Bar Hedya
BAR HEDYA
BAR HEDYA (fl. first half of the fourth century), Babylonian scholar. Bar Hedya was one of the neḥutei, amoraim who moved between Babylonia and Ereẓ Israel, transmitting the rabbinical traditions of both countries. He testified, among other things, that in Ereẓ Israel care was taken to ensure that Hoshana Rabba (the 7th day of Tabernacles) did not fall on a Sabbath (Suk. 43b). Known for his interpretations of dreams, *Abbaye and *Rava turned to him in this connection. Abbaye, who paid him, received favorable dream interpretations; Rava, who did not pay him, received unfavorable interpretations. Upon the materialization of Bar Hedya's predictions, Rava also began to pay him, whereupon his dreams were then favorably interpreted. It finally became clear to Rava that the secret of Bar Hedya's ability lay in the fact that "all dreams follow the mouth" (of the interpreter) (Ber. 56a).
bibliography:
Hyman, Toledot, 285; Levy, Neuhebr Tal, 1 (19242), 258, no.2.
[Yitzhak Dov Gilat]