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Ḥanina of Sepphoris

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

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Amora of the fifth century; contemporary of the Palestinian Mani II., and of Rabina, one of the compilers of the Babylonian Talmud (Yer. Ber. 3:6a; Niddah 66b). Ḥanina attended the schools of Palestine, his native country, and concluded his pupilage under Mani II. (Yer. Pes. 1:27d; Yer. M. Ḳ. 3:82c). He gradually rose to his master's level and discussed with him as a "fellow student" many halakic questions (Yer. Sanh. 2:19d; Yer. Shebu. 6:37b). Eventually he removed to Sepphoris, where he became the religious head of the community; hence he is sometimes cited as Ḥanina of Sepphoris (Yer. Ned. 9:41b). When, in consequence of Roman persecutions at Tiberias, Mani also removed to Sepphoris, Ḥanina resigned the leadership in his favor—an act of self-abnegation extolled by the Rabbis as having few parallels (Yer. Pes. 6:33a). Ḥanina, however, did not long remain in Palestine. As the persecutions became general and intolerable, he emigrated to Babylonia, where ASHI frequently sought information from him (B. B. 25b; Ḥul. 139b). Ḥanina's family accompanied him, and were highly respected in their adopted country. There Ḥanina's daughter married the son of Rabina (Niddah 66b).