Hanina bar Hama

R. Chanina bar Chama (also simply Hanina or Hananiah; Chanina ben Chama or even ben Hama etc. ) was a native of a priestly family amora of the first generation in Palestine and among the Tannaim of transition and lived and worked in the third, presumably also in the second century AD already. His livelihood he deserved probably as in the healing arts experienced and practicing physician.

He was probably pupil Judah ha - Nasis which reflects its success in informing the students valued very highly, and immigrated to mature age from Babylonia to Palestine. He was nominated by Judah ha - Nasi in the hour of death for it to become the successor of R. Efes as head of the school in Sepphoris, where he died about the year 250. Despite the nomination by Judah ha - Nasi Hanina had the older R. Efes initially left the precedence and had been appointed only after his death to the school principal.

Hanina had a simple, practical sense and was averse to any hype or superstition. At the same time he is said to have loved the pilpul what is in his statement, " Should go forget the Torah, he would reproduce in lectures and deduction again " thinks he can read. It is also called as a champion of free will, illustrated by his well-known saying, "Everything is in God's hands, except the fear of God ."