R. Ḥisda’s Daughter
b. Bava Batra 12b
[And in] what [way was prophecy given] to children? [It was] like this [incident involving the] daughter of Rav Ḥisda, [who when she was a child] was sitting on her father’s lap. [ . . . ] Rava and Rami bar Ḥama were sitting before him. [Rav Ḥisda jokingly] said to [his daughter], “Which of them would you want [as a husband]?” She said, [“I want] both of them.” Rava said, “And I [will be] last.”
b. Shabbat 129a
R. Judah said [that] Samuel said: [For] a woman in childbirth, [there is a halakhah of] thirty days. [The Gemara asks:] With regard to what halakhah [was this stated? The sages of] Neharde’a say: [It was stated] with regard to [the halakhah of] immersion. [A woman does not purify herself through ritual immersion within thirty days of giving birth because she is in a weakened state and susceptible to catching cold.]
Rava said: We say [that the ruling that she does not immerse during that period applies] only when her husband is not with her. However, [if] her husband is with her, her husband warms her [by engaging in relations with her, and she is not susceptible to catching cold], as [is illustrated] in this [incident involving] the daughter of Rav Ḥisda, [Rava’s wife. She] immersed within thirty days [of giving birth,] not in the presence of her husband, and caught cold, and [afterward] they brought her [funeral] bier after Rava to Pumbedita.
b. Berakhot 62a
Before Rava became the head of the yeshiva, [his wife,] the daughter of Rav Ḥisda, would rattle a nut in a copper vessel for him. [This was in order to fend off demons when he was in the bathroom.] After [he was chosen to] preside [as head of the yeshiva, he required an additional degree of protection, so] she constructed a window for him, [opposite where he would defecate,] and placed her hand upon his head.
b. Ḥagigah 5a
When R. Yoḥanan reached this verse, he cried, “For God shall bring every work into the judgment concerning every hidden thing” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). [ . . . ]
[The Gemara asks:] What is the meaning of the end of that verse: Whether it be good, or whether it be evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14)? [ . . . ]
Rava said: This [is referring to] one who sends his wife meat that is not sliced, [i.e., that has not yet had the prohibited sciatic nerve removed,] on Shabbat eve. [Since she is in a hurry she might not notice and will perhaps cook the prohibited meat.
The Gemara asks:] But [yet] Rava [himself would] send [this type of meat to his wife on Shabbat eve. The Gemara answers:] The daughter of Rav Ḥisda, [Rava’s wife,] is different, as he was certain about her that she was an expert [in this matter].
b. Yevamot 34b
When Ravin came [from Erets Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that] R. Yoḥanan said: Any [woman who] waits after her husband [has died or divorced her for] ten years [without intercourse] and is then married can no longer bear children. R. Naḥman said: They taught [this principle] only [with regard to cases] where she did not intend to get married [at a later time], but [if] she intended to get married [at some point], she can become pregnant [later on]. Rava said to [his wife, the] daughter of Rav Ḥisda, “The sages are gossiping about you.” [From the time she was widowed from her first husband until the time that she was married to Rava, more than ten years passed, yet she bore him children. It seemed as though she had engaged in intercourse in the meantime.] She said to him, “My mind was on you.”
b. Ketubbot 65a, 85a
65a
Abaye’s wife, Ḥoma, came before Rava [after Abaye died, as Rava was the local judge]. She said to him, “Apportion sustenance for me, [as I am entitled to be sustained by Abaye’s heirs.” Rava] apportioned [sustenance] for her. [She subsequently said to him,] “Apportion wine for me [as well.” Rava] said to her, “I know that Naḥmani, [i.e., Abaye,] did not drink wine. [Since you were not accustomed to drinking wine during your husband’s lifetime, you are not entitled to it after his death.] She said to him, “By the Master’s life, [this is not correct. In fact,] he would give me wine to drink in cups as large as this.” [She gestured with her hands to show how large the cups were.] While she was showing him [the size of the cups], her arm became uncovered, [and she was so beautiful that it was as though] a light had shined in the courtroom.
Rava arose, went home, [and] requested [intercourse] from [his wife, the] daughter of Rav Ḥisda. [The] daughter of Rav Ḥisda said to him, “Who was [just] now in the courtroom?” He said to her, “Ḥoma, Abaye’s wife, [was there.” Upon hearing this, Rava’s wife] went after [Ḥoma and] struck her with the lock of a chest until she drove her out of the entire [city of] Meḥoza, saying to her, “You have [already] killed three [men, as Abaye was your third husband], and [now] you come to kill another [one, my husband Rava]?” [ . . . ]
85a
[There was] a certain woman who was obligated [to take] an oath [in order to avoid payment] in Rava’s court. The daughter of Rav Ḥisda said to [Rava, her husband], “I know that she is suspect with regard to [taking a false] oath.” Rava reversed [the obligation of] the oath [so that it fell] onto the other [party, who now had the option of taking an oath that the woman owes him money and collecting his debt. This is how to act when the court does not trust the one who is obligated to take an oath].
On [another] occasion, R. Papa and R. Ada bar Matena were sitting before [Rava]. A certain document was brought before [Rava to be examined in court]. R. Papa said to [Rava], “I know about this document, that it [records a debt that has already been] paid.” [Rava] said to him, “Is there another person [who can testify] with [the] Master [about the document]?” He said to him, “No, [I am the only one who knows. Rava] said to him, “Although there is [the] Master [here who attests that the document has been paid], one witness is nothing.”
R. Ada bar Matena said to [Rava], “And should R. Papa not be [trusted] like Rav Ḥisda’s daughter, [who as a woman is disqualified from testimony?” Rava replied, “I relied on] Rav Ḥisda’s daughter [because] I know with certainty about her [that she is always truthful. However, I cannot rely on the] Master [because] I do not know with [the same degree of] certainty about him [that he is always truthful, and I cannot rule on the basis of one witness unless I have complete certainty].”
R. Papa said, “Now that the Master, [Rava,] has said [that the claim], ‘I know with certainty about him,’ is [a significant] matter, [i.e., a claim that can be used in court, if a judge knows that someone is telling the truth; although under normal circumstances his testimony would be inadmissible, in this case it does have a certain legal validity]. For example, [if] Abba Mar, my son, about whom I know with certainty [that he—Ed.] [always tells the truth, claims that a document that records a debt has already been paid, then] I [can] tear the document on [the basis of] his word.”
b. Ḥullin 44b
[This is] like that [incident] where Rava permitted [a possible] tereifah1 [for consumption] and bought meat from it. [His wife,] the daughter of Rav Ḥisda, said to him, “Father permitted a firstborn [animal, declaring that it possessed a blemish that renders it permitted for consumption], but did not buy meat from it. [Why are you acting differently?]”
[Rava] said to her, “That matter [applies to] a firstborn, which is sold [based] on appraisal [of its value]. Here, the weight [of the meat] proves [that I am paying the standard price and not unfairly deriving benefit from my judgment]. What [suspicion] is there [in this case? Will people suspect me] because [I received] a superior piece of meat? Every day they sell me a superior piece of meat.”
Notes
[Tereifah, “torn,” refers to meat that has not been slaughtered correctly; such meat is not kosher for consumption.—Ed.]
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
