Commentary for Moed Katan 35:16

אמר ליה ר' יעקב לר' ירמיה אסברה לך מתני' אע"ג דאית ליה תרי ומטנפי

And [furthermore] said Abitol the hair-dresser, as citing Rab, Pharaoh, the contemporary of Moses, was a Magus,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a priest of the Zoroastrian religion, who adored Ahura-Mazda (Ormuzd) 'the Lord of Light' who would vanquish Angra-Mainyus,');">²¹</span> because it is said: [Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning,] lo he goeth out unto the water.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. VII, 15. It is the reference to the light of morning which is the emphatic part of this quotation. Rab undoubtedly referred to the then national revival of Zoroastrianism on the defeat of Artaban IV and the overthrow of the Parthian, Arsacid dynasty by Ardashir I - (Artaxerxes) and the establishment of the Sassanid dynasty in 226 C.E. Artaban (who is said to have been friendly disposed towards Rab) was captured, held a prisoner and finally put to death in 233. i.e., at the time when Alexander Severus repelled the Persian attacks on the Roman outposts in Northern Mesopotamia. Ardashir 'was an ardent devotee of the Zoroastrian doctrine and closely connected with the Priesthood and in his royal style assumed the designation Mazdayasman' (i.e., devotee of Ahura-Mazda) and depicted himself on rock-reliefs as King and Ormuzd both on horseback, i.e., King and god as Pharaoh did of old. Shapur I, his son and successor, was more liberal and friendly to Samuel. Hence the discussion between Rab and Samuel (Shab. 75a) as to what is a magus, a sorcerer (a muttering quack-priest) or a blasphemer, reviler of God? On the historical facts cf. Enc. Brit. II (1911) Art. Peria, VIII, p. 219a-b.');">²²</span> AND THESE [MAY] WASH [THEIR CLOTHES] DURING THE FESTIVAL [WEEK], ONE ARRIVING FROM ABROAD.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from a maritime province'.');">²³</span>

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