(Rav) Papa Was a Rolling Stone: Who Were the Sons of Papa and How Did They Get Into the Hadran?

(א) הֲדְרָן עֲלָךְ מַסֶּכֶת (יאמר שם המסכת) וְהֲדְרָךְ עֲלָן. דַּעְתָּן עֲלָךְ מַסֶּכֶת (יאמר שם המסכת) וְדַעְתָּךְ עֲלָן. לָא נִתְנְשֵׁי מִינָךְ מַסֶּכֶת (יאמר שם המסכת) וְלֹא תִתְנְשֵׁי מִינָן, לָא בְּעָלְמָא הָדֵין וְלֹא בְּעָלְמָא דְאַָתֵי:

(ב) יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ וֶאֱלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁתְּהֵא תּוֹרָתְךָ אֻמָּנוּתֵנוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּתְהֵא עִמָּנוּ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא, רָמִי בַּר פָּפָּא, נַחְמָן בַּר פָּפָּא, אַחַאי בַּר פָּפָּא, אַבָּא [מָרִי] בַּר פָּפָּא, רַפְרָם בַּר פָּפָּא, רָכִישׁ בַּר פָּפָּא, סוּרְחָב בַּר פָּפָּא, אַדָּא בַּר פָּפָּא, דָּרוּ בַּר פָּפָּא:

Hadran 1-2

(1) We will return to you, Tractate ____ [fill in the name of the tractate], and you will return to us; our mind is on you, Tractate ____, and your mind is on us; we will not forget you, Tractate ____, and you will not forget us – not in this world and not in the next world.

(2) May it be Your will, our G-d, and the G-d of our fathers, that we should be loyal to Your Torah in this world, and it should be with us in the next world. Chaninah bar Pappa, Rami bar Pappa, Nachman bar Pappa, Achai bar Pappa, Aba bar Pappa, Rafram bar Pappa, Rachish bar Pappa, Sorchav bar Pappa, Ada bar Pappa, Daro bar Pappa.

Were the ten "Bar Papas" mentioned actually the sons of Rav Papa?

תענית כ׳ ב:י״א

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַפְרָם בַּר פָּפָּא: לֵימָא לַן מָר מֵהָנֵי מִילֵּי מְעַלְּיָיתָא דַּהֲוָה עָבֵיד רַב הוּנָא! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּיַנְקוּתֵיהּ לָא דְּכִירְנָא, בְּסֵיבוּתֵיהּ דְּכִירְנָא.

Taanit 20b:11

§ Rava said to Rafram bar Pappa: Let the Master tell us some of those fine deeds that Rav Huna performed. He said to him: I do not remember what he did in his youth, but the deeds of his old age I remember.

The Ten "Sons" of Rav Papa as They Appear in the Gemara:

ברכות נ׳ א:ט״ז

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר. רַפְרָם בַּר פָּפָּא אִקְּלַע לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא דַּאֲבִי גִיבָּר, קָם קְרָא בְּסִפְרָא וַאֲמַר ״בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה׳״, וְאִשְׁתִּיק, וְלָא אֲמַר ״הַמְבוֹרָךְ״. אֲוַושׁוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא: ״בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה׳ הַמְבוֹרָךְ״. אֲמַר רָבָא: פַּתְיָא אוּכָּמָא, בַּהֲדֵי פְּלוּגְתָּא לְמָה לְךָ? וְעוֹד, הָא נְהוּג עָלְמָא כְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל.

Berakhot 50a:16

The mishna states that Rabbi Akiva holds that in the synagogue, one recites: Bless the Lord, while Rabbi Yishmael said that he recites: Bless the Lord the blessed One. Rafram bar Pappa happened to come to the synagogue of Abei Givar when he rose to read from the Torah scroll and recited: Bless the Lord, and was silent, and did not recite: The blessed One. Because Rafram bar Pappa followed the principle that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, and those present were not accustomed to that ruling, everyone in the synagogue cried out: Bless the Lord the blessed One. Rava said to Rafram bar Pappa: You black pot, a fond nickname for a Torah scholar who invests great effort in Torah study and worship of God, why are you involving yourself in this tannaitic dispute? Although Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael disagree, Rabbi Yishmael’s formula, in which Rabbi Akiva’s formula is included, is acceptable to both. Furthermore, standard practice is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yishmael.

כתובות ע״ז ב:י׳

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא שׁוֹשְׁבִינֵיהּ הֲוָה. כִּי הֲוָה קָא נָיְחָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת: זִיל עָבֵיד לֵיהּ רְעוּתֵיהּ. אֲזַל לְגַבֵּיהּ וְאִיתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שִׁבְקַי תְּלָתִין יוֹם עַד דְּנַהְדַּר תַּלְמוּדַאי. דְּאָמְרִי: אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁבָּא לְכָאן וְתַלְמוּדוֹ בְּיָדוֹ. שַׁבְקֵיהּ, לְבָתַר תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין אֲזַל אִיתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַחְוִי לִי דּוּכְתַּאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְחַיֵּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי סַכִּינָךְ דִּלְמָא מְבַעֲתַתְּ לִי בְּאוֹרְחָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּחַבְרָךְ בָּעֵית לְמִיעְבַּד לִי?

