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Rabbi Zeira (), known before his semikhah as Rav Zeira () and known in the Jerusalem Talmud as Rabbi Ze'era (), was a of the third generation of Amoraim who lived in the Land of Israel.
He associated also with other prominent teachers of the Babylonian school, including Rav Nachman,Talmud Yerushalmi Berachot 8c Hamnuna,Zevachim 105b; Berachot 24b and Sheshet, who called him a great man."gabra rabba"; Eruvin 66a His love for the Holy Land led him to decide upon leaving his native country and emigrating to Israel. This resolve, however, he kept secret from his teacher Judah, who disapproved of any emigration from Babylonia. Before leaving, he spied upon Judah while the latter was bathing, and the words which he then overheard he took with him as a valuable and instructive memento.Shabbat 41a; Ketubot 110b
A favorable dream, in which he was told that his sins had been forgiven, encouraged him to undertake the journey to the Holy Land.Berachot 57a and before starting he spent a hundred days in fasting, in order to forget the dialectic method of instruction of the Babylonian schools, that this might not handicap him in the Land of Israel.Bava Metzia 85a His journey took him through Akrokonia, where he met Hiyya bar Ashi,Avodah Zarah 16b and through Sura. When he reached the River Jordan he could not control his impatience, but passed through the water without removing his clothes. When jeered at by an unbeliever who stood by, he answered, "Why should not I be impatient when I pursue a blessing which was denied even to Moses and Aaron?".Yerushalmi Shevuot 35c
In the Land of Israel he associated with all the prominent scholars. Eleazar b. Pedat was still living at the time,Niddah 48 and from him Zeira received valuable instruction.Yerushalmi Terumot 47d His most intimate friends were Rabbi Assi and Hiyya bar Abba. In his interaction with Assi he was generally the one who asked questions, and on one occasion Assi made known his approval of one of Zeira's questions by saying: "Right you are, Babylonian; you have understood it correctly".Yerushalmi Shabbat 7c Zeira especially acknowledged the authority of Rabbi Ammi, the principal of the school at Tiberias, and it is related that he asked Ammi to decide questions pertaining to religious law that had been addressed to himself.Yerushalmi Demai 25b; Yerushalmi Shabbat 8a; Yerushalmi Yevamot 72d
Zeira was highly esteemed by Abbahu, the rector at Caesarea, of whom he considered himself a pupil. He was ordained rabbi, a distinction usually denied to members of the Babylonian school, and though in the beginning he refused this honor,Yerushalmi Bikkurim 65c he later accepted it on learning of the atoning powers connected with the dignity.Sanhedrin 14a Because of the difficult route taken by Zeira to attain the rabbinate, when finally ordained, his fellow jurists humorously called out before him: "Even though she painted not her eyes with antimony, neither darkened her cheeks with rouge, nor braided her hair, yet is she still a damsel of exceptional beauty!", lines traditionally cited at weddings.Ketuvot 17a Upon receiving semicha, his title changed from Rav to Rabbi.
On account of his lofty morals and piety Zeira was honored with the name "the pious Babylonian." Among his neighbors were several people known for their wickedness, but Zeira treated them with kindness in order to lead them to moral reformation. When he died, these people said, "Until now Zeira has prayed for us, but who will pray for us now?" This reflection so moved their hearts that they really were led to repent.Sanhedrin 37a That Zeira enjoyed the respect of his contemporaries is evidenced by the comment upon his death written by an elegist: "Babylonia gave him birth; Israel had the pleasure of rearing him; 'Woe is me,' says Tiberias, for she has lost her precious jewel".Moed Katan 25b
His aggadic sayings include the following:
It has the following bibliography:
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