MATA ME?ASYA

MATA ME?ASYA , town situated in S. Babylonia, on the Euphrates River near *Sura where the river divides into two. In geonic responsa Sura is often identified with Mata Me?asya; thus Sherira Gaon in his famous letter at the end of the tenth century (ed. by B.M. Lewin (1921), p. 79, Spanish version) wrote that "after Rav came to Babylon in 219 he left Nehardea moving to a place where there was no Torah, viz., Sura, which is Mata Me?asya" (the French version reads: "Sura which is called Mata Me?asya"). The same identification is found in the work of Benjamin of Tudela in the 12^th century. However, it would seem that the two places are not identical. They were two separate settlements near each other; and elsewhere in his letter (p. 84) Sherira Gaon explicitly distinguishes between the two places, stating that the school of Huna, the pupil and successor of Rav in the academy of Sura, was situated "near Mata Me?asya." The Talmud also clearly distinguishes between the two places (Be?ah 29a). Mata Me?asya is not mentioned in the Talmud before the time of *Ashi, who headed the Sura academy in the years 367–427. He extended the academy and transferred it to Mata Me?asya (pp. 90–92). Of its inhabitants Ashi said: "The people of Mata Me?asya are 'stouthearted' (cf. Isa. 46:12), for they see the glory of the Torah twice a year [in the *kallah months of Adar and Elul], and never has one of them been converted" (Ber. 17b). R. Mesharsheya praised the scholars of Mata Me?asya, saying: "Rather sit on the rubbish heap of Mata Me?asya than in the palaces of Pumbedita" (Hor. 12a).

bibliography:

B. Eshel, Jewish Settlements in Babylonia during Talmudic Times (1979), 149–50.

[Moshe Beer]