Hanina of Sepphoris

R. Hanina (or Hananiah) of Sepphoris (Hebrew: רבי חנניה דציפורין‎), read as Rabbi Hananiah DeTziporin; alternative Hebrew spelling: רבי חנינא דציפורי[1]) sometimes cited merely as R. Hanina [Hananiah] or Hanina (Hananiah) II, was an Amora of the Land of Israel (in Byzantine Galilee at the time), of the fifth generation of the Amora era.

Biography

He was a disciple of Rabbi Mani II.[2] He gradually rose to his master's level and discussed with him as a "fellow student" many halakhic questions.[3] Eventually he moved to Sepphoris, where he became the religious head of the community; hence he is sometimes cited as Hanina of Sepphoris.[4] When Mani also moved to Sepphoris (due to Roman persecutions in Tiberias), Hanina resigned the leadership in his favor—an act of self-abnegation extolled by the Rabbis as having few parallels.[5][6] Hanina, 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.[7] Hanina's family accompanied him, and were highly respected in their adopted country. There Hanina's daughter married the son of Ravina.[8]

References

1. Hiddushei haRashba to Sanhedrin 105a
2. Yerushalmi Pesachim 1 27d; Yerushalmi Moed Kattan 3 82c
3. Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 2 19d; Yerushalmi Shevuot 6 37b
4. Yerushalmi Nedarim 9 41b
5. Yerushalmi Pesachim 6 33a
6. MANI, Jewish Virtual Library; Article
7. Bava Batra 25b; Hullin 139b
8. Niddah 66b

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "ḤANINA (HANANIAH) II". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.