Rav Shizbi

Rabbinical Eras
Chazal Zugot Tannaim Amoraim Savoraim Geonim Rishonim Acharonim

R. Shezbi (or R. Shezbi; Hebrew: רב שיזבי) was a second generation Amora sage of Babylon, and a pupil of Rav Chisda. He was known to be a "Great Man" ("Gadol Ba-Torah)", an erudite Torah scholar sage, and when he used to state biblical exegesis that were hard to understand, Rava would warn not underestimate his words and to carefully review them, for they were uttered by a "Great Man".

In the Babylonian Talmud it is storied that Rav Chisda was accustomed to pass the house of Rav Shizbi's father (according to another version: his father-in-law), and seeing the observamce of Shabbat candles, he stated: "a great men will issue hence" (since it is stated that "He who habitually practises [the lighting of] the lamp will possess scholarly sons"), and indeed he had Rav Shizbi.

Later Rav Shizbi became a pupil of Rav Chisda, but also debated the Halakha before Rabbah bar Nahmani.

Aaron Hyman suggests he moved to the Land of Israel for a short period of time, where he studied Torah under Yochanan bar Nafcha.

One should distinguish between this Rav Shizbi, and Rav Shizbi II, who was a pupil of Rava, who said of the first Rav Shizbi that he was a "Great Man".