A?ai
A?AI
A?AI (A?a ; late fifth and early sixth century), Babylonian scholar of the period of transition between the amoraim and the savoraim, at the time of the final redaction of the Talmud. Since most of his statements aim at resolving problems or clarifying matters in their more or less final form, they are generally prefaced by such distinctive formulae as ???? ("he raised an objection") and ???? ("he explained"). He is mentioned together with other savoraim (?ul. 59b; Ta'an. 18b). Sages of Ere? Israel wrote to their colleagues in Babylonia, "Give heed to the opinion of R. A?ai, for he enlightens the eyes of the Diaspora" (?ul., loc. cit.). The Epistle of *Sherira Gaon (ed. Lewin, 38) refers to three savoraim named A?ai or A?a: A?a of Bei ?attim (a place near Nehardea), A?ai b. Huna who died in 505 c.e., and A?a the son of Rabbah b. Abbuha who died on the Day of Atonement in 510 c.e. A?ai without a cognomen is probably A?ai b. Huna.
bibliography:
Halevy, Dorot (1923), 56–60; Z.W. Rabinowitz, Sha'arei Torat Bavel (1961), 344, 528; Hyman, Toledot. s.v.
[Alter Hilewitz]