Abba Yudan

Abdan or Abidan (contraction of Abba Yudan) was a Jewish Palestinian scholar of the first amoraic generation, who lived about the beginning of the third century.

As a disciple and clerk of Judah ha-Nasi (known as "Rabbi"), he seems at times to have been too officious in his bearing toward the members of the rabbinical college. Thus, when R. Ishmael ben Jose seemed to be forcing his way into the college in a manner contrary to the college rules, Abdan exclaimed, "Who is he that strides over the heads of the holy people?" When Ishmael ben Jose replied, "It is I, Ishmael ben Jose, who am come to learn the Law from Rabbi," Abdan retorted, "Art thou worthy to learn from Rabbi?" Piqued by this insolence, Ishmael asked, "Was Moses worthy to learn from the Almighty?" Thereupon Abdan inquired, "And art thou Moses?" To which Ishmael made the reply, "And is thy master the Almighty?"