Jeremiah

Rabbi Yirmeyah (or R. Jeremiah (iii) or Jeremiah ben Abba; ) was a prominent Jewish Amora sage of the Land of Israel, of the fourth generation of the Amora era (4th century). He is always quoted by the single name "Jeremiah," though sometimes that name is used for Jeremiah b. Abba. Biography He was born in Babylonia, and initially was unsuccessful in his studies. He then emigrated to Caesarea, after which he made rapid progress in his studies. Among his teachers in the Land of Israel were Abbahu; Samuel bar Isaac, whose homilies he very frequently reports; and Rabbi Assi; but his principal teacher was his countryman Rav Zeira. Both Zeira and Abbahu loved the young scholar as a son. Ammi employed Jeremiah as tutor to his son. Once while Zeira and his pupil were engaged in some halakhic investigation the hour of prayer arrived, and Jeremiah began to betray impatience at being detained. Zeira, noticing it, reproved him with the words, "He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination". Jeremiah developed such industrious habits as to evoke from his teacher the remark that since the death of Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma, with whom the industry ended, there had not been so zealous a student as Jeremiah. But in his anxiety to acquire knowledge and accuracy he developed extreme captiousness. He frequently provoked the laughter of the academy, except of his teacher; and ultimately his ultra-subtleties became insufferable. His considerate preceptor time and again warned him against pursuing his arguments beyond the bounds of halakhah; but it proved of no avail. At last his colleagues gave vent to their displeasure. The college was seriously discussing a point of law, when Jeremiah broke in with what appeared to be a ridiculous objection, whereupon he was ordered out of the academy. It happened that after the death of the great teachers a legal problem vexed the minds of the scholars, and there was none to solve it. It was submitted to Jeremiah, who returned it with the solution, which he prefaced with the humble words: "Although I am not worthy [to be consulted by you], your pupil's opinion inclines this way." On receipt of this, which was taken as an apology for the past, his colleagues reinstated him.