[Avodah] bavel leadership

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 01:18:43PM +0100, Arie Folger wrote:
: Note also that during Bayit Sheni, Bavel there was hardly an excuse to
: live outside Israel, and whereas initially Bavel was like America
: today, i.e. people could emigrate, but wealth and roots kept most
: people from doing so...

Some, like Hillel (who was born there) and Shammai (who left EY), had
more positive reasons for staying in Bavel.

There was learning in Bavel. Given how Hillel floored the Benei Beseira
when he made Aliyah, and his friend Shammai ended up heading the Sanhedrin
when Hillel was appointed nasi, there are grounds to suggest learning
opportunities that exceeded those of Israel.

Admittedly, Hillel and Shammai were around a century later.

Learning in Sura began with a beis medrash established by Yechezqeil.
When Rav got there, 700 years later, went to Sura he did so because there
already was some learning there. It would be less accurate to say Rava
founded Yeshivas Sura as much as upgraded it to amora caliber.

As R' Wein (admittedly not the most critical historian) would often to
note, there was a Yeshiva in Baghdad called Yeshiva Sura that claimed to
be the direct continuation of THE Sura. It was closed by the Baath Party
in 1958. At over 2600 years duration, that would make it the longest
functioning institution in human history.

Point being -- either way, learning in Bavel was alive and well during
the Chanukah period.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             When memories exceed dreams,
micha at aishdas.org        The end is near.
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