the kohenim, he declared that he would give them to the man who could cite a previously unknown halakha in the name of Abba Arikha. After Rav Ḥisda's death, no one succeeded him as the rosh mesivta of Sura and the central Talmudic authority passed to Rabbah in Pumbedita. Teachings Rav Ḥisda's halakhot are frequent throughout the Babylonian Talmud, some being given on the authority of his pupils. His principal opponent was Sheshet. Besides deducing his halakhot in a casuistic way, Rav Ḥisda was peculiar in that he derived his halakhot less from the Torah than from other parts of the Bible. Rav Ḥisda was also an authority in aggadah, and employed special assistants to lecture in that department. Many ethical teachings by him have been preserved for students, such as: "Forbearance on the part of a father toward his child may be permitted, but not forbearance on the part of a master toward his disciple" and "He who opposes his master is as though he opposed the Shekhinah". It was said that the Angel of Death, not being able to approach Rav Ḥisda because he never ceased from studying, cleft the trunk of a cedar-tree. Terrified by the noise, Rav Ḥisda interrupted his studies, whereupon the angel took his soul. Rav Chisda's remains are said to have been brought to Jamnia in Upper Galilee for burial. See also Beer in Israel References It has the following bibliography: Bacher, Ag. Bab. Amor. pp. 61 et seq.; Heilprin, Seder Ha'Dorot Hebrew, ii.; Weiss, Dor, iii. 184.S. M. Sel. Businesspeople in brewing Chisda Talmud rabbis of Babylonia