Hanina bar-Hama

Hanina bar-Hama was a Palestinian scholar. Born in Babylon, Hanina settled in the Land of Israel and studied under Judah Ha-Nasi. He earned his living by the sale of honey, and grew wealthy enough to build an academy of learning for the town of Sepphoris. He also practised as a doctor but refused to be paid for his services.

He must have been as goodlooking as his contemporary Joshua Ben-Levy because when the two rabbis went to visit the Roman proconsul at Caesarea, the latter, to the consternation of his soldiers, rose to his feet, saying later that the two Jews had looked like angels.

Hanina laid great stress on living in the Land of Israel and would not permit emigration or even visits abroad. He also firmly believed that a person’s nature was predetermined except for his piety. He harshly rebuked his fellow-citizens of Sepphoris for their impiety and hardness of heart.

He lived to a venerable old age. Numerous aggadic sayings of his are recorded.