258, with intermittent gaps due to ongoing political developments. The Exilarch was universally regarded by the Jewish community as the royal heir of the House of David and held a place of prominence as both a rabbinical authority and as a noble within the Persian court. Within the Sassanid Empire, the Exilarch was the political equivalent of the Catholicos of the Christian Church of the East, and was thus responsible for community-specific organizational tasks such as running the rabbinical courts, collecting taxes from Jewish communities, supervising and providing financing for the Talmudic Academies in Babylonia, and the charitable re-distribution and financial assistance to needy members of the exile community. The position of Exilarch was hereditary held in continuity by a family that traced its patrilineal descent from antiquity stemming from king David.
The Davidic line or House of David refers to the lineage of King David through the texts in the Hebrew Bible, in the New Testament, and through the succeeding centuries. It is the bloodline that the Hebrew Messiah is said to have a patrilineal descent from according to Judaism and Christianity. The Christian gospels claim Jesus descends from the Davidic line and thus is the legitimate Hebrew Messiah. The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke give two different accounts of the genealogy of Jesus that trace back to King David.
Hakham is a term in Judaism, meaning a wise or skillful man; it often refers to someone who is a great Torah scholar. It can also refer to any cultured and learned person: "He who says a wise thing is called a hakham, even if he be not a Jew." Hence in Talmudic-Midrashic literature, wise gentiles are commonly called hakhmei ummot ha-'olam.
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 AD. 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.
Berechiah is a Jewish name that occurs several times in the Bible. It is derived from Berakhah, "blessing".
Shealtiel, transliterated in Greek as Salathiel, was the son of Jehoiachin, king of Judah. The Gospel of Matthew 1:12 also list Shealtiel as the son of Jeconiah. Jeconiah, Shealtiel as well as the most of the royal house and elite of Judah were exiled to Babylon by order of Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon after the first siege of Jerusalem in 597 BC. During the Babylonian captivity, Shealtiel was regarded as the second Exilarch, following his father.
Seder Olam Rabbah is a 2nd-century AD Hebrew language chronology detailing the dates of biblical events from the Creation to Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia. It adds no stories beyond what is in the biblical text, and addresses such questions as the age of Isaac at his binding and the number of years that Joshua led the Israelites. Tradition considers it to have been written about 160 AD by Yose ben Halafta, but it was probably also supplemented and edited at a later period.
Seder Olam Zutta is an anonymous chronicle from 804 CE, called "Zuta" to distinguish it from the older Seder Olam Rabbah. This work is based upon, and to a certain extent completes and continues, the older aforementioned chronicle. It consists of two main parts: the first, comprising about three-fifths of the whole, deals with the chronology of the 50 generations from Adam to Jehoiakim, the second deals with 39 generations of exilarchs, beginning with Jehoiachin and going until the 9th century BC.
Mar-Zutra III, also called Mar-Zutra bar Mar-Zutra, according to the Seder Olam Zutta, was the posthumous and only son of the 30th Exilarch of Babylon, Mar-Zutra II. He lived at the beginning of the Savora period. Mar-Zutra II had been crucified on the bridge of Mahuza by King Kavadh I for allegedly trying to obtain by force of arms a sort of political independence for the Jews of Babylon. Mar-Zutra III, who was born on the same day as his father's death, did not attain the office of exilarch. He was raised secretly and traveled in 520 CE, aged 18, to the Land of Israel. where he became head of the Academy of Tiberias or "Sanhedrin", under the title of "Resh Pirka" ('Aρχιφεκίτησ), several generations of his descendants succeeding him in this office. His grandson, Paltoi ben Abaye and great-grandson, Zemah ben Paltoi both served as the Gaon of Pumbedita.
Nathan Ukban III was a Jewish Amora sage of the third generation, who, according to Joseph ben Ḥama, is to be identified with the exilarch 'Uḳban ben Nehemiah, Joseph's contemporary, who was a contrite sinner. The Seder 'Olam Zuṭa, too, in the list of the exilarchs, mentions an exilarch called "Nathan 'Uḳban. According to the geonim Ẓemaḥ and Saadia, Nathan 'Uḳban, 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.
