Isaac Bar Rav Judah
ISAAC BAR RAV JUDAH
ISAAC BAR RAV JUDAH (end of the third and beginning of the fourth century), Babylonian amora. Isaac was the son of *Judah b. Ezekiel, head of the academy of Pumbedita. He studied under his father (Shab. 35b; Pes. 104b; et al.) and was already a distinguished scholar during his father's lifetime, being appointed by him to preach in the bet ha-midrash (Ta'an. 13b). He also studied under *Huna (Nid. 17b), *Rabbah b. Naḥamani, who succeeded his father as head of the yeshivah of Pumbedita (Shevu. 36b), *Rami bar Ḥama, and *Sheshet (Zev. 96b). Both halakhic and aggadic statements by him are given in the Talmud (Shab. 21a; Er. 84a; et al.). One of his sayings was: "A man should always pray not to fall sick; for if he falls sick, he is told, 'Show thy merits and be quit'" (Shab. 32a). Isaac refrained from marriage in his youth because he sought a woman of good family and unsullied descent, for which he was rebuked by Ulla (Kid. 71b). His granddaughter, a daughter of his son Isi, was the beautiful Ḥomah, wife of Abbaye (Yev. 64b).
bibliography:
Hyman, Toledot, 792f.
[Zvi Kaplan]