Huna bar Nathan

Babylonian rabbi and exilarch

Rabbinical eras
Chazal Zugot Tannaim Amoraim Savoraim Geonim Rishonim Acharonim
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Rav Huna bar Natan (Hebrew: הונא בר נתן, read as Rav Huna bereih deRav Natan (רב הונא בריה דרב נתן) was a Babylonian rabbi and exilarch, of the fifth and sixth generations of amoraim.

Biography

Huna's father was also a known scholar, mentioned occasionally in the Talmud as "Rav Natan father of Rav Huna".^[1]

In Huna's youth he was able to learn with Rava.^[2] His main rabbis were Rav Papa^[3] and Amemar,^[4] and once Rav Papa visited him in his house.^[5] Amemar permitted him to marry a woman from Mahoza, even though the lineage of people from there was not clearly known.^[6]

Huna served as an Exilarch, or political leader, to the Jewish community in Babylonia. His term overlapping with Rav Ashi's term as Dean of the academy of Sura. He had access to the Sassanid Empire, and especially to the king Yazdegerd I, who ruled over Babylonia at the time, and was known for his kindness towards the Jewish community there. Huna was one of the close associates of Yazdegerd I (called אזגור מלכא or איזגדר מלכא in the Talmud). Huna - together with his colleagues Rav Ashi, Amemar, and Mar Zutra - would often go to visit the royal court.^[7]

However, while Huna was the official political leader of the Jews, Rav Ashi was recognized as the greater halachic authority, and even Huna was regarded as "subject to" Rav Ashi.^[8]

References

^ Pesachim 117b; Zevachim 70b; etc.
^ Nedarim 12a
^ Pesachim 17b; Niddah 43b; etc.
^ Gittin 19b; etc.
^ Brachot 42a
^ Kiddushin 72b
^ Ketuvot 61a; Zevachim 19a etc.
^ Gittin 59a

Regnal titles
Preceded by Nathan Ukban III	11th Babylonian Exilarch 400?	Succeeded by Abba

External links

HUNA B. NATHAN, Jewish Encyclopedia

Amoraim

Amoraim of Eretz Israel
First Generation (until 250 CE):	Gamaliel III R. Hiyya Rabbi Yannai Hoshaiah Rabbah Epes the Southerner Joshua ben Levi Hanina bar Hama Levi ben Sisi Bar Kappara Jeremiah (I) Simeon ben Jehozadak Simeon ben Judah ha-Nasi
Second Generation (until 280 CE):	Judah II (Nesi'ah I) Johanan bar Nappaha Shimon ben Lakish Eleazar ben Pedat Isaac Nappaha Jose bar Hanina Rav Kahana II Jacob bar Idi Hezekiah Judah b. Hiyya Abba of Jaffa Hama bar Hanina Shimon bar Abba Simlai Hillel, son of Gamaliel III Zeiri
Third Generation (until 310 CE):	Gamaliel IV Rabbi Ammi Rabbi Assi Abbahu Ulla Rabbi Yitzchak Hama bar Ukva Zeira Helbo Samuel ben Nahman Abin I Hiyya bar Abba Rabbah bar bar Hana Levi II Rabbi Ilai II Abba bar Kahana Rav Avira Hanina bar Papi Hanina ben Pappa Jose of Yokereth Jeremiah (II) Hoshaiah II Hanina Abba bar Memel Tachlifa of the West Avdimi of Haifa Luliani ben Tabrin Abba of Acre Shimon ben Pazi Me'asha Shila of Kefar Tamarta Anani ben Sason Alexandri Kahana bar Tahlifa Ḥiyya bar Ami
Fourth Generation (until 340 CE):	Judah III (Nesi'ah II) Jeremiah (III) Rabbi Aha Rabbi Berekhiah Jose bar Zevida Rabbi Jonah Rabbi Hilkiah Zerika Isaac ben Eliashiv Rabbi Aibu Hasa of Eshtemoa Abba bar Hiyya bar Abba Rabin Abba bar Zemina Pedat ben Eleazar Abba bar Pappai Acha bar Hanina
Fifth Generation (until 380 CE):	Hillel II Gamaliel V Jose ben Abin Rabbi Mana II
Sixth Generation (until 410 CE):	Judah IV (Nesi'ah III) Tanhuma bar Abba Hanina of Sepphoris Samuel b. Jose b. Boon

