| Nehardea נהרדעא |
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Nehardea
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Iraq |
| Governorate | Al Anbar |
Nehardea Academy (Hebrew: ישיבת נהרדעא; Previously also named: Beth Hamidrash[1][2]/The College [1][3]/The House of Study [1][4][ Aramic: בי מדרשא [1]], or The Boundary[1] [5] [ Aramic: תחומא[1]]) was one of the biggest Jewish Yeshiva Academy in Babylon, active intermittently at various times since the beginning of the period of the Amoraim and until the end of the Geonim period. It was established by the Amora Samuel of Nehardea, one of the greatest sages of Babylon. Among the famous sages who headed the Academy one can note: Samuel of Nehardea, Rav Nachman, and more.
Samuel went to Nehardea and founded in the Yeshiva Academy of Nehardea, which in time thousands of students settled in it. This academy along with the Sura Academy, which was founded by Abba Arika ("Rav"), opened a new era in Jewish history, an era which Babylon was the center of Judaism. After Abba Arika's death, many students from the Sura academy moved to Nehardea's academy, which was headed by Samuel [1].
Despite the fact that Rav Kahana III's Pum-Nahara Academy was subordinated to Sura Academy, from the time Abba Arika died and onwards, many times, the heads of the Nehardea Academy came to visit Rav Kahana in Pum-Nahara, with the intention of strengthening the ties between the two academies. This reinforcement of ties, between Nehardea and Pum-Nahara, is attested by the fact that Kahana III gave his funeral oration to Rav Zevid of Nehardea at Pum-Nahara [6], a funeral oration, most probably in conjunction with the fact that Rav Kahana III was a disciple of Rav Zevid of Nehardea [7]. We find, for example, R. Nahman of Nehardea comming to visit Rav Kahana III in Pum-Nahara on the eve of Yom Kippur [8]. It is possible he came in order to partcipate with them in the prayers of the holy day.
The academy used to have a special custom, led by its leaders, respecting the sages of The Land of Israel: When a guest comes from the Land Israel, he is to teach in the presence of the dean and all students. After the class ended, a long and lively debate was conducted, in which the students would "attack" the guest concerning the academic questions [1].
Among the scholars who attended the Nehardea Academy, there were known Amoraim sages cited in the Talmud, such as R. Shimi of Nehardea [9], R. Dimi of Nehardea, Rav Zevid of Nehardea, and Amemar. In many Talmud citations [10], there is a mention of Nehardea's academy methods, however Amemar states that despite the fact that he is a Nehardean, he thinks otherwise. It is unclear whether he meant that Nehardea's academy thinks otherwise and not as what is known to be the methods, or was he an independent in his thinking.
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After the death of Samuel, the academy splited. The academy itself, headed by Rav Huna, a disciple of Samuel, moved to Sura, while another student of Abba Arika and Shmuel, Judah ben Ezekiel, founded the Pumbedita Academy. However, Judah ben Ezekiel and his followers regarded Rav Huna as Gedol haDor [11], until upon the his death [12].
In some cases, where there is disagreement among scholars, we find the Nehardea academy practicing Raba bar Rav Huna view[13], and it may have to do with the fact that his son was the head of the academy and one of its leaders.