person · P0286

Rav Hai bar Nachshon רב האי בר נחשון

Gaon of Sura, son of Nachshon Gaon — the earlier of the two geonim named Hai — installed after Rav Malka's single month in office, in the season when most of Mata Mechasya's elders died within three months.

I. Who

Hebrew
רב האי בר נחשון
Era
geonim
Parents
Rav Nachshon bar Tzadok

II. When

Traditional
gaon of Sura c. 4646–4656 AM
Academic
gaon c. 886–896 CE
Lifespan (traditional)
≈66 years
Precision
approximate

III. Where

Places
Sura

V. How do we know

ClaimEvidenceConfidenceSources
"After him Mar Rav Malka one month, and he departed to Eden, and most of the elders of Mata Mechasya died in about three months; and after this Mar Rav Hai the gaon son of Mar Rav Nachshon was installed, seven years" — placed c. 886–896 CE in the standard rosters.
Rav Malka's month-long tenure is recorded within this claim rather than as a separate entry.
tradition external ★★★☆☆
No source names his teacher; his father Rav Nachshon bar Tzadok — himself a head of the academy per the Iggeret — stood at the head of his formation, and Rav Sar Shalom bar Boaz and Rav Natronai bar Hilai held the chair through his formative window (c. 4605–4625 AM). Kinship the Iggeret states; reception it does not — recorded as inference one remove from attestation.
Derived by era-and-institution (and household) inference, not attested.
reconstruction ★★☆☆☆