13 Facts About Abba Arikha

Rav Abba bar Aybo, commonly known as Abba Arikha or simply as Rav, was a Jewish amora of the 3rd century.

Abba Arikha was born and lived in Kafri, Asoristan, in the Sasanian Empire.

In Sura, Arikha established the systematic study of the rabbinic traditions, which, using the Mishnah as a foundational text, led to the compilation of the Talmud.

Abba Arikha is called Rabbi Abba only in the tannaitic literature, wherein a number of his sayings are preserved.

Abba Arikha's father, Aibo, was a brother of Hiyya the Great who lived in Palestine, and was a highly esteemed scholar in the collegiate circle of the patriarch Judah ha-Nasi.

Abba Arikha is referred to as the son of noblemen, but it is not clear if this is an affectionate term or a true description of his status.

Abba Arikha was highly respected by the Gentiles as well as by the Jews of Babylonia, as shown by the friendship that existed between him and the last Parthian, Artabanus IV.

Abba Arikha was deeply affected by the death of Artaban in 226 and the downfall of the Parthian rulers and does not appear to have sought the friendship of Ardashir I, founder of the Sasanian Empire, although Samuel of Nehardea probably did so.

Abba Arikha gave special attention to the liturgy of the synagogue.

Abba Arikha included it in the Rosh Hashana mussaf service as a prologue to the Kingship portion of the Amidah.

Abba Arikha composed the prayer recited on Shabbat before the start of a new month, Birkat ha-Hodesh.

Abba Arikha especially loved to discuss in his homilies the events and personages of Biblical history; and many beautiful and genuinely poetic embellishments of the Biblical record, which have become common possession of the aggadah, are his creations.

Abba Arikha's aggadah is particularly rich in thoughts concerning the moral life and the relations of human beings to one another.