Rava

Rava (Abba ben Yosef bar Hama) studied under Rav Nachman and Rav Yosef and became, with Abaye, the most quoted sage of the Babylonian Talmud. After Abaye's death he led the academy in his home town of Mahoza, a wealthy trading city on the Tigris beside the Persian capital Ctesiphon, until his death around 352. He married the daughter of Rav Hisda, and the Talmud says that Ifra Hormiz, mother of the Persian king Shapur II, admired him, sent him charity funds and warned her son not to harm him (Bava Batra 10b; Ta'anit 24b).

Because the law follows Rava against Abaye in all but six cases, his reasoning shaped practical halakha for every later generation. His sayings include "The goal of wisdom is repentance and good deeds" (Berakhot 17a) and the questions a person is asked at the heavenly judgment: "Did you deal honestly in business? Did you set fixed times for Torah? Did you engage in raising a family? Did you hope for redemption?" (Shabbat 31a).