Hiyya bar Ashi

רב חייא בר אשי

Personal life
Born|

Hiyya bar Ashi

Era| Second and third generation of amoraim
Religious life
Religion| Judaism
Jewish leader
Teacher| Rav
Rabbinical eras

* Chazal
* Zugot
* Tannaim
* Amoraim
* Savoraim
* Geonim
* Rishonim
* Acharonim

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Hiyya bar Ashi[1] (or Rav Hiyya bar Ashi;[2] Hebrew: רב חייא בר אשי) was a second and third generation Amora sage of Babylon.

## Biography

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In his youth he studied under Rav, and served as his janitor. In his service of Rav he learned many laws, which he transmitted to future generations. For example, he stated that on Shabbat he would wash Rav's leather clothes. From this statement, the sages concluded that the law of Melabain (Scouring/Laundering) on Shabbat does not apply on leather materials.[3] He also stated that when he used to wake Rav from his sleep, he would wash his hands, recite Birkat HaTorah, and only then would teach the lesson. Hence, one should make a Birkat HaTorah also on the Talmud, and not only on the Bible.[4] Later, R. Hiyya bar Ashi said, Rav would put on tefillin, and then recite the shema; from this the sages concluded that one should put on tefillin before the shema, even if it is already time for the shema.[5]

Most of R. Hiyya bar Ashi's statements are made in the name of his teacher Rav, and rarely in the name of Samuel of Nehardea.[6] At times his own rulings are cited as well,[7] and sometimes he disputes his teacher Rav.[8]

He was a colleague of Rav Huna and had debated him over rulings of their common teacher, Rav.[9]

The death of R. Hiyya bar Ashi is narrated in  Kiddushin 81b:[10] Rabbi Hiyya Bar Ashi was accustomed to say, whenever he would fall on his face in prayer: May the Merciful One save us from the evil inclination. One day his wife heard him saying this prayer. She said: After all, it has been several years since he has withdrawn from engaging in intercourse with me due to his advanced years. What is the reason that he says this prayer, as there is no concern that he will engage in sinful sexual behavior? One day, while he was studying in his garden, his wife adorned herself and repeatedly walked past him. He said: Who are you? She said: I am Ḥaruta, a well-known prostitute, returning from my day at work. He propositioned her. She said to him: Give me that pomegranate from the top of the tree as payment. He leapt up, went, and brought it to her, and they engaged in intercourse. When he came home, his wife was lighting a fire in the oven. He went and sat inside it. She said to him: What is this? He said to her: Such and such an incident occurred; he told her that he engaged in intercourse with a prostitute. She said to him: It was I. He paid no attention to her, thinking she was merely trying to comfort him, until she gave him signs that it was indeed she. He said to her: I, in any event, intended to transgress." Apparently Rav Hiyya is burned to death in the oven. According to Jeffrey Rubenstein, an additional line appearing in printed Talmuds has been added that Hiyya fasted for the rest of his life to atone for his sin, avoiding the tragic suicide, but "it does not appear in Talmudic manuscripts and is not part of the original story."[11]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Tannaim and Amoraim, jewishencyclopedia.com; List (Ḥiyya b. Ashi (B; 2)
2. ^ Rav Hiyya b. Ashi | רב הייא בר אשי, sages of the talmud | חכמי התלמוד
3. ^ Babylonian Talmud, Zevachim 94a
4. ^ Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 11b
5. ^ Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 14b
6. ^ Babylonian Talmud, Hullin 127b
7. ^ i.e. Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 39a
8. ^ Babylonian Talmud, Hullin 51b
9. ^ Babylonian Talmud, Hullin 111b
10. ^ Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 81b
11. ^ Jeffrey L. Rubenstein, The Land of Truth, p. 266.

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Amoraim

Amoraim of Eretz Israel

First Generation (until 250 CE):|

* Gamaliel III
* R. Hiyya
* Rabbi Yannai
* Hoshaiah Rabbah
* Epes the Southerner
* Joshua ben Levi
* Hanina bar Hama
* Levi ben Sisi
* Bar Kappara
* Jeremiah (I)
* Simeon ben Jehozadak
* Simeon ben Judah ha-Nasi

