Abba Hoshaya of Turya

Abba Hoshaya (also called Oshaya or Yeshaya) of Turya (or Traya) was a Jewish wool-washer of the third century, of whose scholarly attainments, although unrecorded in outside historical sources, but whose piety and honesty afforded the aggadists opportunities for legends and religious speculations. Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1:5. Compare Leopold Zunz, "Gottesdienstliche Vorträge," 2d ed., 185; "Beth Talmud," iv. 11-14 ). It is related that Abba Hoshaya once found some jewels which a Roman princess had lost. He brought them to her, but she would not accept them, remarking that she did not value them much, and that they belonged to him by right (compare Bava Metzia 28b ). Abba replied that the Jewish Law orders the restoration to its owner of anything found; whereupon the princess exclaimed, "Praised be the God of the Jews!" (Jerusalem Talmud, Bava Metzia, Chapter 2, page 8c; compare "Pene Mosheh.") Therefore, at his funeral, the Scriptural verse (Song of Songs 8:7), "If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned," was applied to Abba Hoshaya's love of God (Leviticus Rabbah 30; Shir HaShirim Rabbah to l.c., where "Rabbi" is to be corrected into Abba; Tosefta, Bava Kamma 11:14; Jerusalem Talmud, Bava Kamma, Chapter 10, page 7c ).

Location of Turya According to Yeshayahu Press, Turya or (or Traya) is located near Peki'in. A local tradition ascribes a certain tomb in the area to be that of Abba Hoshaya.