1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Raba Ben Joseph Ben Ḥama |←Raabe,
Wilhelm||1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 22 Raba Ben Joseph
Ben Ḥama |See also Rava (amora) on Wikipedia, and our 1911
Encyclopædia Britannica disclaimer.| RABA BEN JOSEPH BEN ḤAMA
(c. 280-352), Babylonian rabbi or amora. He is closely
associated in his studies with Abbaye. The latter was head of
the Academy at Pumbeditha. Raba founded a new school at Maḥuza,
which eventually became so long as Raba lived the only academy
in Babylonia (Persia). The development of Talmudic Law (or
Halakhah) was much indebted to this rabbi, whose influence in
all branches of Jewish learning was supreme. His friendship with
the King Shapur II. enabled Raba to secure a relaxation of the
oppressive laws enacted against the Jews of Persia. See Graetz
History of the Jews; (Eng. trans., vol ii. ch. xxi.); Bacher,
Agada der Babyl. Amoräer, p. 108, &c. and 114-133. (I. A.)