רבי אסי הכהן

Rabbi Asi the Kohen.

a) In the Jerusalem Talmud, they called Rabbi Yosi, the colleague of Rabbi Ami the Kohen, and they are esteemed Kohanim of the Land of Israel, and they are judges of the Land of Israel [(see there)] and as they ordained, etc. They were students of Rabbi Yochanan. [And they were the bearers of honor for Shabbat (see above regarding Rabbi Ami), and if Rabbi Ami was greater than him (see above regarding Rabbi Ami at length)] and in the chapter "Ein Ma'amidin" [(36b)], it appears that Rabbi Asi is greater than Rabbi Ami, for Rabbi Zeira asked from Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Ami from Rabbi Asi, and Rabbi Asi from Rabbi Yochanan, and Rabbi Yochanan from Rabbi Yonai, and Rabbi Yonai from Rabbi Yonatan ben Amram. [Perhaps this was the version before the genealogies, but the version before us states that Rabbi Zeira experienced great distress with Rabbi Asi, and Rabbi Asi with Rabbi Yochanan, and Rabbi Yochanan with Rabbi Yonai, and Rabbi Yonai with Rabbi Yonatan (it should be Yonatan) ben Amram, etc. (see Rabbi Zeira).

According to this version, Rabbi Zeira asked from Rabbi Asi and Rabbi Asi from Rabbi Yochanan. And according to the genealogical version, Rabbi Zeira asked from Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Ami from Rabbi Asi; thus, the version before us is missing the words "from Rabbi Ami" and "Rabbi Ami." It seems that in the version before us, Rabbi Asi was the teacher of Rabbi Zeira, as Rabbi Zeira said to Rabbi Asi, "My teacher" in Bava Batra, chapter "HaSefinah" (see there), and Rabbi Zeira asked from Rabbi Asi many times (see there) and mentioned in his name many times.

And in Chulin (128b), Rabbi Asi did not come to the Beit Midrash, and he found Rabbi Zeira there. He said to him, "What is said in the Beit Midrash?" He said to him, "What is difficult for you?" He said, "Even for me, it is difficult," and I asked Rabbi Abba bar Mamal, and he told me, etc. Rabbi Asi said, "Many times," and Rabbi Abba bar Mamal said to him, etc. And in Shabbat (47a), Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rabbi Asi in the name of Rabbi Yochanan.

Rabbi Zeira said to Rabbi Asi, "Did Rabbi Yochanan really say this?" and you said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan in Eruvin (12a). Rabbi Asi said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan in Yoma (24b), although it is written "Rab Asi," it should be "Rabbi Asi," and so it is (27b, 28a). And we do not find that Rabbi Zeira asked from Rabbi Ami, nor that Rabbi Ami asked from Rabbi Asi; therefore, there is no proof that Rabbi Asi is greater than Rabbi Ami.

And in the commentary, the Tosafot wrote that Rabbi Ami is greater than Rabbi Asi (see there)]. Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi were companions of Rav Huna [(Gittin 59b)]. It is written in the land of Tiberias, between the columns, the place where Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi learned, and on the slope of the mountain, there is a cave where they are buried. It seems to me that it should say Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi, who were in Tiberias, students of Rabbi Yochanan, and also Rabbi Yochanan is buried there, but Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi were students of Rav in Babylonia.

And since the confusion is common between Rabbi Asi and Rav Asi, therefore, I will arrange after Rav Asi their students and colleagues and their teachers, and you will choose.

b) [He fasted many fasts to see Rabbi Chiya Rabba, and one student of Rabbi Yochanan saw the sky fall, and Rabbi Asi supported him with his hand (see there)]. In the chapter "Gittin" [(K.G. 82b)], Rabbi Elazar called Rabbi Asi a wonder of the generation, meaning the great one of the generation like the men of wonder. When Rabbi Yisa died, Rabbi Chiya bar Abba took off his shoes and accepted mourning, and he ate meat and drank Jerusalem wine [Berakhot, chapter "Mi Shemetu"].

When he died, all the cedar trees uprooted themselves (K. 25b). When the soul of Rabbi Asi departed, the Rabbis entered to take note of his teaching.

Rabbi Yaakov said to him, "Thus said Rabbi Asi, Rabbi Meni said, etc." Rabbi Asi said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan in the first chapter of Kidushin (Y. 13a).