Natronai ben Hilai

9th century rabbi

Not to be confused with Natronai ben Nehemiah.

Natronai Ben Hilai HaKohen (Hebrew: נטרונאי בן הלאי or Natronai the Gaon, Hebrew: נטרונאי הגאון; Full name: Natronai ben Hilai ben Mari) was Gaon "head rabbi" of the Sura Academy of Rabbinic Judaism in Mesopotamia early in the second half of the 9th century. He held this post for ten years.[1] He is responsible for more written responsa to queries posed to him by world Jewry than any of his predecessors, and maintained close contact with the Jews of al-Andalus (now Spain and Portugal).[1]

Rabbinical eras

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

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## Responsa

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Naṭronai was elderly when he became Gaon. Nonetheless, many responsa were issued by him. Questions were addressed to him from all parts of the Jewish diaspora, and his answers, about 300 of which have been preserved in various compilations (e.g., in Sha'are Ẓedeḳ, Teshubot ha-Ge'onim, and Ḳebuẓat ha-Ḥakamim, Tshuvot Rav Natrunai Gaon, Jerusalem 5771, edited by Y. Brody), show his thorough mastery of the subjects treated as well as his ability to impart knowledge.

Natronia always employed the language with which his correspondents were most conversant. He wrote equally well in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic and Medieval Hebrew and was the first attested Gaon to use Arabic (in the form of Jewish Middle Arabic for scholastic correspondence.

## Opposition to Karaites

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Natronai staunchly opposed Karaite Judaism. He endeavored to enforce the observance of every rabbinic provision emanating from or as explained by either of the Talmudic academies in Babylonia. Since the Karaites rejected the ritualistic forms of these schools, he made strenuous efforts to establish uniformity among the Rabbanites. The origin of many ritualistic formulae is traced to him.[2]

Naṭronai was also credited with a mastery of kefitzat haderech "shortening of the route", or magical transit. He allegedly miraculously transported himself to France, where he instructed the people, and then returned to Mesopotamia in the same manner. Hai ben Sherira, however, denied this, suggesting that some adventurer may have impersonated Natronai and imposed on the Jews of France.[3]

## References

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1. ^ a b Sherira Gaon (1988). The Iggeres of Rav Sherira Gaon. Translated by Nosson Dovid Rabinowich. Jerusalem: Rabbi Jacob Joseph School Press - Ahavath Torah Institute Moznaim. p. 146\. OCLC 923562173.
2. ^ Siddur R. Amram, passim; see also Zunz, Ritus, p. 220
3. ^ Ta'am Zekenim, ed. Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1854, pp. 55a, 56a et seq.; compare A. Harkavy, Zikkaron la-Rishonim wegam la-Aḥaronim, iv., p. xxiii.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wilhelm Bacher; S. Mendelsohn (1901–1906). "Natronai ben Hilai". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.

Preceded by

Sar Shalom ben Boaz

|  Gaon of the Sura Academy
853-861  | Succeeded by

Amram Gaon

|
|

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Geonim

Deans of Pumbedita Academy|

* Hanan of Iskiya
* Mari ben R. Dimi
* Rav Hana (Huna)
* Rav Rabbah (Rava, Ravah)
* Rav Bosai (Bostanai)
* Huna Mari ben Mar Joseph
* Hiyya of Meshan
* Rav Rabya (Moronai)
* Natronai ben Nehemiah
* Judah Gaon
* Joseph Gaon
* Samuel ben Mar Mari
* Natroi Kahana b. Emuna
* Abraham Kahana
* Dodai ben Nahman (Rav Dorai)
* Hananya ben Mesharsheya
* Malka ben Aha
* Rabba ben Dodai
* Rav Shinwai
* Haninai Kahana ben Abraham
* Haninai Kahana ben Abraham
* Huna ben ha-Levi ben Isaac
* Manasseh ben Joseph
* Isaiah ha-Levi ben Abba
* Joseph ben Shila
* Kahana ben Haninai Gaon
* Abumai Kahana ben Abraham
* Joseph ben Abba
* Abraham ben Sherira
* Joseph ben Mar Hiyya
* Isaac ben Hananiah
* Joseph ben Abba
* Paltoi ben Abaye
* Aha Kahana ben Mar Rav
* Menahem ben Joseph ben Hiyya
* Mattithiah ha-Kohen b. Ravrevay b. Hanina
* Abba ben Ammi
* Zemah ben Paltoi
* Hai ben David
* Kimoi ben Ahhai
* Mebasser Kahana ben Kimoi
* Kohen Tzedek Kahana ben Joseph
* Zemah ben Kafnai
* Hananiah ben Yehudai
* Aaron ibn Sargado
* Nehemiah ben Kohen Tzedek
* Sherira Gaon
* Hai Gaon
* Hezekiah Gaon