Amoraim of Babylon
First Generation (until 250 CE):	Abba Arikha (Rav) Samuel of Nehardea Mar Ukva Karna Rav Shela Rav Assi Abba bar Abba
Second Generation (until 280 CE):	Rav Huna Judah bar Ezekiel Hamnuna II Hamnuna Saba Rabbah bar Abuha Jeremiah bar Abba Rav Kahana II Rav Berona Hiyya bar Joseph Rav Giddel Hiyya bar Ashi Raba Bar Jeremiah (Abba) Adda bar Ahavah Anan
Third Generation (until 310 CE):	Rabbah bar Nahmani (Rabbah) Rav Nachman Sheshet Rav Chisda Hamnuna III Rav Yosef bar Hiyya Rabbah bar Rav Huna Joseph bar Hama Ammi b. Abba Rav Shmuel bar Yehudah Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak
Fourth Generation (until 340 CE):	Abaye Rava Rami bar Hama Aha bar Jacob Rav Safra Rav Kahana III Idi b. Abin Naggara Hiyya b. Abin Naggara Mar son of Ravina Rav Shizbi Isaac b. Judah Rabbah b. Shela Mari bar Rachel Acha Bar Yosef
Fifth Generation (until 380 CE):	Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak Rav Papa Rav Papi Huna ben Joshua Rav Zevid Amemar Mar Zutra Rav Mesharshiya Hanina of Sura Bevai bar Abaye
Sixth Generation (until 430 CE):	Rav Ashi Ravina I Maremar Rami b. Abba Huna bar Nathan Rav Kahana IV Sama bar Raqta
Seventh Generation (until 465 CE):	Rav Yemar Mar bar Rav Ashi Rafram II Aha b. Rava Judah b. Meremar
Eighth Generation (until 500 CE):	Rabbah Tosafa'ah Ravina II Rabbah Jose Rav Rahumi III Samuel b. Abbahu

v t e Exilarchs
Biblical exilarchs	Jeconiah Shealtiel Pedaiah Zerubbabel Meshullam Hananiah Berechiah Hasadiah Jesaiah Obadiah Shemaiah Shecaniah Hezekiah Akkub
Exilarchs in the Sasanian Empire	Ahijah Nahum Johanan Shaphat Huna I Kamma Nathan Ukban I Huna II Nathan Ukban II Nehemiah Mar 'Ukban III Huna III Abba Nathan Mar Kahana I Huna IV Pahda Mar Zutra I Merimar Kahana II Huna V Mar-Zutra II Huna VI Mar Ahunai Kafnai Haninai I Mar Zutra III
Exilarchs under Arab rule	Bostanai Hasdai I Baradoi Haninai II Hasdai II Solomon I Isaac Iskawi I Judah Zakkai I Natronai I Moses Isaac Iskawi II David I Natronai II Judah II Hasdai III Zakkai I Mar Ukban IV David II Josiah Judah III Solomon II Hezekiah I Azariah David III Hezekiah II David IV Hezekiah III David V Hasdai IV Daniel I Zakkai II, Samuel I of Mosul, David VI Daniel II Samuel II Jesse Sar Shalom
Karaite exilarchs	Anan ben David Saul ben Anan Josiah ben Saul Jehoshaphat ben Josiah Boaz ben Jehoshaphat David ben Boaz Solomon ben David Hezekiah ben Solomon Hasdai ben Hezekiah Solomon ben Hasdai