Second Generation (until 280 CE):|

* Judah II (Nesi'ah I)
* Johanan bar Nappaha
* Shimon ben Lakish
* Eleazar ben Pedat
* Isaac Nappaha
* Jose bar Hanina
* Rav Kahana II
* Jacob bar Idi
* Hezekiah
* Judah b. Hiyya
* Abba of Jaffa
* Hama bar Hanina
* Shimon bar Abba
* Simlai
* Hillel, son of Gamaliel III
* Zeiri

Third Generation (until 310 CE):|

* Gamaliel IV
* Rabbi Ammi
* Rabbi Assi
* Abbahu
* Ulla
* Rabbi Yitzchak
* Hama bar Ukva
* Zeira
* Helbo
* Samuel ben Nahman
* Abin I
* Hiyya bar Abba
* Rabbah bar bar Hana
* Levi II
* Rabbi Ilai II
* Abba bar Kahana
* Rav Avira
* Hanina bar Papi
* Hanina ben Pappa
* Jose of Yokereth
* Jeremiah (II)
* Hoshaiah II
* Hanina
* Abba bar Memel
* Tachlifa of the West
* Avdimi of Haifa
* Luliani ben Tabrin
* Abba of Acre
* Shimon ben Pazi
* Me'asha
* Shila of Kefar Tamarta
* Anani ben Sason
* Alexandri
* Kahana bar Tahlifa
* Ḥiyya bar Ami
* Abin Naggara

Fourth Generation (until 340 CE):|

* Judah III (Nesi'ah II)
* Jeremiah (III)
* Rabbi Aha
* Rabbi Berekhiah
* Jose bar Zevida
* Rabbi Jonah
* Rabbi Hilkiah
* Zerika
* Isaac ben Eliashiv
* Rabbi Aibu
* Hasa of Eshtemoa
* Abba bar Hiyya bar Abba
* Rabin
* Abba bar Zemina
* Pedat ben Eleazar
* Abba bar Pappai
* Acha bar Hanina

Fifth Generation (until 380 CE):|

* Hillel II
* Gamaliel V
* Jose ben Abin
* Rabbi Mana II

Sixth Generation (until 410 CE):|

* Judah IV (Nesi'ah III)
* Tanhuma bar Abba
* Hanina of Sepphoris
* Samuel b. Jose b. Boon

Amoraim of Babylon

First Generation (until 250 CE):|

* Abba Arikha (Rav)
* Samuel of Nehardea
* Mar Ukva
* Karna
* Rav Shela
* Rav Assi
* Abba bar Abba

Second Generation (until 280 CE):|

* Rav Huna
* Judah bar Ezekiel
* Hamnuna II
* Hamnuna Saba
* Rabbah bar Abuha
* Jeremiah bar Abba
* Rav Kahana II
* Rav Berona
* Hiyya bar Joseph
* Rav Giddel
* Hiyya bar Ashi
* Raba Bar Jeremiah (Abba)
* Adda bar Ahavah
* Anan

Third Generation (until 310 CE):|

* Rabbah bar Nahmani (Rabbah)
* Rav Nachman
* Sheshet
* Rav Chisda
* Hamnuna III
* Rav Yosef bar Hiyya
* Rabbah bar Rav Huna
* Joseph bar Hama
* Ammi b. Abba
* Rav Shmuel bar Yehudah
* Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak

Fourth Generation (until 340 CE):|

* Abaye
* Rava
* Rami bar Hama
* Aha bar Jacob
* Rav Safra
* Rav Kahana III
* Idi b. Abin Naggara
* Hiyya b. Abin Naggara
* Mar son of Ravina
* Rav Shizbi
* Isaac b. Judah
* Rabbah b. Shela
* Mari bar Rachel
* Acha Bar Yosef

Fifth Generation (until 380 CE):|

* Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak
* Rav Papa
* Rav Papi
* Huna ben Joshua
* Rav Zevid
* Amemar
* Mar Zutra
* Rav Mesharshiya
* Hanina of Sura
* Bevai bar Abaye

Sixth Generation (until 430 CE):|

* Rav Ashi
* Ravina I
* Maremar
* Rami b. Abba
* Huna bar Nathan
* Rav Kahana IV
* Sama bar Raqta

Seventh Generation (until 465 CE):|

* Rav Yemar
* Mar bar Rav Ashi
* Rafram II
* Aha b. Rava
* Judah b. Meremar

Eighth Generation (until 500 CE):|

* Rabbah Tosafa'ah
* Ravina II
* Rabbah Jose
* Rav Rahumi III
* Samuel b. Abbahu

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Israel

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