Deans of Sura Academy|

* Mar ben Huna
* Hanina (Hinenai)
* Rav Hunai (Huna)
* Rav Sheshna (Mesharsheya b. Tahlifa)
* Hanina of Nehar Pekkod (Hinenai)
* Hillai of Naresh
* Jacob of Nehar Pekod
* Rav Samuel
* Mari ha-Kohen of Nehar Pekod
* Achai Gaon
* Yehudai Gaon
* Ahhunai Kahana ben Papa
* Haninai Kahana ben Huna
* Mari ha-Levi ben Mesharsheya
* Bebai ha-Levi ben Abba of Nehar Pekod
* Hilai ben Mari
* Jacob ha-Kohen ben Mordecai
* Rav Abimai
* Zadok ben Ashi (Issac ben Jesse)
* Hilai ben Hananiah
* Kimoi ben Ashi
* Mesharsheya Kahana ben Jacob
* Kohen Tzedek ben Abimai
* Sar Shalom ben Boaz
* Natronai ben Hilai
* Amram Gaon
* Nahshon ben Zadok
* Zemah ben Hayyim
* Rav Malka
* Hai ben Nahshon
* Hilai ben Natronai ben Hilai
* Shalom ben Mishael
* Jacob ben Natronai
* Yom-Tob Kahana ben Jacob
* Saadia ben Joseph (Saadia Gaon)
* Joseph ben Jacob
* Zemah Tzedek ben Paltoi ben Issac
* Samuel ben Hofni
* Dosa ben Saadia
* Israel ha-Kohen ben Samuel ben Hofni
* Azariah ha-Kohen ben Israel

Later Babylonian Geonim|

* Isaac ben Moses ben Sukkari
* Eli ha-Levi
* Solomon (Gaon)
* Samuel ben Ali
* Zechariah ben Berakhel
* Eleazer ben Hillel ben Fahd
* Daniel ben Eleazer ben Hibat Allah
* Hibat Allah ben Abil Rabi
* Isaac ben al-Awani ha-Cohen
* Isaac ben Israel Ibn al-Shuwaykh
* Ali ben Zechariah
* Samuel ben Daniel ha-Cohen

Deans of Kairouan Academy|

* Jacob ben Nissim
* Chushiel ben Elchanan

Geonim in the Land of Israel|

* Pinhas ben Jacob ha-Cohen
* Jehoshaphat ben Josiah
* Semah ben Josiah
* Aaron ben Moses ben Meir
* Isaac (Gaon)
* Aaron ben Meir
* Abraham ben Aaron
* Aaron ha-Cohen (Gaon)
* Joseph ben Ezrun ha-Cohen
* Ezrun
* Samuel ben Joseph ha-Cohen
* Jose ben Samuel ha-Cohen
* Shemaya Gaon
* Josiah ben Aaron
* Solomon ben Joseph ha-Cohen
* Solomon ben Judah (Gaon)
* Daniel ben Azariah
* Elijah ben Solomon ha-Cohen
* Abiathar ben Elijah ha-Cohen
* Solomon ben Elijah ha-Cohen
* Masliah ben Solomon ha-Cohen
* Moses ben Netanel ha-Levi
* Abraham ben Mazhir
* Netanel ben Moses ha-Levi
* Sar Shalom ben Moses ha-Levi
* Ezra ben Abraham
* Sar Shalom ben Abraham
* Sadoq

Others|

* Mar Isaac of Firuz Shabur
* Achai Gaon
* Simeon Kayyara

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