Abba Saul (, Abba Shaul) was a fourth generation Tanna (Jewish sage).
Name The "Abba" in "Abba Saul" is a title, and is not part of his name.
Sources that mention Abba Saul b. NanosAvot of Rabbi Natan 29; see Lewy ("Ueber Einige Fragmente aus der Mischnah des Abba Saul," in "Berichte über die Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judenthums in Berlin," 1876) and Abba Saul bar NashNiddah 25b probably refer to the same individual.
Biography As Abba Saul explicitly refers to an opinion of R. Akiva's,Tosefta Sanhedrin 12 and to disagreements between Akiva and Ben Azzai and between Akiva and the sages,Tosefta Kilaim 4 and Ohalot 6 it may be concluded that he was a pupil of R. Akiba and that he lived in the middle of the second century. In the story where Abba Saul prepared the bread in "Rabbi's" house,Pesachim 34a the reference must be to the house of the patriarch R. Simeon ben Gamaliel II not to that of R. Judah haNasi.Compare Lewy, l.c. p. 21, and note 42
He does not appear to have held the title of rabbi. He was tall, and it is said that R. Tarfon reached only up to his shoulder.Niddah 61a
He worked as a grave-digger.Niddah 24b
Teachings Abba Saul devoted himself assiduously to the study of the mode of worship in the Temple.Compare Z. Frankel, "Darke ha-Mishnah," pp. 177 et seq.; Pesachim 13b, 86b; Beitzah 29b; Yoma 19b; Niddah 61a, 71b He also made a collection of mishnayot which in many respects differed from others; this collection has partly been preserved in the present Mishnah, whose redactor, Judah haNasi, occasionally made use of some passages in it which were at variance with other mishnaic compilations.
He demanded that a man perform yibbum solely for the sake of the mitzvah, and not for any other reason such as the sister-in-law's beauty.Yevamot 109a
He was a proponent of Judaism's version of imitatio dei. He explains the word anvehuExodus 15:2 as though it were composed of ani and vehu, and interprets it as meaning that man must endeavor to imitate God and, like Him, show charity and benevolence.Mekhilta, Beshallaḥ, Shirah, 2 [ed. Weiss, p. 44a]; see also Shabbat 133b
To Leviticus 19:2 ("Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy") he cites the parallel, "The king's companions must do according to the king's will".Sifra Kedoshim 1 [ed. Weiss, p. 86c]
Quotes "Discord in the school causes general corruption"Derekh Eretz Zuta 9 "Morality is greater than learning"Semachot 11
References
Bibliography J. Brüll, Einleitung in die Mischnah, i. 200–201.