Ḥanina (Ḥinena) B. Isaac

Palestinian haggadist of the fourth century; contemporary of Samuel b. Ammi, with whom he engaged in an exegetical controversy (Yer. Ber. ii. 10a; Gen. R. xv. 7; "Ḥinena"). Huna the Younger cites as Ḥanina's the following comment on the significance of the movements of the ram which Abraham offered in the place of Isaac (Gen. xxii. 13): "Abraham noticed the ram caught in a thicket, and escaping only to be caught in another thicket. The Lord thereupon said: 'Abraham, thus will thy descendants be entangled by their sins and come in conflict with various kingdoms: freed from Babylonian oppression, they will fall under Media; from Media, under Greece; from Greece, under Edom [Rome].' Abraham then inquired, 'Lord of the Universe, will this be their lot forever?' The Lord answered, 'They will ultimately be delivered at the sound of the ram's horn.' Therefore the Biblical saying, 'The Lord God shall blow the trumpet,'" etc. (Zech. ix. 14; Yer. Ta'an. ii. 65d; comp. Gen. R. lvi. 9). Ḥanina believed that the impatience of Israel's progenitors was less irritating than the patience of their descendants. He cites as an example Jacob's impatient remonstrance with Laban for searching through his household goods (Gen. xxxi. 33 et seq.). On the other hand, where patience was called for, stinging language was used, as shown in David's appeal to Jonathan (I Sam. xx. 1; Gen. R. lxxiv. 10; Yalḳ., I Sam. xx. 1; comp. Pesiḳ. xiv. 116b).

Bibliography:

  * Bacher, Agada der Palästinensischen Amoräer, iii. 681 et seq.



S. S. M.