Rav Huna Kamma was a rabbi of the 2nd century AD and Babylonian Exilarch, allegedly descending from King [David]. The Seder Olam Zutta refers to him as "Anani", both names being a derivative of "Hananiah". The exact time of his tenure as exilarch is unknown, but it was estimated to have been between 170 and 210 AD.
Nehemiah ben Hushiel is thought to be a historical figure and leader of the Jewish revolt against Heraclius. He is noted in Jewish and Byzantine sources. Nehemiah ben Hushiel is best known as a figure who appears in many medieval Jewish apocalyptic writings; in these writings he is cast as the Messiah ben Joseph who is an Ephraimite.
The Land of Israel Gaonate was the chief talmudical academy and central legalistic body of the Jewish community in the Land of Israel during the middle of the ninth century, or even earlier, till its demise during the 11th-century. During its existence, it competed with the Babylonian Gaonate for the support of the growing diasporic communities. The Egyptian and German Jews particularly regarded the Palestinian geonim as their spiritual leaders. The history of the gaonate was revealed in documents discovered in the Cairo genizah in 1896. Sparse information is available on the Palestinian geonim prior to the middle of the ninth century. The extant material consists essentially of a list in Seder Olam Zuta relating all the geonim to Mar Zutra.
Nahum the Mede was a first-century tanna of the first generation who came to the Land of Israel from Media. He lived in Jerusalem and according to Nathan the Babylonian, he was one of the three most renowned criminal judges in the city. He was one of the seven great contemporaries of Johanan ben Zakai who had survived the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans and who probably became members of the Sanhedrin at Yavne.
Nahum or Nehunyon was a Jewish Exilarch of the 2nd century AD according to the Seder Olam Zutta residing within the Parthian Empire. He is believed to be one of the oldest identifiable members of the house of the Exilarch in Babylonia as no explicit mention to one is noted before him tenure. Very little is known about him or about the nature of the office that he served during his own lifetime. He was allegedly succeeded as Exilarch by his brother, Johanan.
Shaphat was a Jewish Exilarch of the 2nd century AD succeeding his father Johanan. Little is known about him or the office of the exilarch at this time. His name is found in most surviving genealogical lines of Davidic descent. He was the father of his successor Huna Kamma, who is the first exilarch who's authority was recognized outside of the realm of Babylonia.
Ahijah was a Jewish Exilarch of the 2nd century AD. There are no known holders of the office prior to his tenure. His name does not appear in the Seder Olam Zutta. He is potentially the son of Akkub who is commonly noted in contemporary Jewish genealogies.
Hasdai, or Hisday, a derivative of 'Hasadiah', was a Jewish Exilarch of the late 7th century AD, succeeding his father Bostanai to the office. Some sources allege he left no male heirs, and the succession went with the descendants of his brother, Baradoi. Alternatively, the exilarch Solomon I is said to be his son and eventually heir. Little to nothing is known about his tenure as exilarch beyond the legal dispute that he had with his Persian half-siblings and their mother.
References
- ↑ Neusner, Jacob. "a history of the jews in babylonia v. later sasanian times – Jacob Neusner – Google Books" . Retrieved 2021-07-03.
- ↑ "Exilarch". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
- ↑ Franklin, Arnold E. (2012-10-15). This Noble House: Jewish Descendants of King David in the Medieval Islamic East – Arnold E. Franklin – Google Books. ISBN 978-0812206401 . Retrieved 2021-07-03.
- ↑ "Johanan, 3rd Exilarch". The House of David.
- ↑ Neusner, Jacob (2008-12-15). A History of the Jews in Babylonia, Part 1: The Parthian Period – Jacob Neusner – Google Books. ISBN 9781606080740 . Retrieved 2021-07-03.