Ketubot 77b:10

The Gemara relates a similar incident: Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa was a friend of the Angel of Death and would see him frequently. When Rabbi Ḥanina was on the verge of dying, they said to the Angel of Death: Go and perform his bidding. He went before him and appeared to him. He said to the angel: Leave me for thirty days until I have reviewed my studies, for they say: Happy is he who comes here, to paradise, with his learning in his hand. He left him, and after thirty days he again went and appeared to him. He said to the Angel of Death: Show me my place in paradise. He said to him: Very well. Rabbi Ḥanina said to him: Give me your knife, lest you frighten me on the way. The Angel of Death said to him: Do you wish to do to me as your friend Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi did, and escape?

יומא ע״ז ב:י״א

רַב יְהוּדָה וְרַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יְהוּדָה הֲווֹ קָיְימִי אַגּוּדָּא דִּנְהַר (פָּפָּא) אַמַּבָּרָא דְחַצְדַּד, וַהֲוָה קָאֵי רָמֵי בַּר פָּפָּא מֵהָךְ גִּיסָא. רְמָא לְהוּ קָלָא: מַהוּ לְמִיעְבַּר לְמֵיתֵי לְגַבַּיְיכוּ לְמִשְׁאַל שְׁמַעְתָּא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב יְהוּדָה: רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל דְּאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ — עוֹבֵר, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יוֹצִיא יָדוֹ מִתַּחַת חֵפֶת חֲלוּקוֹ. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יְהוּדָה, תְּנֵינָא: עוֹבֵר, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יוֹצִיא יָדוֹ מִתַּחַת חֵפֶת חֲלוּקוֹ.

Yoma 77b:11

It is told: Rav Yehuda and Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yehuda were standing on the bank of the Pappa River next to the Ḥatzdad crossing, and Rami bar Pappa was standing on the other side of the river. He raised his voice to them and asked: What is the ruling with regard to crossing over to come to you to ask a halakha? Rav Yehuda said to him: It is Rav and Shmuel who both say: One may cross in the water, provided that he does not remove his hand from under the hem of his cloak. One may not raise the hems of his cloak to his shoulders to keep them dry, since this form of carrying renders one liable to bring a sin-offering. Rather, one should walk normally and get his clothes wet in the water. Some say this is not how the incident happened. Rather, Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yehuda said to him: We learned in a baraita: One may cross over, provided that he does not remove his hand from the hem of his cloak.

בבא מציעא פ״א א:ד׳

אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר פָּפָּא: אַף אֲנַן נָמֵי תְּנֵינָא, וְכוּלָּן שֶׁאָמְרוּ ״טוֹל אֶת שֶׁלְּךָ וְהָבֵא מָעוֹת״ – שׁוֹמֵר חִנָּם, מַאי לָאו הוּא הַדִּין ״גְּמַרְתִּיו״. לֹא, ״טוֹל אֶת שֶׁלְּךָ״ שָׁאנֵי.

Bava Metzia 81a:4

There are those who say that there is a different version of this discussion. Rather than challenging that Rav Ḥisda’s opinion is opposed by the ruling of the mishna, Rav Naḥman bar Pappa said: We, too, learn a proof for Rav Ḥisda’s statement from the mishna: And all those who say: Take what is yours and bring money, each of them is considered an unpaid bailee. What, is it not correct to say that the same is true when he says: I have completed the work with it? The Gemara rejects this claim. No, the case of one who says take what is yours is different, as stated above, as one might think that this statement frees the laborer of all responsibility.

שבת קי״א א:ד׳

גְּמָ׳ רָמֵי לֵיהּ רַב אַחָא אֲרִיכָא דְּהוּא רַב אַחָא בַּר פָּפָּא לְרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: תְּנַן, הַחוֹשֵׁשׁ בְּשִׁינָּיו — לֹא יְגַמֵּעַ בָּהֶן אֶת הַחוֹמֶץ. לְמֵימְרָא דְּחוֹמֶץ מְעַלֵּי לְשִׁינַּיִם?! וְהָכְתִיב: ״כַּחֹמֶץ לַשִּׁינַּיִם וְכֶעָשָׁן לָעֵינָיִם״!

Shabbat 111a:4

GEMARA: Rav Aḥa Arikha, so named for his height as the word arikha literally means long in Aramaic, who is also known as Rav Aha bar Pappa, raised a contradiction before Rabbi Abbahu: We learned in the mishna that one who is concerned about pain in his teeth may not sip vinegar through them on Shabbat. Is that to say that vinegar is beneficial for teeth? Isn’t it written: “Like vinegar to the teeth, and like smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who send him” (Proverbs 10:26)?

