ELEAZAR OF HAGRONIA:
Babylonian scholar of the fourth amoraic generation (fifth century); junior of Aḥa b. Jacob and Raba (b. Joseph). He is mentioned twice in the Babylonian Talmud, and both times in connection with extraordinary circumstances. Once he incurs divine punishment for assuming rabbinic authority at a place over which extended the jurisdiction of Aḥa b. Jacob ('Er. 63a); and then again he is represented as having dreamed an ominous dream. It was a season of drought at Hagronia (Agranum; Neubauer, "G. T." p. 347) when Raba happened to visit the town. He ordained a day of fasting and prayer, but no rain came. Then he inquired, "Did any one have a dream last night?" Eleazar had had one, and at Raba's request he told it as follows: "There was said to me in my dream, 'Good greetings to the good teacher from the good Lord who, in His goodness, doeth good to His people.'" On hearing this Raba remarked, "This betokens that Heaven will be propitious." Thereupon prayer was again offered, and soon rain descended (Ta'an. 24b).
