Samuel Jarchini, rector of the college at Nahar- dea, is elected rector-general of all the schools iu Babylon 247-257
E. Hana became rector-general. He had only 800 students, as, during his rectorate, R. Jehudah ben-Jecheskel founded a school at Pumbaditha, and R. Chasda founded another school at Sora, which attracted many of his disciples. Nahar- dea is destroyed (259); the students emigrate into the neighborhood of the Tigris and found a school 257-297
Tiberias. a.d,
Gamaliel IV, ben-Jehudah II. 270-300 Jehudah III, beu-Gamaliel IV, 300-309
Hillel II, ben-Jehudah III, introduced the new calen- dar, and is said by Epiphani- ns to have embraced Chris- tianity. The distinguished teachers of this period were R. Jona, R. Jose, and Tan- chuma ben -Abba, the re- nowned Haggadist and re- puted author of the Midranh Tanehuma 330-365
Sora. A.n.
Chasda of Kaphri, founder of this school, is rector 293-309
Rabba ben-Huna, succeeded Chasda to the rectory, and w'hen he died the college was without a rector for nearly fifty years 309-320
IX.— E K
Pumbaditha. a.d.
R. Jehudah ben - Jesheskel, founder of the school at Pumbaditha, is elected rec- tor-general of all the col- leges, and officiates two years 297-299
Chasda of Kaphri, fonnderand rector of the school at Sora, Is elected rector-general.. . . 299-309
Rabba ben -Nachmani, who succeeded Chasda, revived the college to such a degree that he obtained 1200 stu- dents 309-330
Joseph ben -Chija the blind. He translated the prophets ofthe Old Test. intoChaldee 330-333
Abaji bcn-Cajlil, surnamed Nachmani, the nephew of Rabba, succeeded R. Joseph the blind 333-388
Rabba ben-Joseph, ben-Cha- ma, who founded the school at Machuza, was elected rec- tor after Abaji 338-353
Nachman ben-Isaac held the rectorate four years 352-35C
SCHOOLS, HEBllEW
434
SCHOOLS, HEBREW
Tibcrias^continued.
Gamaliel V,ben-Hillel II. The teachers of this peiiod were R. Jeremiah, R. Jacob ben- Abnn, etc 3C5-3S5
Jehudah IV, beu-Gamaliel V.. 3S5-400
Gamaliel the last (HSinrn), ben-Jehudah IV. 400-425
Soia—co)iti>med.
A.l).
Aslii beu-Simai, snrnaraed Rabban {our teacher), resus- citated the collef^e of Sora, and was its vector fifty-two years, during which time seven rectors died in Pum- baditha. Ashi immortalized his name by collecting the Babylouiau'Tiilmud 352-421
R. Jemav, or Mar-Jemar (con- tracted Maremar), succeed- ed R. Ashi as rector of the college, and officiated about live years 427-432
R. Idi ben-Abin, a disciple of R. Ashi, ofBciated as rector for twenty years 432^52
R. Nachman beu-Huua 452-455
Mar bar-R. Ashi, who contin- ued collecting the Talmud, which his father began 455-408
RabbaTtisphan. Sora, where one of the oldest Jewish uni- versities stood, was now de- stroyed by the Persian king Firuz 4CS-474
Rabina II, who, with R. Jose and his colleagues, complet- ed the Talmud 4GS-540
rumhaditha — continued.
A.D.
R. Chama of Nahardea, Nach- mani's successor, held the rectorate nineteen years... 856-3T7
R. Zebid ben-Ushaja 377-885
R. Dimi beu-Chinena of Na- hardea 3S5-3SS
Raphrem ben-Papa 3SS-400
R. Kahana. The celebrated men of this period were Mar-Sutra, Pheluua ben-Na- thou, etc 400^11
Mar-Sutra 411-414
R. Asha beu-Raba 414-419
R. Gebiha of Be-Katil 419-433
Rephrem II 433-44.^
R. Rachamai 443-45G
R. Sama ben-Raba 456-171
R. Jose 471-520
R. Samuel beu-Abahu.
At first the organization of these schools or colleges was very simple. Besides the president or rector, who was the chief teacher, and an assistant, there were no offices or ranks. Gradually, however, superior and sub- ordinate ranks involuntarily developed themselves, and ultimately assumed the following form : The college, which met during certain months of the year, and was generally called Methiba (X-'^r72), seat of learning, was presided over by the chief rabbi, who was called Resh- melhiha (X3^n^ 113X1), and was elected by the school. Next to this Resh-methiba or rector came the Resh-hal- la (nlsD li3X~i), the chief of the assemhly, whose office it was to expound or simplify to the students, during the first three weeks of the session, the theme upon which the rector had determined to lecture. In later times there were seven Rashe-hdloth (m?3 "^ wNl), such in- terpreters, composed of the associates (D"i"i ^n) and mem- bers of the Sanhedrim, varying in rank. The president or teacher occupied a raised scat, the interpreters sat next to the rector on lower seats, wliile the disciples sat below them at the feet of their teachers (Acts xii, 3).
The mode in which instruction was communicated was chiefly catechetical. After the master had deliver- ed his dictum or theme, the disciples in turn asked differ- ent questions (Luke ii, 40), which he frequently answer- ed by parables or counter-questions, a line of conduct also pursued by Christ in accordance with the custom of the time (comp. IMatt. xxii, 17-22; Luke xx, 2-4, etc.). Sometimes the teacher introduced the subject by simply asking a question connected with the tlieme lie proposed to propound ; the replies given by the different disciples constituted the discussion, which the master at last terminated by declaring which of the answers was the most appropriate. Tiius I!. Joclianan ben-Zakkai (H.C. 30), on one occasion, wanted to inform his disciples what was the most dosiraiilc thing for man to get. He then asked them, " What is the best thing for man to possess?" One replied, "a kind nature ;" an- other, "a good companion;" another, "a good neighbor;" another, "the power to foresee consequences;" while 11. Elcazcr said "a good heart." Whereupon R. Joclianan
remarked, "I prefer E. Eleazer's answer to yours, for in it all j'our answers are comprehended" (Abolh, ii, 9). Who is not reminded thereby of the questions put by the Saviour to his disciples in Mark viii, 27-30?