ברכות מ״ה ב:י״ז

וְלָא? וְהָא רַב פָּפָּא אַפְסֵיק לֵיהּ לְאַבָּא מָר בְּרֵיהּ אִיהוּ וְחַד! שָׁאנֵי רַב פָּפָּא, דְּלִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין הוּא דַּעֲבַד.

Berakhot 45b:17

The Gemara challenges: And do two really not interrupt their meal to join the other one in a zimmun? Didn’t Rav Pappa interrupt his meal to enable Abba Mar, his son, to recite the zimmun blessing; and, in that case, it was Rav Pappa and one other person? The Gemara responds: The case of Rav Pappa is different, as he acted beyond the letter of the law.

חולין נ״ה א:י׳

ניטלו הכליות: אמר רכיש בר פפא משמיה דרב לקתה בכוליא אחת טרפה אמרי במערבא והוא דמטאי לקותא

Chullin 55a:10

§ The mishna states: If the kidneys were removed the animal remains kosher. Rakhish bar Pappa said in the name of Rav: If an animal was diseased in even one kidney, the animal is a tereifa. In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say: And this applies only in a case where the disease reached

כתובות י״ז ב:ב׳

וְאִם יֵשׁ עֵדִים שֶׁיָּצְתָה בְּהִינוּמָא וְכוּ׳. מַאי הִינּוּמָא? סוּרְחַב בַּר פָּפָּא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דִּזְעֵירִי אָמַר: תַּנּוּרָא דְאַסָּא. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: קָרִיתָא דִּמְנַמְנְמָא בָּהּ כַּלְּתָא.

Ketubot 17b:2

The mishna continues: And if there are witnesses that she went out of her father’s house to her wedding with a hinnuma her marriage contract is two hundred dinars. The Gemara asks: What is a hinnuma? Surḥav bar Pappa said in the name of Ze’eiri: It is a canopy of myrtle over the bride’s head. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is a veil [kerita] covering the bride’s face under which the bride dozes [menamna].

בבא קמא פ׳ ב:ט׳

(חב״ד בי״ח בח״ן – סִימָן.) אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בַּר פָּפָּא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר פָּפָּא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אַדָּא בַּר פָּפָּא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר פָּפָּא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר פָּפָּא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אַחָא בַּר פָּפָּא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר פָּפָּא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אַחָא בַּר פָּפָּא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא:

Bava Kamma 80b:9

§ The Gemara provides a mnemonic device for the distinguishing letters in the various names of the sons of Rav Pappa in the ensuing list: Ḥet beit dalet, beit yod ḥet, beit ḥet nun. Rabbi Aḥa bar Pappa says the following three statements in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Pappa, who said them in the name of Rabbi Adda bar Pappa. And some say Rabbi Abba bar Pappa says them in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Pappa, who said them in the name of Rabbi Aḥa bar Pappa. And some say Rabbi Abba bar Pappa says them in the name of Rabbi Aḥa bar Pappa, who said them in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa.

עבודה זרה כ״ז א:ח׳

איתמר מנין למילה בעובד כוכבים שהיא פסולה דרו בר פפא משמיה דרב אמר ואתה את בריתי תשמור ורבי יוחנן המול ימול

Avodah Zarah 27a:8

§ The Gemara continues discussing the issue of circumcisions performed by gentiles. It was stated: From where is it derived with regard to circumcision performed by a gentile that it is not valid? Daru bar Pappa says in the name of Rav: This is derived from a verse, as it is stated: And God said to Abraham: “And as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you, and your seed after you throughout their generations.” And Rabbi Yoḥanan says that it is derived from the verse: “He must be circumcised [himmol yimmol].” According to Rabbi Yoḥanan, this verse teaches that a Jew must be circumcised by one who is already circumcised.

מכילתא דרבי ישמעאל, מַסֶּכְתָּא דְפִסְחָא ט׳:י״ג

"וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַמַּצּוֹת". רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה אוֹמֵר: אַל תִּקְרָא כֵן, אֶלָּא 'וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַמִּצְווֹת'. כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֵין מַחְמִיצִין אֶת הַמַּצָּה, כָּךְ לֹא יַחְמִיצוּ אֶת הַמִּצְוָה, אֶלָּא אִם בָּאת מִצְוָה עַל יָדָךְ, עֲשֵׂה אוֹתָהּ מִיָּד!

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Pischa 9:13

"And you shall watch over the matzoth": R. Yoshiyah says: Read it not "And you shall watch over the matzoth," but "And you shall watch over the mitzvoth." Just as matzoth are not permitted to become chametz (i.e., to sour), so mitzvah should not be permitted to become chametz, but if the opportunity of a mitzvah presents itself to you, perform it immediately.