Rabbi Assi
Rabbinical eras |
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Assi II (Assa, Issi, Jesa, Josah, Jose,
He should not be confused with Rav Assi, who belonged to first generation of amoraim in Babylonia.
Biography
He was one of the two Palestinian scholars known among their contemporary
but later emigrated in consequence of domestic trouble.On his arrival in Tiberias, Assi had an adventure with a ruffian, which ended disastrously for the latter. Assi was making his way toward the baths, when he was assaulted by a "scorner." He did not resent the assault, except by remarking, "That man's neck-band is too loose," and continued on his way. It so happened that an archon was at that very hour trying a thief, and the scoffer, still laughing at the adventure with Assi, came to witness the trial just when the judge interrogated the culprit as to accomplices. The culprit, seeing the man laughing, thought that it was at his discomfiture, and to avenge himself pointed to the ruffian as his accomplice. The man was apprehended and examined. He confessed to a murder he had committed, and was sentenced to be hanged with the convicted thief. Assi, on returning from the baths, encountered the procession on its way to the execution. His assailant on seeing him exclaimed, "The neck-band which was loose will soon be tightened", to which Assi replied, "Your fate has long since been foretold, for the Bible says,[4] 'Be you not scorners, lest your bands be made strong'."[5]
Assi's professional career in the
Assi became a disciple of
Wisdom and death
R. Assi is frequently quoted in both
At first the evil inclination is like a shuttle-thread (or spider-web), but eventually it grows to be like a cart rope, as is said in the Scriptures,[10] "Woe unto them who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as if it were with a cart rope".[11]
An anecdote characteristic of rabbinical sympathy for inferiors and domestics is thus related: The wife of R. Jose had a quarrel with her maid, and her husband declared her in the wrong; whereupon she said to him, "Why did you declare me wrong in the presence of my maid?" To which the rabbi replied, "Did not Job say,[12] 'If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me, what then shall I do when God rises up? And when He visits, what shall I answer Him?'"[13] When Assi died, R. Hiyya bar Abba, who had been his associate as judge and as teacher, went into mourning as for a relative.[14] The day of his death is recorded as coincident with a destructive hurricane.[15]
It is possible that R. Assi, before his emigration to Palestine, was known as Assi (Issi, Jose) b. Nathan, the one that is met with in an
References
- OCLC 695123759., s.v. ר' ייסא
- Sanhedrin17b
- ^ Yerushalmi Terumot 1 40a; Yerushalmi Eruvin 6 23d
- Isaiah28:22
- Ber.2 5c
- Shabbat 19 16d; Yerushalmi Eruvin6 24a
- ^ Hullin 103b
- Kilayim 9 32b; Ecclesiastes Rabbah9 10
- ^ Yerushalmi Terumot 8 46b
- Isaiah5:18
- Sukkah52a
- ^ Job 31:13
- ^ Genesis Rabbah 48:3
- Berachot3 6a
- ^ Mo'ed Katan 26b
- Berachot62a
- Shabbat53a
- Nedarim 78a; Bava Batra121a
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Assi". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. It has the following bibliography:
- Grätz, Gesch.der Juden, iv. 300-307, 2d ed.;
- Frankel, Mebo, 100a (here some of the references undoubtedly point to Assi I.);
- Weiss, Dor, iii. 97;
- Bacher, Ag. Pal. Amor. ii. 143-173 (here some sayings of Assi I. are attributed to Assi II.);
- Halevy Dorot ha-Rishonim, ii. 232.