UKBA (Ukva), MAR

UKBA (Ukva), MAR, Babylonian amora of the early third century C.E. Ukba's name is usually prefixed by the title mar, which was customarily adopted by members of the exilarch's family. According to the letter of Sherira Gaon (ed. Lewin, 77), Ukba succeeded Huna as exilarch; Bacher (JE, 5 (1903), 289) dates his accession to a period shortly before the rise of the Sassanids. His principal teacher was samuel (Er. 81a; Shab. 108b), who praised his qualities as a judge. A dispute between Samuel and Karna was referred to Ukba's court at Kafri (Kid. 44b). To his court were applied the words of Jeremiah (21:12): "O house of David (the exilarch was traditionally descended from David) execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor" (Shab. 55a). Moreover, although Samuel's knowledge exceeded that of Ukba, the latter passed judgment in his teacher's presence (MK 16b). He nevertheless continued to show his respect for Samuel by accompanying him home every day. When he once   neglected to do so, he acknowledged his fault (ibid.). Ukba and his court had close ties with Palestinian scholars, who consulted him and by whom he was highly respected (Sanh. 31b). He corresponded with the nesi'im on matters relating to the calendar, such as the incidence of leap years (TJ, Meg. 1:7, 71a), and the timing of festivals (RH 19b). Among his Babylonian colleagues was Matna (MK 26b). His closest pupil was Ḥisda , who also lived in Kafri, and who transmitted many of his sayings (Ber. 10b, etc.) Ukba was renowned for his charity, of which the Talmud gives three particular examples (Ket. 67b). On one occasion, he and his wife, in order to avoid being seen and thanked by a poor man to whom they were accustomed to give four zuz every day, took refuge in a furnace from which the fire had barely been swept. On another, his son reported that a man to whom Ukba had sent him to give 400 zuz on the eve of the Day of Atonement was not, in fact, a pauper. Ukba nevertheless immediately doubled the amount. Finally, even when he discovered, on his deathbed, that he had already donated 7,000 golden denarii to charity, he gave half of his remaining wealth to charity (Ket. 67b). Ukba had two sons: Meri (Ḥul. 43b) and Nathan (Ber. 13b). -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Hyman, Toledot, 975–8; Margalioth, Ḥakhmei, 649–51.