A Babylonian amora of the fourth century, disciple of Rab Judah ben Ezekiel and senior contemporary of Raba ben Joseph. Although no original thinker, he served the cause of both the Halakah and the Haggadah, by storing up in his mind and transmitting decisionsand observations of his eminent predecessors, particularly those of R. Isaac. Among these is the following:
(Ber.6a).
"Whence do we learn that the Holy One—blessed be He!—is with those assembled in synagogues? It is said (Ps. lxxxii. 1), 'God standeth in the congregation of God' [A. V. "the mighty"]. And whence do we learn that, when ten persons are engaged in prayer, the Divine Presence [Shekinah] is with them? It is said, 'God standeth in the congregation of God' [edah signifying in rabbinic lore an assembly of ten persons]. And whence do we learn that the Divine Presence is with three persons sitting in judgment? It is said (Ps. l.c.), 'He judgeth among the judges' [A. V. "gods"]. And whence do we know that, when only two persons are engaged in the study of the Torah, the Divine Presence is with them? It is said (Mal. iii. 16), 'Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it.' And whence do we learn that, even when a single individual occupies himself with the study of the Torah, the Divine Presence is with him? It is said (Ex. xx. 24), 'Wherever I cause my name to be remembered, there will I come to thee and bless thee'"
